Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “The Story of Art” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

The Story of Art

by E.H. Gombrich

3.82 · Rating Details · 138,142 Ratings · 416 Reviews

This text is the 16th revised and updated edition of this introduction to art, from the earliest cave paintings to experimental art. Eight new artists from the modern period have been introduced. They are: Corot, Kollwitz, Nolde, de Chirico, Brancussi, Magritte, Nicolson and Morandi. A sequence of new endings have been added, and the captions are now fuller, including the ...more

Hardcover, 16th edition, 688 pages

Published April 9th 1995 by Phaidon Press (first published 1950)

More Details... edit details

Get a copy:

Or buy for

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about The Story of Art, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

The Letters of Vincent van Gogh by Vincent Van Gogh

Best Art and Art History Books

253 books — 208 voters

The Systems View of Life by Fritjof Capra

A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking

Gödel, Escher, Bach by Douglas R. Hofstadter

New Scientist Top 25 Most Influential Popular Science Books

44 books — 69 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30)

filter | sort: default (?) | Rating Details

Dec 23, 2010 Charlie rated it liked it · review of another edition

If you don't know anything about art and wish you did, The Story of Art will help. It will ONLY help you to understand art according to a modernist, Western European narrative. If you want to critique art, this is a pretty important narrative to understand, due to its dominance in the field of art theory (I mean, as far as I know). Gombrich covers painting, sculpture, and architecture from pre-history to the mid-twentieth century. He explains what makes particular artists so important by placing ...more

flag 106 likes · Like · see review

Jan 13, 2016 Nikoleta rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: culture, arts

Ένα εκπληκτικό βιβλίο για την ιστορία της τέχνης. Εμένα προσωπικά, που είμαι εντελώς άσχετη, με βοήθησε πολύ να κατανοήσω την πορεία και την εξέλιξή της, σε σημείο τέτοιο που να συμπαθήσω ακόμα και την μεταμοντέρνα, που δεν άντεχα ούτε να την βλέπω. Καλογραμμένο, απλό, εμπεριέχει τα πάντα. Θα κλείσω και με ένα απόσπασμα από την εισαγωγή του Gombrich, που έγινε η αιτία να με κερδίσει και με έκανε να το ξεκοκαλίσω όλο.

«...η Τέχνη - με κεφαλαίο Τ - δεν υπάρχει. Γιατί η Τέχνη με κεφαλαίο Τ κατάντησε ...more

flag 45 likes · Like · see review

Andrie Η αλήθεια είναι ότι κατ' εμένα ο Γκόμπριχ έκανε καταπληκτική δουλειά. Εντάξει δεν είναι μια βαθιά ανάλυση, επ' ουδενί, αλλά είναι ό,τι χρειάζεται για ...more
Mar 08, 2014 06:40AM

Nikoleta Andrie συμφωνω μαζί σου 100% ηταν το καταλληλότερο βιβλιό για να ξεκινήσω την περιπλανηση μου στην ιστορία της τεχνης. Κ οντως εχει κατηγορηθει για το ...more
Mar 08, 2014 07:43AM

Jun 09, 2010 AC rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: art

This book was perfect. For someone like myself who (now) has a little knowledge of Art (the capital letter here is deliberate) and some sense of history -- but who has big gaps and oceans of ignorance about the topic -- this book was perfect. It is mature, serious, to the point, absolutely free of jargon, sure, insightful -- always interesting, never pedantic -- and not eccentric in the least. Gombrich covers all the major artists and the movements they represent, and ties them together with cla ...more

flag 36 likes · Like · see review

Jan 12, 2016 Νόρα rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: Αγαπημένα, Τέχνη

Από τα ωραιότερα βιβλία που βρίσκονται στη βιβλιοθήκη μου.Όσοι με γνωρίζουν ξέρουν ότι έχω βαθιά αγάπη για την τέχνη,έτσι μου έκαναν δώρο αυτό το βιβλίο.Δεν ήταν δύσκολο να το καταλάβουν ότι το ήθελα,τους είχα πάρει τα αυτιά.Είχα αποφασίσει να μάθω περισσότερα για την ιστορία της τέχνης και δεν μου αρκούσαν πλέον τα βιβλία των μεγάλων ζωγράφων η οι οδηγοί των μουσείων.Ένα βιβλίο κατανοητό με απλή γραφή ,που εύκολα ο αναγνώστης ξεκαθαρίζει με σειρά τις έννοιες και την χρονολογική εξέλιξη της τέχν ...more

flag 32 likes · Like · see review

Jul 30, 2011 Rick rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

The Story of Art is a handy little survey of art history, primarily but not exclusively western art, from cave paintings and primitive sculptures to modern architecture and pop art. It is 500 pages of text and that many pages of well synchronized color plates in a smart pocket edition by Phaidon. Twenty-eight chapters, mostly quite brief, but each a skillful, thoughtful rippling of the surface, with hints of depth and well-defined currents moving quickly and sure footedly through the eras and ad ...more

flag 27 likes · Like · see review

Dec 21, 2015 Michael Kotsarinis rated it really liked it · review of another edition

