World Art Masters and Masterpieces Encyclopedia

Author: Zhu Boxiong / Jiao Yu, Editors-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2002-01-01
Features: The Comprehensive Dictionary of World Famous Artists and Masterpieces, published by Zhejiang Education Publishing House, is edited by Professor Zhu Boxiong, a renowned art history scholar from the China Academy of Art. It can be considered a companion volume to the Comprehensive Dictionary of Chinese Fine Art Masters and Masterpieces (also published by Zhejiang Education Publishing House). The book is divided into eight sections and six volumes, covering ancient Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Indian, African, and American art; Renaissance art in Italy and other European countries; Baroque and Classicism in the 17th century; Rococo in the 18th century; and Neoclassicism in the early 19th century; as well as modern Western art schools and contemporary art movements that emerged in the 20th century. In addition to providing detailed introductions to the development of art worldwide and the lives and works of influential artists in art history, the book also focuses on in-depth research of pioneering contemporary artists born before the mid-20th century. Furthermore, it includes separate sections on outstanding Russian and Soviet artists who had a significant impact on Chinese art, as well as on Japanese art. The book is primarily dedicated to introducing renowned artists, integrating original works, historical facts, and aesthetic studies. It is the first comprehensive art history monograph in China to combine art styles, visual evolution, and artist biographies in a visually rich format.
The role of individual artists in art history is extraordinary. A master often represents a milestone in a style or even a turning point in history. Studying art history helps us avoid repeating the mistakes of the past while recognizing the uniqueness of masters and creating our own artistic language. It is evident that viewing art history as merely a history of forms or techniques is a self-imposed confinement of the human spirit. Any history is a result of humanity's self-awareness, attention to life, and nature. Art history directly records the creativity of artists and their insight into their time, making it a spiritual treasure of all humankind. No art in any era is created in isolation from its specific time, place, and cultural context. If we focus only on the surface or imitate it, even revering it as a sacred method, we risk superficiality and falsehood.
When artists create, they always deliberate deeply. Spontaneous improvisation often leads to repetition of past works. A century ago, Cézanne created a new language for art, rationally forging his own path. Duchamp went even further, consciously breaking with all historical traditions and directly using ready-made objects to realize his artistic concepts, becoming the pioneer of postmodern art. The works and creative philosophies of these masters introduced in the book will guide us to re-examine any life experience and spiritual pursuit, encouraging us to engage in "dialogue" with masters while listening to the footsteps of history, thus avoiding blind imitation and narrow-mindedness.
Unlike many other Chinese and foreign art books edited by Professor Zhu Boxiong, the Comprehensive Dictionary of World Famous Artists and Masterpieces not only selects and features 300 essays and over 5,500 images of representative art schools and figures in the history of world art development, providing meticulous analyses of artists' lives and works, but also offers unique insights into the essence of postmodern art that emerged after the 1970s. It emphasizes guiding readers from an academic perspective, acknowledging the individual wisdom of contemporary artists while highlighting the significance and role of postmodern art in contemporary culture. Although various limitations prevent it from reaching definitive conclusions, the materials provided in the book are valuable for further in-depth research.
It should be noted that while conflicts in today's global civilization may be unavoidable, the cultural homogenization tendency driven by economic globalization warrants vigilance. Chinese civilization must establish its modern and pluralistic cultural values through dialogue with other civilizations—this is the key issue. Due to limitations in resources and time, there are still shortcomings in the book, but these do not diminish its value. For art enthusiasts or non-professionals, the book remains a specialized monograph with the characteristics of a world art encyclopedia. Its rich content, exquisite images, and integrated text-and-image functionality are unparalleled in China. Through it, we can not only observe the evolution of world art schools, styles, artist biographies, and the embodiment of humanistic spirit but also access the most abundant information in world art history at the lowest cost.
In summary, the Comprehensive Dictionary of World Famous Artists and Masterpieces is both a professional art history and a guide for artists' creativity.