Introduction to Art Criticism, An: Histories, Strategies, Voices, 1st edition

Understand the Complexities of Art Criticism in a Straightforward and Readable Manner

An Introduction to Art Criticism offers a thorough overview of art criticism as it has been practiced since the 1700s.  The text is built around excerpts from the work of hundreds of historical and contemporary critics, including a substantial history of art criticism and chapters on the fundamental aspects of criticism and the formation of an individual voice.

Learning Goals

Upon completing this book, readers should be able to:

• Understand and appreciate the rich history of art criticism as a field
• Analyze the “voice” of critics

• Readers will be able to understand and recall the history of art criticism.  The text helps readers by:
  • Presenting a number of historical controversies in an open manner, so that readers can formulate their own position.
  • Stressing, repeatedly, the contingency of any history of criticism, and introduces the reader to the idea that there are other possible histories.
  • Includes a discussion of the current state of art criticism, and articulates a number of the central issues facing contemporary critics.
• Readers will learn how to think critically about contemporary criticism, learning to develop their own critical voice. The texts helps readers to develop these skills through:
  • Describing the open situation of contemporary criticism.
  • Offering an anthology of challenging, but historically significant, readings that can be (and have been) interpreted in various ways. (ex. pgs. 223-309)
  • Discussing and citing the work of a large number of critics still active in the art community.
  • Side-bars offer concise treatments of a range of concepts that support the subject of art criticism. (ex. pg. 37)
  • The Anthology includes more than a dozen notable works from throughout the history of art criticism, including two of the most influential pieces written in the past 20 years. (ex. pg. 279-289)
  • Structured around hundreds of direct quotes from a vast array of noteworthy critics.
• The text is constructed to keep the reader engaged and interested in course material while providing significant, factual material.
• Offers more than a dozen images.
• Anthology of primary readings offers an important supplement to the main text. (ex. pgs. 223-309)
• User-friendly glossary offers brief overviews of close to 100 significant figures and institutions in art criticism. (ex. pgs. 310-325)
• Written in an intelligent, but accessible, mode, the text will challenge students while maintaining their interest in the material.
• Includes a discussion of globalization as it relates to art criticism.