4.5/5

Η αλήθεια είναι ότι όταν το αγόρασα, ως βιβλίο αναφοράς για τη βιβλιοθήκη μας, δεν πίστευα ότι θα το διάβαζα ολόκληρο. Μετά το πρώτο ξεφύλλισμα, σκέφτηκα να ρίξω μια ματιά στην εισαγωγή. Και εκεί ήρθε η πρώτη έκπληξη καθώς αντί για τα συνήθη ακαταλαβίστικα και βαθυστόχαστα, που διαβάζουμε σε άρθρα και κριτικές για την Τέχνη, συνάντησα έναν λόγο απλό, μεστό και στραμμένο στον απλό αναγνώστη. Λίγο, λίγο, λοιπόν το προχωρούσα ανάμεσα από άλλα αναγνώσματα και χωρίς να το καταλάβω, είχα περάσει ...more

flag 21 likes · Like · see review

Nov 28, 2011 John David rated it really liked it

Shelves: art-and-art-history

Just a dozen or so pages into this book, I knew that it was one I wish I would have had access to when I was first seriously exposed to art. While in many respects, it is a conservative textbook (being first published in 1950), it is fundamentally meant for someone who has little to no previous formal contact with art history. Of course, if you have some, this can make you seriously engage some of your previously held assumptions about what you like and why you like it, but I got the distinct im Just a dozen or so pages into this book, I knew that it was one I wish I would have had access to when I was first seriously exposed to art. While in many respects, it is a conservative textbook (being first published in 1950), it is fundamentally meant for someone who has little to no previous formal contact with art history. Of course, if you have some, this can make you seriously engage some of your previously held assumptions about what you like and why you like it, but I got the distinct impression while reading that it was meant to initiate a teenager – a teenager who very much reminded of me of myself – into a whole new world.

The inclusions and exclusions of certain artists are, of course, always arbitrary. However, Gombrich’s choices do not deviate too much from a standard art history text. What particularly drew me to the book was what I perceived to be its inordinate focus on medieval and especially Renaissance art. Of the twenty-eight chapters included in the book, about five mostly focus on Western medieval images (6 and 8-11). Another six chapters (13-18) focus on the art of the Western Renaissance. Most surveys of art history to which I had been previously exposed paid scant attention to medieval art and they sometimes did not give the Renaissance the space that I felt it deserved. There is no doubt the medieval and Renaissance art Gombrich’s pet periods here (and, admittedly, they’re mine, too.)

What makes it so special is that, instead of spending the first chapter in an abstract exercise of thinking about what “Art” is, he forces you over and over again to take the art on its own terms. While discussing the various visual perspectives painted by the artist of “The Garden of Nebamun,” he says: “To us reliefs and wall-paintings provide an extraordinarily vivid picture of life as it was lived in Egypt thousands of years ago. And yet, looking at them for the first time, one may find them rather bewildering. The reason is that the Egyptian painters had a very different way from ours of representing real life. Perhaps this is connected with the different purpose their paintings had to serve. What mattered most was not prettiness but completeness. It was the artists’ task to preserve everything as clearly and permanently as possible. So they did not set out to sketch nature as it appeared to them from any fortuitous angle” (p. 60). It is the occasional insight like this that makes the book most worthwhile for a neophyte. After all, how many of us have measured something we saw by the standards of our particular narrow time and place? He really drives home the point that thinking about art seriously means thinking about other perspectives (both literally and figuratively), other preoccupations, and other aesthetic modus operandi. This is a lesson that should be lost on none of us, about art, or about anything else.
...more

flag 16 likes · Like · see review

Apr 01, 2016 Rosenkavalier rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: arte, favorites

Autodidatti di tutto il mondo, uniamoci

Antefatto: al Liceo, in un impeto autonomista, la mia professoressa di disegno decise di saltare il programma triennale di storia dell'arte, consentendomi di beneficiare di cinque anni di proiezioni ortogonali (ricalcate alla finestra dalle tavole altrui).

