[Gard]

I want to read up on art history, but not sure where to begin. I took an introduction course in contemporary art at Sotheby's this summer, but want to learn more. I want to be able to write and speak about art in a more professional way than saying a piece looks really nice.. So what books should I read or are there any good free online courses? I'm mostly interested in contemporary art, but I understand that I have to read up on some things that have happened before. So if there's any art historians or self thought people on here please help me

[Deleted]

The story of art by EH Gombrich is colossal

[Deleted]

Art and the Degradation of Awareness by Jeff Nuttall.

The Shock of the New By Robert Hughes.

These were recommended to me by Brian Jones and i found them to be excellent.

[Sacked...]

Aug 30, 2013 12:22:32 GMT 1 @wizbong said:

Art and the Degradation of Awareness by Jeff Nuttall.

The Shock of the New By Robert Hughes.

These were recommended to me by Brian Jones and i found them to be excellent.

Name dropper !!

[elwheel]

Aug 30, 2013 12:22:32 GMT 1 @wizbong said:

Art and the Degradation of Awareness by Jeff Nuttall.

The Shock of the New By Robert Hughes.

These were recommended to me by Brian Jones and i found them to be excellent.

Yup, as Wiz said. The Shock of the New is the bible

[graffuturism]

Where do you want to start? If you just jump into contemporary art and criticism it is pretty tough to get a grasp of things but its not impossible. I would start with one book read the notes and start to buy the other books from their based on the references. You can buy so many used books for cheap in case they might be too much at first. I have been using this approach for awhile starting with a book and buying 6-7 books while reading that book spreading from there. I know it sounds weird but the books are so cheap why not have the actual books on hand for reference. I personally had a great understanding of renaisance and modernism I just needed to learn more about contemporary so I had a chosen agenda. First decide what you want to learn about. I would break it into 3 parts. Renaissance or historical art, Modernism, and Contemporary Art.

Authors I would look into based on era

Historical art 1400's-1900's - GIORGIO VASARI, most general textbooks are ok on renaissance
Modernism approximetly early late 1800's-1968 Clement Greenberg, Roger Fry,Heinrich Wolfflin
Contemporary Art 1968 till present. Arthur Danto, Boris Groys, Hans Belting

You can start here then list go on and on. Its really where do you want to start.

[nah]

maybe not one to read cover to cover but useful to have to hand as if you see an essay referenced somewhere the chances of it being in here are relatively high

[Deleted]

Haha, if Sotheby's couldn't tell you what to read, I certainly can't

[lifeonwalls]

Collecting Contemporary by Adam Lindemann was a great read.

[curiousgeorge]

Watch some of these and listen out for stuff that piques your interest




www.youtube.com/results?search_query=bbc+art+documentaries&oq=bbc+art&gs_l=youtube.1.1.0l10.7824561.7825699.0.7829452.7.7.0.0.0.0.181.916.1j6.7.0...0.0...1ac.1.11.youtube.HrbeLUHRK3Y

[Deleted]

A really good place to start is the classic "The Story of Art" by Gombrich. A great read that will give you a good grounding in general art history.

www.amazon.com/The-Story-Art-E-H-Gombrich/dp/0714832472

Phaidon Press has produced a much-improved edition of Sir Ernst Gombrich's classic narrative study of art history, which was first published in 1950. Among the many competing introductory texts?the central monuments of which are H.W. Janson's History of Art (Prentice, 1986. 4th. ed.) and Helen Gardner's Art Through the Ages (4th ed. o.p.) Gombrich's venerable work has inhabited a unique niche, having been created specifically for newcomers to art. As his title indicates, he presents the whole of art history as a chronological narrative. Gombrich's voice is lively, opinionated, and almost conversational, yet his erudition shines through to make a book that is both accessible and informative. His premise, that the love of art, not the love of history, is the appropriate basis for its study is communicated directly with his irrepressible enthusiasm for certain masters and his passionate exasperation with 20th century nonobjective artists. While much of the text is unchanged, the format has been completely redesigned with vastly expanded illustrations, improved captions, better charts and an excellent index. This book belongs on every art-lover's bedside table, and even those libraries owning an earlier edition would not regret adding this refinement of an already first-rate work.?Douglas F. Smith, Oakland P.L., Cal.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

[graffuturism]

Forgot this article is definetly worth reading for any collector taking what they are doing serious.

www.artbusiness.com/collectpro.html

[anarquee]

interesting thead! thanks Gard and all the contributors

[Gard]

Really appreciate it guys the only book I own that's mentioned is collecting contemporary so will start with that.