The History of Western Art

De: Peter Whitfield

Narrado por: Sebastian Comberti

What is art? Why do we value images of saints, kings, goddesses, battles, landscapes or cities from eras of history utterly remote from ourselves? This history of art shows how painters, sculptors and architects have expressed the belief systems of their age: religious, political and aesthetic.

From the ancient civilisations of Egypt, Mesopotamia and Greece, to the revolutionary years of the 19th and 20th centuries, the artist has acted as a mirror to the ideals and conflicts of the human mind. He has always started with reality, but has selected and reshaped that reality to create a parallel world; a world of the imagination.

Download the accompanying reference guide.©2011 Naxos AudioBooks (P)2011 Naxos AudioBooks

Great book

Little slow to start. Great synopis of modern art.
The reader has a lovely British accent.

What’s his problem with Turner?

This is a decent, fast paced review of Western Art phases, written for more of a beginner or casual art enthusiast. Then, out of nowhere the author rips into JMW Turner, even using the word “embarrassment” to attack his work. He’s certainly in the minority here. The great art historian Kenneth Clark calls Turner “far the greatest painter England has ever produced”.

Superbly Written

Would you consider the audio edition of The History of Western Art to be better than the print version?

Peter Whitfield has a deep understanding of art history and manages to communicate it undiluted without pretence. Some of his observations are stunning, and always concise. The other art history university textbooks I've read are watered down and politically bent, but Whitfield just states it like it is with utter virtuosity. His sentences are art.The narration is good, I'm cherishing listening to this.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The History of Western Art?

The Renaissance

Quick review

This book was a nice review of art history class. It helps to Google the paintings as you go for a deeper engagement with the text, but it's not necessary to understand the overall survey of art history.

AWESOME ART

The author puts art and history together. Easy to listen to and understand.I found I was researching artists and works as the narrative continued. Of course there will be some gaps -- but overall pretty cool.