Questo era l'alibi.

Fino ai 30 anni circa non mi sono mai molto interessato d'arte, fino a un ponte del Primo Maggio trascorso tra Siena e Arezzo. Da lì, resomi conto di quel che mi ero perso, ho cominciato ...more

flag 15 likes · Like · see review

Aug 15, 2016 Luís C. rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favourites, g-art, 2016, big-ones-500, germany-austria-czech

What a monument! I'm not a regular in the history of art, but I wanted to throw myself still in this reading. Much good has taken me, it took me a few weeks to deal with them, but I do not regret it! Are discussed painting, drawing, sculpture and even architecture, since the earliest human societies until the 50s the whole is decorated with beautiful illustrations. Unless you have a real need for the pocket edition (small footprint), I advise rather publishing "beautiful book". Indeed, the techn ...more

flag 31 likes · Like · see review

Jul 12, 2007 Namrirru rated it really liked it

Shelves: art

The title of this book should be "The Story of Western Art," because that is what 95% of this book is. Western Art. The "Primitive Art," "Looking Eastwards" and "Modernism" section are an insult and should have been left out of the text along with his random snide comments.

Othewise, this makes a nice commentary on Western Art. It's enthusiastic and reads like a "story."

flag 13 likes · Like · see review

Nov 11, 2009 David rated it it was amazing

This is a thick and tremendously heavy book, but only physically heavy, and Gombrich is far from thick in his treatment of art down the ages. Read it lying face-down on the floor. Use it as a door-stop.

The reproductions are exquisite in colour and detail, and of course it can be dipped into at leisure and as the mood takes. The Italian Renaissance is comprehensively covered.

I wanted to buy this book several years ago but thought 25 was a bit steep, then found it last year on sale in Central Lond ...more

flag 8 likes · Like · see review

Jun 20, 2015 Ahmad Sharabiani rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical, art, 20th-century

The story of Art, Ernst Hans Gombrich (1909 - 2001)
عنوان: تاریخ هنر؛ اثر: ارنست جان گامبریچ؛ مترجم: علی رامین؛ مشخصات نشر: تهران، نشر نی، 1379، در 674 ص، مصور بخشی رنگی، نقشه، نمودار، شابک چاپ پنجم در سال 1387: 9789643124700؛ وازه نامه دارد، نمایه، کتابنامه از ص 639 تا 647 موضوع: تاریخ هنر

flag 9 likes · Like · see review

Aug 20, 2009 Ryan rated it it was amazing

This well-composed book was a pleasure to read. And as far as introducing the history of art, it is exactly what I was looking for;beautifulphotographs,lucid descriptions, no jargon, nopretension. I recommend that you read the short preface and first chapter, and I bet that you won’t stop there.

The book’s 600 pages contain at least as many photographs, mostly of paintings, and about half of those figures are full-page (including a few fold-outs [ooh la la:]). The text is written simply – without This well-composed book was a pleasure to read. And as far as introducing the history of art, it is exactly what I was looking for; beautiful photographs, lucid descriptions, no jargon, no pretension. I recommend that you read the short preface and first chapter, and I bet that you won’t stop there.

The book’s 600 pages contain at least as many photographs, mostly of paintings, and about half of those figures are full-page (including a few fold-outs [ooh la la:]). The text is written simply – without jargon, footnotes, endnotes or appeal to authority. Mr. Gombrich’s restraint is impressive, since he obviously has a deep knowledge and personal appreciation for the topic. Instead of appealing to authority, he draws upon the art itself and universal human instincts to help the reader understand the artist and the art. For example, he explains the ancient Egyptian belief that images carry the soul, not by objectifying their primitive beliefs, but by suggesting an exercise by which the reader can discover that those feelings are commonplace within herself. He provokes (p. 40): “Suppose we take a picture of our favourite champion from today’s paper – would we enjoy taking a needle and poking out the eyes? Would we feel as indifferent about it as if we poked a hole anywhere else in the paper? I do not think so.” And so begins the dynamic struggle of emotion and reason that we follow through the history of art.

