This book contains all of Smarthistory’s content for Sumerian, Akkadian, Neo-Sumerian / Ur III, Babylonian, Assyrian and Persian art.

The “Beginner’s guide” introduces foundational concepts, such as the chronology of Byzantine history, sacred imagery, and wearable objects. Subsequent sections are arranged chronologically, covering the Early Byzantine period (c. 330–700), the Iconoclastic Controversy (c. 700s–843), the Middle Byzantine period (843–1204), the Latin Empire (c. 1204–1261), and the Late Byzantine period (c. 1261–1453) and beyond.

These sections include thematic essays on Byzantine art and architecture, essays that focus on key works (subtitled artworks in focus or architecture in focus), and essays that explore Byzantium’s relationships with other cultures (subtitled cross-cultural perspectives). Finally, we have included questions for study or discussion to encourage teachers, students, and other readers to engage with videos and other content on the Smarthistory website which could not be included in this book format but which we believe richly compliments what is presented here.

This book contains all of Smarthistory’s content for Italian art in the 1300s.
Table of Contents
Part I. A Beginner's Guide
Part II. Florence
Part III. Siena
Part IV. Pisa, Pistoia, Rome

This book contains all of Smarthistory’s content for Italian art in the 1300s.

This book contains all of Smarthistory’s content for Italian art in the 1400s.

Humanities Course Description:
Through the exploration of modern literature, drama, art, film, poetry, and music, this course places developments in the Humanities into historical and philosophical contexts and illustrates the continuity of culture. This course introduces students to literature, philosophy, art, film, and music from the beginning of the 20th century to the present.

Humanities Course Objectives:
At the completion of this course, students will be able to:
*become acquainted with the human tradition as expressed in its literature, philosophy, and the arts;
*become familiar with seminal modern ideas and theories as expressed through literature, philosophy, and the arts;
*examine underlying assumptions about and ways of seeing literature, philosophy, and the arts;
*think critically about the humanities by looking outward at the world and formulating thoughtful and informed ideas about it; and
*understand themselves as persons whose identities are shaped through participation in a wider community and longer history.

Link to the textbook Modern Humanities Arts & Ideas 1900’s-present day is available on the webpage.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:
CHAPTER 1: BIRTH OF MODERNISM AND THE MODERN WORLD (1900-1920’S)
CHAPTER 2: THE ROARING TWENTIES & THE GREAT FALL (1920’s-1945)
CHAPTER 3: THE SEARCH FOR MEANING & BEGINNING OF GLOBALISM (1945-1950’S)
CHAPTER 4: LIBERATION AND EQUALITY (1960-ONWARD)

Art critic, historian and journalist Anita Brenner (1905-1974) is acknowledged to be one of the most important and perceptive writers on the art, culture, and political history of Mexico. Idols Behind Altars is her influential historical and critical study of modern Mexican art and its roots. It was one of the first books to afford Mexican art the same serious considerations as European and Asian art and remains indispensable for anyone interested in the subject. The works of such major figures as Diego Rivera, Jóse Clemente Orozco, David Alfaro Siqueiros, Francisco Goitia and Jean Charlot are examined in the cultural context of pre-Columbian times through the 19th century. Brenner's astute analysis of Mexican history, her keen insights into revolutionary politics, and her passionate advocacy of Mexican art infuse this book with seminal importance. 117 illustrations--including some early photographs by Edward Weston--enhance the text.

Looking at art is not an easy, straightforward process, even though it often feels natural.

The power of art can be immediate, striking, even arresting. We are now living in what is the most media-saturated era of world history, as we are bombarded with visual images constantly, but we have very little training in how to critically interpret these images. The fundamental tools are not taught to children in school. Looking—deep, careful looking—is not as simple as it seems. It is the aim of this book to teach the skills needed to decode art, to provide you with tools you can apply to all of the visual data around you.

In this course, you will explore a wonderfully diverse array of works. They will likely strike you as beautiful or ugly, stunning or strange, funny or compelling, or any combination of these reactions at once. Art does not have to be beautiful or uplifting. Likewise, though, it does not have to be dark and serious. There are no limits on the moods and ideas art can or should convey. There are, though, tools and tricks through which artists convey these moods and ideas. These visual techniques, above all, will be the subject of this book.

