Isms: Understanding Art

I like this little book! It's a straightforward and succinct guide to visually identifying the various styles of art as divided by art historians into "-isms" from the Renaissance to Postmodernism. I am a professional artist, who had the average amount of art history aside studio classes in college, but I have felt an urgent need for some time to better understand myself via the concreteness that a good grip of art history provides... with this book, a good amount of relevant information is relayed with just a couple pages of text and relevant visual examples of work. I appreciate the disclaimer in the book's introduction that it is not "intended to test your ability to label or identify art at 40 paces!" That doesn't mean, however, that it isn't useful. As I said, a lot of info is conveyed in a relatively short amount of book, and with a chronological layout, the -isms are grouped into five time sections: Renaissance, Baroque & Rococo, The 19th Century, Modernism, and Postmodernism. Each of the five sections has a color to code and helps visually group the isms as they explained, and each ism includes the relevant group of artists (and when they lived) within the genre, as well as major works within a specific gallery. At the end of each ism, is an eye symbol denoting that listed movements appear similar to the aforementioned ism, as well as a closed eye symbol to denote what that ism does NOT appear similar to. This book is highly portable in that it is 1) physically small, and 2) structurally sound and rugged in the Flexibound format. I like the long flap at the beginning and end that can be used as a bookmark to keep your place as you read through it. Overall, a handy guide to those either unaqauinted with, or wanting to refresh their understanding of, art history in a general sense. In the past, I have found a real struggle with books that are sizably large, hefty hardcovers bearing so many hundreds of pages, because it is physically cumbersome to delve into and feel aquainted with. The typical burden of lengthy textbooks, I suppose. This book is the opposite and it's breezy approach of subject matter fits perfectly within its physically light and compact self.

clear, 2 page overviews of the different art movements with images, key artists, and main concepts / themes - great little guide that fits in your bag/purse easily to have on hand; there's also a timeline in the back that helps show the overlaps between the movements

This is a handy dandy little book that serves as a quick reference guide for art movements. It, however, has a few shortcomings. The first is that the author makes up a few of the "isms." The terms he makes up are marked--sort of, but are still hard to keep straight. The book progresses in chronological order, but it is confusing when the author delves into trends within movements. This book would benefit tremendously from a foldout timeline and some sort of chart to indicate how/when the various movement occurred in relation to each other. Overall, it is a good little reference, but be wary of which terms you use when in the company of those educated in art history.

This is a dope ass book. I bought it bc I was flipping through it at someone's house one day as thought it was sweet. Then my dad saw it and was obsessed. I got him one and he showed it to my sister. I went to go visit her and I see she has a copy on her book shelf. Just goes a good job of breaking down art history for the layman in a way thats approachable but enticing

This book gives a brief but informative overview of the major art trends and movements from 1300 to the present, devoting two pages to each with a listing of each trend's principal artists and showing examples (all in color). The artworks in each section are grouped by the museums where they are on display so that visitors to each museum can view the representative paintings shown as well as others mentioned. The book also lists similar trends as well as those that are dissimilar, and gives a graphic timeline at the end of all the "isms" listed. An excellent introduction and a great starting point for further study.

I bought this book for a trip to Paris where I visited many, many art galleries. As one who appreciates art, having this book to help me identify the Ism to which a work of art belonged deepened my understanding of what I was viewing. As a photographer, I used the book to help me identify the Isms that I like and that will help my own art.

Slightly weird because sometimes it goes from ism to an normal term, but it gives a great in depth explanation of art terms.

This book is beautifully illustrated with famous paintings of each era of painting through the ages.However, it is difficult to categorize each section with somewhat vague guiding illustrations. I found it hard to follow.Also, some of the major paintings are not labeled until later in a section so it is somewhat confusing.