This book impresses as much by its layout and editing as by the text and pictures themselves. Each of the many chapters begins with an architectural example. Since the text wisely refrains from tangents into cultural history, the architecture serves a second purpose (besides exemplifying preserved art) of adding practical context to the timeline. Then, each chapter ends with a small picture showing an artist from that time period at work. These little pictures are the only ones not actually referred to in the text, and again add non-text context, while bringing the reader closer to the artists.
This approach succeeds in impressing the reader with the most important concepts in art history, since they are the ones that naturally recur throughout the story. The author frequently refers the reader to previous pictures (always giving the page number). Since the text is so brief, the reader, upon looking back at a previous picture, will also be reminded of the ideas expressed on that earlier page. Again, the author amplifies this learning effect by using consistent language and choosing pieces of art that will compliment each other.

This model only breaks down in the final two chapters, which were added to later additions, about our contemporary art. The author has some worthwhile ideas about this topic, but writes too much. We can guess why this happened, and it does not detract much from the rest of the book.

Finally, the backmatter contains a well-organized bibliography and timeline.

As you can tell, I recommend this book. Even if, unlike myself, you already have a good knowledge of art history, I predict that you will appreciate this book. You may just read it a little faster. ...more

flag 7 likes · Like · see review

Sep 04, 2011 Beth Shapeero rated it it was amazing

Shelves: art

The Storey of Art

E. M. Gombrich

I was attracted to this beautiful little book in Waterstones; its wafer thin, smooth bible pages, section of over 400 rich colour plates and stylish, minimal cover design. I was also feeling a pang of guilt for not shopping in bookshops anymore because Amazon is so easy and cheap. Walking through a bookstore, perusing books and judging them by there covers, is a real pleasure and one we will be denied access to as everybody shops online, I am pretty sure we will se The Storey of Art

E. M. Gombrich

I was attracted to this beautiful little book in Waterstones; its wafer thin, smooth bible pages, section of over 400 rich colour plates and stylish, minimal cover design. I was also feeling a pang of guilt for not shopping in bookshops anymore because Amazon is so easy and cheap. Walking through a bookstore, perusing books and judging them by there covers, is a real pleasure and one we will be denied access to as everybody shops online, I am pretty sure we will see high street bookshops closing down soon unless they can figure out a way to compete with Amazon.

So I bought The Storey of Art mainly because it’s so attractive but I also have a staggering lack of knowledge about art history - this looked like a good way to fill myself in. I read a quote recently that said if you read one hundred books on a subject you can call yourself an expert, it’s a bit daft but I have decided set myself a challenge; read 100 art books.

This one has taken me about three months to read so expertise feels like a distant dream. It took so long beacuse I wanted to concentrate and take it all in, this book covers the whole of art history from early cave painting to post-modernism, that’s a lot of useful information, also, it’s not just reading the words but taking the time to look carefully at each image and it’s not the sort of book you can read in the bath or in bed because you have to keep refering back to plates. Fortunatley it is extremely accesable, intriguiging and keenly observing making it very readable and a little pleasure to indulge in.

Being so ignorant of the subject, I loved that it took its time over periods and themes, referring back to them in the following chapters, revisiting artists and styles and giving in depth critical background to works such as stylistic influences and pressures on artists of different times. It strikes a perfect balence of being informative and comprehensive without becoming stifling; it is an insightful and rich overview. I am certain that I will actually be able to remember some of this information, I couldn’t have hoped for more from art book #1/100. So maybe walking into bookshops and judging books by their covers is a good strategy after all. ...more

flag 7 likes · Like · see review

Aug 26, 2014 Vasilis Manias rated it it was amazing

Βιβλίο κόσμημα για κάθε βιβλιοθήκη.

flag 6 likes · Like · see review

Jul 19, 2012 Claudia rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-spanish

Gombrich, yo soy tu fan, pero este pedazo de manual nunca fue La Historia del Arte.
Dicho sea esto, te lucís como el mejor sintetizador de la visión europea del arte en 1950. Quien quiera entender los movimientos posmodernos (su suceso entre los críticos y coleccionistas; la falta de interés en y de la sociedad civil), encontrará en Ernst un interlocutor bien formado y característico de la época.

Gombrich love

flag 5 likes · Like · see review

Jun 15, 2016 Roy Lotz rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: one-damn-thing-after-another, education, artsy-fartsy

I should preface everything I say with a general caveat: I am a novice in the world of art, which is the reason I picked up this book in the first place. Although I often drew as a child, I was more interested in schematic, technical drawings than anything you could call ‘art’. And, despite my keen appreciation of music and fiction, I’ve always had the visual equivalent of a ‘tin ear’. I could stand in front of a masterpiece and be more interested in what I just ate for lunch.

