[.ca] History of Art, The Western Tradition, Volume II: ... (ISBN 0130197319)

From Amazon.com:
For thousands of art lovers both amateur and professional, aesthetic life began with Janson, as H.W. Janson's History of Art is often called. In the first edition, published in 1962, Janson spoke to that perennial reader he gently called "the troubled layman." His opening paragraph revealed his sympathy: "Why is this supposed to be art?" he quoted rhetorically. "How often have we heard this question asked--or asked it ourselves, perhaps--in front of one of the strange, disquieting works that we are likely to find nowadays in the museum or art exhibition." Keeping that curious, questioning perspective in mind, he wrote a history of art from cave painting to Picasso that was singularly welcoming, illuminating, and exciting. After H.W. Janson died, in 1982, his son, Anthony F. Janson, took over the daunting task of revising his father's book. Janson the elder would be thrilled with the beauty of this fifth edition, which tips the scales at more than seven pounds. Thanks to advances in printing, it teems with reproductions--736 in color and 500 black-and-white--that would have been far too costly 35 years ago. At an even 1,000 pages, it is an inch thicker than its 572-page progenitor. Sojourning through this book, a reader is offered every amenity for a comfortable trip. Because Janson never assumes knowledge on the part of the reader, a recent immigrant from Mars could comprehend Western art from this text. The only assumption the Jansons have made is that with a little guidance everyone can come to understand the artifacts that centuries of architecture, sculpture, design, and painting have deposited in our paths. Countless readers have proven the Jansons right--and found their lives enriched in the process.

recherche:
Histoire de l'art/h.w.janson en français. s.v.p.Préface de Luc ferry Éditeur, Paris; cercle d'art, c1993 C'est un livre que je veux acheté en version française. Merci!

Western art the only art history?:
I will agree that this is good source of overall view of the certain aspects of art history--the western side. It's always been quite an amusement for me to see books claiming to be a History of Art book and only include the WESTERN History of Art. It seems these historians have forgotten just how influential EASTERN art has been in forming these WESTERN artists. The Jansons book is no exception. Quite disappointment, and I wouldn't have had much to complain, if they hadn't started the book with a grand "What is Art?", intending to quite obviously to include all arts.. oops, forgot to do your homework there Jansons.

This edition is not a full survey:
ISBN# 0-13-019729-7 is for volume 1 which only covers "Prehistoric Through Gothic Art"... very disappointing considering I ordered this book under the assumption that it went up through the postmodern period

Fantastic Overview of Western Art History...:
This book (although an earlier version) was our standard textbook for the western survey of art history while I was working on my Bachelor of Fine Arts, and for good reason. Jansen does a good job of covering many of the major movements and time periods of western art, with extensive imagery and well organized chapters. A timeline at the end of each section helps to better keep the history in order, and highlights important dates. I do agree with some of the nagative critique in that Jansen does not include important eastern art in the book, and this probably should be reflected in the title. However, I don't believe that this warrants the book having a lousy review: the buyer should just be aware that this is a WESTERN survey, and a very good one. This newer edition contains some additions to the older editions; of particular importance is the added chapters on Twentieth-Century Photography and Postmodernism, which if I recall correctly were not in earlier versions of the book.

All You Need to Know About Art History in One Volume:
Anyone who has taken an Art Survey or Art History course at a major university will no doubt already be familiar with this monumental and venerable book. It's long been the standard reference, for good reason. It doesn't merely take a few paintings or pieces of sculpture from a particular cultural period and overload the reader with needless minutiae. Janson's (father's and son's) text merely presents the relevant info that provides for a clear understanding of the progress and trends in areas ranging from visual arts (painting and sculpture) to architecture. The prints in the new edition are more vivid and outstanding than ever. The helpful timelines and diagrams have been updated, to great effect. The sections on Oriental and Sub-Contintent art , that was just a postscript in earlier editions have been expanded significantly. The emphasis is still on Western art and architecture, but the editors are making strides. As the Amazon blurb-writer notes, some attempts have been made to include more female artists besides Mary Cassatt and Georgia O'Keefe. The recent revival of interest in women artists such as Frida Khalo and Artemisia Gentileschi will no doubt have an impact on the next revision. This book would make a perfect gift for the budding artist in your household. It would also be a useful and important source of information if you are planning a trip to Europe. There is a reason they call it "Art Appreciation." The more background you have, the more "appreciative" you are of what is involved in the creation of a great canvas or a Gothic cathedral. If you believe that the contemplation of great works of art is a rewarding and enriching endeavor, then I highly suggest you make the investment and let the Jansons be your guides. For more background on Renaissance artists, in particular, I would also recommend Vasari's Lives of the Artists and Benvenuto Cellini's highly enjoyable autobiography. BEK