Western Art History for Everyone

Author: Wang Danting
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1999-06-01
Features: This is a concise history of Western art. Unlike previous works in the same category, this book abandons the conventional approach of writing art history purely from a stylistic perspective. Instead, it places the revelation of the artistic spirit as the primary purpose of interpreting art history. The author analyzes significant art phenomena, famous artists, and their representative works from prehistoric, ancient Egyptian, Mesopotamian, ancient Greek, Roman, and modern Western historical periods. Through these discussions, the book highlights the state of human life reflected in art works from different ethnic groups and eras—specifically, the historical evolution of harmony and imbalance between humanity and nature, among people themselves, and between the spiritual and the physical. It aims to guide readers to grasp the essential meaning of art by transcending the veil of stylistic analysis.