So with that shamef I should preface everything I say with a general caveat: I am a novice in the world of art, which is the reason I picked up this book in the first place. Although I often drew as a child, I was more interested in schematic, technical drawings than anything you could call ‘art’. And, despite my keen appreciation of music and fiction, I’ve always had the visual equivalent of a ‘tin ear’. I could stand in front of a masterpiece and be more interested in what I just ate for lunch.

So with that shameful admission out of the way, on to the review.

In a book such as this, there are bound to be almost as many people disappointed as impressed. It’s the curse of the writer of survey books: to reduce the scope of the material down to the size of one volume, enormous omissions are inevitable. If sales alone are the to be the rubric, then Gombrich must be considered a tremendous success; nevertheless, many whose favorite paintings and sculptures were passed over without mention or comment will likely be irked. (It should also be said that his treatment of ‘primitive’ art is hopelessly uninformed and, despite his best efforts, condescending. Additionally, this book hardly touches on non-European art.)

Due to my general ignorance, I was none too bothered by this. In fact, it was just what the doctor ordered. Gombrich sweeps the reader through Western history, allowing just enough time for some quick rubber-necking at the sites along the way. What you get is a brief who’s who, and the general lay of the land. Of course, anyone with an even moderate interest in art history will have to fill in the quite sizable gaps left by this method, but that’s to be expected.

The only book somewhat similar to The Story of Art I've read is Revolution in the Head, by Ian MacDonald—a song-by-song analysis and critique of the Beatles’s music. That book (highly recommended) is astounding because MacDonald’s ears are so frighteningly acute. Although I have musical training and have been listening to the Beatles since my youth, MacDonald makes you hear their music in new and exciting ways, opening up a whole new aural world.

Gombrich does the same thing, but to a lesser extent, with the history of art. He has a keen eye; and, more impressive, he is able to render technical analysis into the plainest of plain prose. The reader’s mind is not burdened by the slew of art history terms that are thrown at undergraduates in introductory classes. Gombrich bypasses the linguistic apparatus and goes straight to what’s really important: the image on the canvass (or the form on the marble, etc.).

So, to bring this already-too-long review to a close, read The Story of Art for a clear, concise, and engaging introduction to the world of visual art. It’s not one-stop shopping. But then, what book is?
...more

flag 8 likes · Like · see review

Feb 24, 2016 Erdinç rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Alanla ilgili ünlü ve gerçekten temel sayılabilecek bir çalışma. Akla estiğinde, ara ara bakılacak bir eser değil de, isminde de belirtildiği şekilde öyküsel yanı olan, baştan sona hızla ve merakla okunabilecek bir kitap. Kitaptan pek çok not aldım, pek çok yeni şey öğrendim, bildiğim pek çok bilgiyi bir çerçeveye oturtmak konusunda da kitap bana yardımcı oldu. Sanat tarihiyle ilgili bir başlangıç eseri olarak kabul edilse de kitapta yer yer hayli derinleşen tespit ve yorumlara da rastladım. Bir ...more

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

Aug 30, 2010 David rated it it was amazing

I thumbed through a much older (perhaps first) edition of this book when I was away from home and looking for something to read. I was immediately hooked by Gombrich's enthusiastic writing. When I returned home, I was extremely pleased to find that the latest edition was lavishly illustrated and updated to reflect more recent times.

In my opinion, the book is fabulously readable for two reasons: Every piece of art mentioned is shown in the book beside the text and the author avoids "pretentious ...more

flag 5 likes · Like · see review

Jan 27, 2014 Procyon Lotor rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 14-arte

Divulgazione per tutti Un ottimo libro che permette e ha permesso a moltissimi di farsi un'idea sull'oggetto. Praticamente privo di snobismo ed elucubrazioni fumose quanto dubbie. Appare di prima lettura un p cagionevole sull'arte moderna e contemporanea; a parer mio no. L'effetto senz'altro dovuto alla pressione che subiamo continuamente in merito alla diffusa e falsissima credenza che i geni dell'arte siano quasi tutti nati negli USA nel XX secolo ed in particolare a NY e LA. Mi permetto di s ...more

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

Aug 15, 2012 Michael Scott rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical, non-fiction, thought, my-favs, teaching, art, design

I bought The Story of Art while about to leave Brugge, after a long week-end that was supremely friendly and quite artsy. I started reading this book as soon as I sat down in the train and was enchanted by it until the last page.

