The Art of Mesoamerica (World of Art)
by Mary Ellen Miller
from Thames & Hudson
"An essential guide to the art and architecture of ancient Central America."—Colonial Latin American Historical Review
Mary Ellen Miller evocatively surveys the artistic achievements of the high Precolumbian civilizations—Olmec, Maya, Teotihuacan, Toltec, Aztec—as well as those of their less well-known contemporaries. Their pyramids and palaces, jades and brightly colored paintings emerge from these pages as vividly as when they first astonished Cortes's men in 1519.
The fourth edition of this standard work includes exciting new discoveries, from Palenque, Mexico, where architecture and sculpture reveal a dramatic eighth century, to San Bartolo, Guatemala, where Maya paintings have riveted an international audience. Continuing hieroglyphic decipherments provide fresh insights. The revised edition of the Art of Mesoamerica is the ideal companion for art historians, students, and travelers alike. 220 illustrations, 136 in color.
Greek Art and Archaeology, 4th Edition
by John Griffiths Pedley
from Prentice Hall Art
This revised edition of John Griffiths Pedley's 1993 survey covers 3,000 years of Greek history with nearly 400 illustrations and an authoritative text that centers on material culture, especially pottery, statuary, and architecture. Greek Art and Archaeology incorporates recent scholarship on matters such as influences from the Near East and the spread of Greek ideas to other parts of the Mediterranean. Of special interest is Pedley's building-by-building history of the Parthenon, including a useful survey of its metopes and friezes. He also offers well-considered stylistic notes on familiar objects, such as the Laocoön group and the Nike of Samothrace.
Art of the Andes: From Chavin to Inca (World of Art)
by Rebecca Stone-Miller
from Thames & Hudson
This wide-ranging survey has established itself as the best single-volume introduction to Andean art and architecture. Now fully revised, it describes the strikingly varied artistic achievements of the ChavÃn, Paracas, Moche, Chimú, and Inca cultures, among others. Their impressive cities, tall pyramids, shining goldwork, and intricate textiles constitute one of the greatest artistic traditions in history.
For the second edition, Rebecca Stone-Miller has added new material covering the earliest mummification in the world at Chinchorros, wonderful new Moche murals and architectural reconstructions, the latest finds from the Chachapoyas culture, and a greater emphasis on shamanism. Throughout, Stone-Miller demonstrates how the Andean peoples adapted and refined their aesthetic response to an extremely inhospitable environment. 185 illustrations, 35 in color.
Roman Art
by Nancy H. Ramage
from Prentice Hall
Ideal for readers who are studying Roman art for the first time, this exceptionally well-illustrated volume explores Roman art in the traditional historical manner–with a focus on painting, sculpture, architecture, and minor arts. It assumes no prior acquaintance with the classical world, and explains the necessary linguistic, historical, religious, social, and political background needed to fully understand Roman art. The authors present the history of Roman Art from the following time periods: Etruscan Forerunners 100-200
Art and Experience in Classical Greece
by Jerome Jordan Pollitt
from Cambridge University Press
An account of the development of Greek art in the Classical period (about 480-320 BC) which places particular emphasis on the meaning and content of Greek sculpture, architecture and painting. Professor Pollitt reminds us that the visual arts in Greece, as elsewhere, were primarily vehicles of expression. He does not ignore formal development but always relates this to social and cultural history, which it reflected and from which it grew. While his subject is art, he refers frequently to the literature and philosophy of the period which were shaped by the same influences.
Early Medieval Art (Oxford History of Art)
by Lawrence Nees
from Oxford University Press, USA
In the first millennium, a rich and distinctive artistic tradition emerged in Europe. Early Medieval Art explores this tradition and tracks its development from c. 300 AD through c. 1000 AD, revealing forms of artistic expression ranging from brilliant illuminated manuscripts to decorative chairs, rich embroidery, and precious metalwork.
Nees explores issues of artist patronage, craftsmanship, holy men and women, monasteries, secular courts, and the expressive and educational roles of artistic creation. Instead of treating early Christian art in the late Roman tradition and the arts of the newly established kingdoms of northern Europe as opposites, he adopts a more holistic view, treating them as different aspects of a larger historical situation. This approach reveals the onset of an exciting new visual relationship between the church and the populace throughout medieval Europe. Moreover, it restores a previously marginalized subject to a central status in our artistic and cultural heritage.
A History of Roman Art
by Fred S. Kleiner
from Wadsworth Publishing
A HISTORY OF ROMAN ART is a new authoritative and lavishly-illustrated survey of the art of Rome and the Roman Empire from the time of Romulus to the death of Constantine, presented in its historical, political, and social context. All aspects of Roman art and architecture are treated, including private art and domestic architecture, the art of the Eastern and Western provinces, the art of freedmen, and the so-called minor arts, including cameos, silverware, and coins. The book is divided into four parts-Monarchy and Republic, Early Empire, High Empire, and Late Empire-and traces the development of Roman art from its beginnings in the 8th century BCE to the mid fourth century CE, with special chapters devoted to Pompeii and Herculaneum, Ostia, funerary and provincial art and architecture, and the earliest Christian art.
Great Book of Celtic Patterns: The Ultimate Design Sourcebook for Artists and Crafters
by Lora S. Irish
from Fox Chapel Publishing
The Art of Mesoamerica: From Olmec to Aztec (World of Art)
by Mary Ellen Miller
from Thames & Hudson
This essential guide to the art and architecture of ancient Mesoamerica succinctly and evocatively summarizes the artistic achievements of the high pre-Columbian civilizations—Olmec, Maya, Teotihuacan, Tolec, Aztec—as well as those of their less well-known contemporaries. The pyramids and palaces, jades and brightly colored paintings emerge from these pages as vividly as when they first astonished Cortés's men in 1519. There was a surprising unity in Mesoamerican culture from Mexico to Honduras and from 1500 BC to the Spanish Conquest. Among many features shared were a 260-day ritual calendar and a preoccupation with gods representing natural forces. Current research also emphasizes the great importance of rites of kingship, including warfare and blood sacrifice. In this third edition, Mary Miller opens up new windows on the ancient past with fresh readings of works of art, all the while offering careful archaeological interpretations. Recent hieroglyphic decipherments provide insights into ancient art, spelling out long-distance connections between the Maya and their neighbors. Updated throughout, with special attention to evidence for dating, the new Art of Mesoamerica is the ideal companion for students and travelers. 193 illustrations, 44 in color.
Art and Myth in Ancient Greece: A Handbook (World of Art)
by Thomas H. Carpenter
from Thames & Hudson
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