www abdopublishing com Published by Abdo Publishing a division of ABDO PO Box 398166 Minneapolis Minnesota 55439 Copyright 2015 by Abdo Consulting Group Inc International copyrights reserved in all countries No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher Essential Library is a trademark and logo of Abdo Publishing Printed in the United States of America North Mankato Minnesota 102014 012015 Cover Photos Everett Collection Shutterstock Images Interior Photos Public Domain 1 left 1 right 3 top 40 42 45 50 59 61 65 100 Diane Bondareff AP Images 3 bottom 11 Keystone Georgios Kefalas AP Images 7 Musee Marmottan Monet Paris Glow Images 13 Christian Kober 1 Alamy 15 CM Dixon Glow Images 17 iStock Thinkstock 23 25 32 98 99 PHB cz Richard Semik Shutterstock Images 30 Yvan Travert PhotoNonStop Glow Images 31 Bargello National Museum Florence Italy Glow Images 35 Red Line Editorial 44 Jose Ignacio Soto Shutterstock Images 47 Metropolitan Museum of Art Boltin Picture Library Bridgeman Images 55 SuperStock Glow Images 56 Shutterstock Images 67 89 97 Private Collection Glow Images 69 Hermitage St Petersburg Russia Bridgeman Images 71 Art Institute of Chicago Illinois USA Superstock Glow Images 77 The Phillips Collection Washington D C USA Bridgeman Images 79 Alastair Grant AP Images 81 101 Heritage Images Glow Images 85 Bridget Riley 2014 All rights reserved courtesy Karsten Schubert London Bridgeman Art 86 Maurizio Biso Shutterstock Images 91 Editor Blythe Hurley Series Designer Maggie Villaume Library of Congress Control Number 2014943858 Cataloging-in-Publication Data Perdew Laura A history of art Laura Perdew p cm Essential library of cultural history ISBN 978-1-62403-551-7 lib bdg Includes bibliographical references and index 1 Art History Juvenile literature I Title 709 dc23 2014943858
CONTENTS Chapter 1 WHAT IS ART 6 Chapter 2 CAVES CARVINGS AND CLASSICS 14 Chapter 3 THE MIDDLE AGES 24 Chapter 4 THE REBIRTH OF CLASSICAL IDEAS 34 Chapter 5 MOVING AWAY FROM CLASSICAL IDEALS 46 Chapter 6 IMPRESSIONISM AND BEYOND 58 Chapter 7 INTO THE 1900S 68 Chapter 8 POST WORLD WAR II ART 80 Chapter 9 CONTEMPORARY ART 88 Timeline 98 Glossary 102 Additional Resources 104 Source Notes 106 Index 110 About the Author 112
6 Chapter 1 Most people would say that they recognize art when they see it But what is art really What do we mean when we say the word art Are intricately balanced rocks in a creek a form of art How about splattered paint on a canvas Or a carved column on an ancient building What about a stick figure drawn with crayon Most people think of art as something beautiful and creative that expresses important ideas or feelings But what an individual sees as beautiful depends on his or her culture values and experiences Art historians believe beauty is not simply a colorful image or a smooth marble statue They believe the power of a work of art comes from its ability to evoke emotion or insight What Is Art
7 People throughout history have created and valued art for many different reasons But what is art really