Gombrich's The Story of Art is a masterful story of the main works and styles of art, from 30,000 BC until the 20th century. (The 16th edition includes material from up to around the late 1980s, in terms of art critique, and early 1970s, in terms of artworks.) The book ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Oct 26, 2013 Emilian Kasemi rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, inspiring, history, art, archaeology

Nje introdukte e shkelqyer ne historine e Artit - sidomos per ata qe si puna ime jan amatore por te apasionuar e duan te din dicka me teper rreth kesaj fushe - e shkruar thjeshte, paster, qarte dhe bukur pa shume pompozitet e shtremberime te llojit te nje kritiku snobist te Artit.
Personalisht leximi i tij me kenaqi e me shplodhi si te thuash duke qene dhe njekohesisht shume edukativ. Me pelqejn sidomos kapitujt mbi Rilindjen Italiane, periudha qe me mire mendoj i pershtatet emertimit "Artet e b Nje introdukte e shkelqyer ne historine e Artit - sidomos per ata qe si puna ime jan amatore por te apasionuar e duan te din dicka me teper rreth kesaj fushe - e shkruar thjeshte, paster, qarte dhe bukur pa shume pompozitet e shtremberime te llojit te nje kritiku snobist te Artit.
Personalisht leximi i tij me kenaqi e me shplodhi si te thuash duke qene dhe njekohesisht shume edukativ. Me pelqejn sidomos kapitujt mbi Rilindjen Italiane, periudha qe me mire mendoj i pershtatet emertimit "Artet e bukura", me trinitetin Leonardo-Michelangelo-Rafaele. Une do te mbetem perhere partizan i "klasikeve" dhe madheshtise se antikitetit qe italianet e siperpermendur i lartesuan edhe me. Me pelqejne sidomos temat madheshtore dhe epike si ato Biblike apo Mitologjike prandaj edhe adhuroj shume Rubens (Peter Paul Rubens) per kte arsye. Dhe per arsyen tjeter normal se ne kto piktura ka aq shume femra te bukura e te mbushura (kushedi cdo mendonte Rubens per modelet ne Tv sot), saqe ndoshta temat e antikitetit Grek sikur ishin nje pretekst per te pikturuar kto femra te bukura nudo. Thuhet se Rubens ka bere mbi 2000 mije piktura, pa llogaritur dhe vizatimet e shumte. Kto jan artistet qe me pelqejne; gjenial, prodhues, te palodhur dhe universal si Leonardo me etjen e pashuar per dije, per cfardolloj dije, apo Michelangelo qe beri Capella Sistina-n per vetem 4 vjet, edhe pse ka shume njerez qe e kritikojn qe nuk ishte dhe aq piktor "i mire" (sidoqofte si skulptor ishte me "i mire", ai vet ne fakt, skulptor synonte te ishte). Sidoqofte...
Me terheqin deri diku goxha dhe madheshtia e arkitektures gotike, gjithashtu dhe ajo baroke por nuk arrij dot te pertyp deri ne fund ate stilin e mevonshem modernist (ne art ne fakt me ndodh kjo sepse ne letersi me pelqen, dhe shume madje). As impresionistet nuk me bindin plotesisht, edhe pse me pelqen shume Paul Cézanne (me teper per qellimet qe kishte, ate te pajtuarit e ideve te impresionisteve me iden e soliditetit dhe thellesine e formave ne pikture). Ishte Cézanne ai qe i dha shtyse asaj rryme te mevonshme qe personalisht sme pelqen aspak, po hic fare dua te them! "Kubisteve", e kryesuar nga i famshmi Picasso (i famshem jo vetem si piktor por edhe per karakterin e tij te urryeshem). Spo permend fare pastaj eksperimentalistet e "istet" e tjere te shumte qe shumica duken mbeturina (te pakten per shijet e mia, edhe pse ka shume mundesi qe nga injoranca ne kte fushe mund te gabohem). Marcel Duchamp apo Andy Warhol, apo ku di une nga kjo tufa Pop-Art per mua personalisht qen degradimi me i madh dhe pasardhesit me te keqinj. Me vjen mire qe Gombrich si ka futur ne kte liber.

Ne fillim te 900-es, kur cilesohej pa dallim si "kubist", "futurist" apo "modernist", piktori post-impresionist merrej per maniak apo sharlatan. Piktoret dhe skulptoret, qe publiku i nihte dhe i pelqente, u kunderviheshin keqas risive radikale. Parate, autoriteti dhe mecenati-zmi ishin plotesisht ne anen e tyre. Sot pa e tepruar mund te themi se situata eshte permbysur. Organe te tilla publike si Keshilli i Arteve, Radio-perhapja, biznesi i madh, shtypi, kishat, kinemaja, si dhe institucionet e reklames, kane marre te gjithe anen e atij qe quhet, po te perdorim nje emertim te pasakte, art jokonformist...Publiku ha cdo gje ose me mire me then, nje pjese e madhe me autoritet e publikut ha cdo gje...Nuk ka forme cudirash piktoriale qe mund te zemeroj ose dhe te habise kritiket...

