The visual arts enrich our lives in so many ways, presenting beauty,
emotion, and ideas--but sometimes looking at art is confusing and
challenging. This new volume in the Art Essentials series, How to
Understand Art, sets out to enhance the viewer's experience by breaking
down the elements of art to provide a firm basis for simple enjoyment as
well as further understanding.
With one hundred visual examples drawn from across the globe, the
emphasis is on how to assess art objectively--a key skill for any art
student, museum visitor, or cultural enthusiast. Art historian and
museum lecturer Janetta Rebold Benton teaches the reader to reevaluate
their experiences of looking at art by learning to move beyond "I don't
know much about art, but I know what I like," toward an understanding of
"why I like it."
By looking at artists' materials and techniques, such as drawing,
painting, printing, photography, sculpture, and decorative art, Benton
makes it possible to assess what can (and cannot) be done in certain
media. With these tools at hand, it's possible to break down any work of
art. Further framing the lesson, there is a section devoted to six key
artists that have had a particularly notable and innovative influence on
the history of art. Perfectly aimed at students and the general reader,
this indispensable guide encourages everyone to develop confidence in
experiencing, analyzing, and appreciating art.