Introduction to Art: Design, Context, and Meaning offers a comprehensive introduction to the world of Art. Authored by four USG faculty members with advance degrees in the arts, this textbooks offers up-to-date original scholarship. It includes over 400 high-quality images illustrating the history of art, its technical applications, and its many uses.
Combining the best elements of both a traditional textbook and a reader, it introduces such issues in art as its meaning and purpose; its meaning and purpose; its structure, material, and form; and its diverse effects on our lives. Its digital nature allows students to follow links to applicable sources and videos, expanding the students’ educational experiences beyond the textbook. Introduction to Art: Design, Context, and Meaning provides a new and free alternative to traditional textbooks, making it an invaluable resource in our modern age of technology and advancement.

Modern art begins in the middle of the 19th Century, in the 1850s, and lasts until approximately the 1960s. After that, once the vocabulary of modernism has been established and fully explored, the art made in the 1970s and 1980s is called post-modern art. Art made within the last 15-20 years is generally called contemporary art.

The human figure, with its myriad curves and contours, can be challenging for anyone to draw. In this invaluable reference, well-known art instructor and author E. L. Koller simplifies the process, making it easy for artists to learn new methods of rendering the figure--in action and repose--with accuracy and style. Using figure-drawing exercises, numerous photos, and illustrations, Koller reduces the task at hand into manageable steps for intermediate and advanced artists. Beginning with drawing basics, this step-by-step guide explores the structure of the human figure and the comparative proportions of child and adult figures, showing how to depict individual parts of the head and body, facial expressions, and gestures. It also shows the merits of sketching from memory; drawing from casts, photographs, and living models; and sketching both undraped and costumed figures. Once the still figure is mastered, the artist can explore the more challenging action poses, including walking, running, and catching. Filled with guidance and insight on the human form, Life Drawing is an essential addition to every artist's reference shelf.

The book examines the work of Terence Grieder, an early pre-Columbian art historian of wide-ranging interests and often provocative stances. His students and other intellectual descendants discuss his major ideas through examples drawn from their own work. The work of those he mentored is in the end the most important testament to his continuing influence in the field.

What is 3D Design, and what makes it so different from 2D Design? Through this chapter, you will be introduced to the concepts, language, and principles of 3D Design, and explore translating a 2D drawing into a 3D object.

With this helpful and informative guide, a leading American illustrator offers insights into how serious beginners can become sketch masters. It combines a focus on the nature and importance of technique with practical suggestions for developing drawing skills with a variety of tools, including felt pen, pencil, crayon, brush and ink, charcoal, casein, tempera, and wash.Norman Rockwell praised this book as "a real contribution not only to illustration, but to art." Rockwell and author Robert Fawcett were founding faculty members of the Famous Artists School, a correspondence course that has coached legions of professionals and amateurs. Known as the "Illustrator's Illustrator," Fawcett stresses design and composition in his step-by-step demonstrations, which feature 100 illustrations. His realistic depictions of landscapes and human figures convey solid fundamentals of drawing that every artist, illustrator, student, and hobbyist needs to know.

The amateur artist faces many challenges. To Len A. Doust, perspective is by far the most problematic. With his trademark humor, the author/artist turns his expert eye toward that "dreaded, horrid word." In a clearly written how-to guide on mastering the art of perspective, he carefully:* describes the roles of lines, boxes, and circles* provides shortcuts for visualizing shapes and forms* incorporates thirty-three plates of helpful illustrationsOne of the most concise introductions available for beginners, this practical volume will be an important addition to any artist's resource library.

Reframing Art History, an open-access multimedia art history "textbook," gives you a guided journey through the living, breathing, meaningful side of art history. We’re less concerned with names and dates than with meaning and movement. With chapters developed by a group of more than 50 experts, it showcases art and history from the bottom up.

Here you can find all the introductory content you'll need to begin your exploration of the art of Africa.

Discover thousands of years of art from the world's largest continent. From monumental palaces to rock-cut cave temples, golden crowns to painted scrolls.