Ishte sidomos pritja armiqesore qe iu be ne fillim impresionisteve, te cilet me pas moren emer te madh, kurse veprat e tyre - cmime te larta, qe shpuri ne kete humbje guximi nga ana e kritikeve. Eshte perhapur legjenda se te gjithe artistet e medhenj gjithmone jane hedhur poshte ose jane perbuzur ne kohen e vet, prandaj tani publiku ben mundimin e lavderueshem per te mos hedhur poshte e per te mos perbuzur asgje. Mendimi se artistet perfaqesojne pararojen e se ardhmes dhe se jo ata, por ne behemi qesharak po te mos i cmojme, eshte bere mendim i te pakten nje pakice te madhe.

Perse te jesh jokonformist si te gjithe te tjeret? ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Feb 15, 2015 Paola rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: arte

Sono solo agli inizi ma la trovo splendida, e così intelligentemente concepita, e didatticamente fantastica per chi come me vuole avere più strumenti in testa per non stare davanti a un quadro con una faccia ebete a cercare di capirci qualcosa, facendo commenti a capocchia, o meglio puramente soggettivi: mi piace non mi piace, che vuole dirmi... boh... mah...chissà, magari se lo giro... o mi metto io a testa in giù...
Fine lettura
503 pagine di puro apprendimento e si leggono come… un romanzo.
Alla ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

May 17, 2014 Tim Murray rated it really liked it

It would be no exaggeration to say that this book changed my life. Before I read this I thought that most art was overpriced garbage. Especially modern art. By going through the history of art and saying how one era shaped the next and also why art is important to human development really helped me to 'get' art.

Since reading this book I have taken up painting myself as well as regularly going to art galleries and museums.

Having said all this, the book can be a bit dry sometimes and you can feel ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Aug 29, 2014 Sepide Fallah rated it liked it · review of another edition

کتاب در مجموع به عنوان یک کتاب تاریخ ارزشمند و ساده نویس است. یک دید کلی مناسب برای شروع مطالعات تاریخی هنرهای تجسمی و شناخت سبک های تاریخی به خواننده می دهد. اما به گمان من یک ایراد اساسی دارد و آن اینکه کتاب هیچ ایده ای درباره ارتباط هنر و شرایط اجتماعی و تاثیر جریانات فکری و محیط کلی روشنفکری در اختیار خواننده نمی گذارد و صرفا هنر را به شیوه ای مستقل از اشکال گوناگون اندیشه ورزی بررسی می کند.نقش تاریخ در آن بسیار کمرنگ است. ایراد دیگر آن توجه صرف به هنرهای تجسمی است. این کتاب تاریخ "هنرهای تج ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Oct 08, 2010 InMyHumbleOpinion:D rated it really liked it

before the reveiw, a little pretext, i love art history, NPR and David Sedaris, so the fact the i read this book basically cover to cover isn't too surprising. it was clear and consise and had so many pictures (faomous and obsecure) i must have read the chapter on impressionism and post impressionism 40 times and the section and mannerism at least half that. but if your not interested, this won't read like fiction, or any kind of even remotely intersting text. to some its like reading the dicton ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

May 25, 2010 Cynthia rated it it was amazing

I kept expecting this book to bog down and get boring and it never did, even when it got into modern art (which I now feel like I have a better grasp of). Gombrich isn't just an art historian,he's like a psychologist, I felt like I had a better understanding of why people were making all this funky contemporary art; even if I still don't necessary like or understand it, at least I kind of feel I see where it's coming from. Really a great book if you want a basic intro to the history of art.

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Oct 27, 2013 Zanna rated it really liked it · review of another edition

The classic introduction to 'Western' art, beginning with its classical origins in ancient Egypt, and casting light on the social, economic, political, cultural and technological influences from which it arose in each time and place

I was fascinated from the start, and a relatively considerable proportion of Gombrich's wisdom has stayed with me. Naturally the presumption to offer a monolithic story of art is absurd - but this particular story is well worth sharing.

