This classic art history guide by expert Ernest Gombrich has been a bestseller in its genre for over 50 years.
I’ve finally ordered my own copy of A Story of Art; even though I find it incredibly difficult to find time to read for pleasure I can’t wait to sit down with and devour this classic, described by a former director of the National Gallery as “an ideal introductory volume for art history."
Published in 1950, the book remains a comprehensive and eloquent overview of the history of art. According to publisher Phaidon, the book “starts with the cave paintings at Lascaux, then discusses the art of Egypt, Greece, Rome and Byzantium, Islam and China, covers the Medieval and Renaissance periods, and details the roots and flowering of Modernism.” I’m intrigued with the scope of this compact book.
The text was compiled by master art historian E.H. Gombrich, who writes his insights about the visual arts in a simple and direct manner. Though criticized by some for his focus on the evolution of Western painting and only a cursory glance at Chinese and Islamic art, the book remains the best-selling art history guide ever published.