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

Mar 18, 2009 Uaba rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: artists, architects, designers

Shelves: architecture, urbanism, history, classical, art

This is the most complete book about The History of Art. It talks about all kinds of artistic expressions and it's organized by period of time. It contains a lot of pictures of famous paintings, sculptures, buildings, of anything related to art. It was the first book I bought when I entered architecture graduation college. It helped me a lot.

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Oct 17, 2012 June rated it it was amazing

This book is the best story of art ever told.
I devoured the book years ago, when studying at the Art Academy.
for those who are not into art, or think they are not interested in art..it will make you love it!
and it will teach you from the very beginning how to see "the mind" of the artist in the creation..
highly recommended

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
강남풀사롱MASK(ÕlÕ↖2９52↖8l5９) 선릉풀사롱 선릉화수분 강남풀싸롱 ლ강남풀사롱✕선릉매직미러あ역삼풀싸롱づ강남야구장 ლ선릉폭스づ역삼힐링	1	1	2 hours, 58 min ago
강남풀싸롱TROPIC (ÕlÕ↖2９52↖8l5９) ஐﻬ선릉풀싸롱ஐﻬ강남풀사롱ஐﻬ강남야구장(강남애플)선릉풀사롱๑۞๑역삼풀싸롱๑۞๑강남더킹๑۞๑역삼풀사롱ஐﻬ강남화수분	1	1	3 hours, 8 min ago
강남풀사롱(ÕlÕ↖2９52↖8l5９)【강남야구장】역삼풀싸롱☊강남풀싸롱■선릉풀사롱♮역삼하드코어■선릉풀싸롱〓강남풀살롱☊선릉화수분♮강남벅시	1	1	3 hours, 40 min ago
선릉풀싸롱Scene〚ÕlÕ↖2９52↖8l5９〛강남풀싸롱↔매직미러〒강남풀사롱Ⓥ선릉풀사롱☾강남야구장◄역삼풀사롱〒신사두바이☾강남화수분	1	1	3 hours, 49 min ago
강남풀싸롱GRACE〚ÕlÕ↖2９52↖8l5９〛선릉풀싸롱✖선릉풀사롱✖강남풀사롱ิ_•ิ역삼풀싸롱✓선릉식스ぢ강남야구장で선릉화수분ぢ강남스마트	1	1	4 hours, 8 min ago
강남야구장MAXIMUM〚ÕlÕ↖2９52↖8l5９〛강남풀살롱✓역삼풀싸롱￠강남애플︷선릉풀사롱1女실장︷강남풀싸롱✓선릉풀싸롱￠선릉나인︷강남화수분	1	1	4 hours, 14 min ago
강남풀사롱마인드걸~〚ÕlÕ↖2９52↖8l5９〛강남풀살롱۩๑강남풀싸롱ഇ강남야구장ഇ선릉화수분ഇ역삼풀싸롱◢선릉풀싸롱 ◢선릉풀사롱۩๑역삼풀싸롱۩๑강남폭스	1	1	4 hours, 23 min ago

Readers Also Enjoyed

Genres

Art

954 users

Nonfiction

331 users

History

254 users

Art > Art History

144 users

Reference

44 users

See top shelves…

About E.H. Gombrich

Sir Ernst Hans Josef Gombrich, OM, CBE (30 March 1909 – 3 November 2001) was an Austrian-born art historian, who spent most of his working life in the United Kingdom.

More about E.H. Gombrich...

Books by E.H. Gombrich

Art and Illusion: A Study in the Psychology of Pictorial Representation

Meditations On a Hobby Horse and Other Essays On the Theory of Art

Gombrich on the Renaissance Volume ll: Symbolic Images

More…

Share This Book

+ Share on your website

Trivia About La storia dell'ar...

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

Quotes from The Story of Art

“One never finishes learning about art. There are always new things to discover.” — 32 likes

More quotes…

title link	preview: The Story of Art
avg rating	preview: The Story of Art Goodreads rating: 3.82 (138142 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/222078.The_Story_of_Art?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1389274650l/222078.jpg[/img][/url] [url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/222078.The_Story_of_Art?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Story of Art by E.H. Gombrich[/url]

See a Problem?

Preview — The Story of Art by E.H. Gombrich

The Story of Art

Friend Reviews

Reader Q&A

Popular Answered Questions

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

Readers Also Enjoyed

Genres

About E.H. Gombrich

Books by E.H. Gombrich

Share This Book

Share on your website

Trivia About La storia dell'ar...

Quotes from The Story of Art