National Art Education Association

Art: A History of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture by Frederick HaritReview by: Al HurwitzArt Education, Vol. 29, No. 8 (Dec., 1976), p. 29Published by: National Art Education AssociationStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3192153 .

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may very likely be a mirror for our own value systems. And I have suggested that, in undertaking the investigative process, we follow a common path that leads us, through the recognition of present patterns, to the generation of new ones.

Curricula which are addressed to the development of experiences based on a sense of the commonality of objec- tives, structures, and processes, are certainly feasible. The usual caveats apply, though; at all costs let us avoid the frightful spectacle of educators rummaging through each other's sub- ject areas like shoppers at a $1.49 sale, out for whatever bargains may be lying around. Whether or not school sys- tems, as they presently exist, are dis- posed to implement such a curricu- lum, or indeed whether they have the capability to do so, I leave for others to decide.

Ronald MacGregor is associate profes- sor of art education at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.

REFERENCES 1 M. J. Adams, "Structural Aspects of

a Village Art," American Anth., 75(1), Feb. 1973, 265-279.

2 Alberta Department of Education, "Responding to Change: A Social Stu- dies Curriculum for High Schools," Edmonton, 1971.

3 Roland Barthes, Mythologies, Lon- don: Cape, 1972.

4 J. Bronowski, Science and Human Values, London: Harper, 1965.

5 A. Einstein, The World as I See It, London: Bodley Head, 1935.

6 E. Eisner, "Teaching Art to the Young," Kettering Project Report, Stanford University, 1969.

7 B. Fuller, Synergetics, New York: Macmillah, 1975.

8 P. Gresscoe, Interview with David Suzuki, reported in the Canadian Weekend magazine, August 1975.

9 J. Glick, "Culture and Cognition: Some Theoretical and Methodological Concerns," Education and Cultural Process, (ed. Spindler), New York: Holt Rinehart, 1974, 373-388.

10 J. P. Guilford, "Three Faces of Intellect," American Psychologist, 14, 1959.

11 W. Higginson, "Towards Mathe- sis," unpublished dissertation, Univer- sity of Alberta, 1973.

12 F. Klingender, Art and the Indus- trial Revolution, London: Paladin, 1972.

13 T. Kuhn, The Structure of Scien- tific Revolutions, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1962 (revised 1970).

14 T. Parsons, The System of Modern

may very likely be a mirror for our own value systems. And I have suggested that, in undertaking the investigative process, we follow a common path that leads us, through the recognition of present patterns, to the generation of new ones.

Curricula which are addressed to the development of experiences based on a sense of the commonality of objec- tives, structures, and processes, are certainly feasible. The usual caveats apply, though; at all costs let us avoid the frightful spectacle of educators rummaging through each other's sub- ject areas like shoppers at a $1.49 sale, out for whatever bargains may be lying around. Whether or not school sys- tems, as they presently exist, are dis- posed to implement such a curricu- lum, or indeed whether they have the capability to do so, I leave for others to decide.

Ronald MacGregor is associate profes- sor of art education at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.

REFERENCES 1 M. J. Adams, "Structural Aspects of

a Village Art," American Anth., 75(1), Feb. 1973, 265-279.

2 Alberta Department of Education, "Responding to Change: A Social Stu- dies Curriculum for High Schools," Edmonton, 1971.

3 Roland Barthes, Mythologies, Lon- don: Cape, 1972.

4 J. Bronowski, Science and Human Values, London: Harper, 1965.

5 A. Einstein, The World as I See It, London: Bodley Head, 1935.

6 E. Eisner, "Teaching Art to the Young," Kettering Project Report, Stanford University, 1969.

7 B. Fuller, Synergetics, New York: Macmillah, 1975.

8 P. Gresscoe, Interview with David Suzuki, reported in the Canadian Weekend magazine, August 1975.

9 J. Glick, "Culture and Cognition: Some Theoretical and Methodological Concerns," Education and Cultural Process, (ed. Spindler), New York: Holt Rinehart, 1974, 373-388.

10 J. P. Guilford, "Three Faces of Intellect," American Psychologist, 14, 1959.

11 W. Higginson, "Towards Mathe- sis," unpublished dissertation, Univer- sity of Alberta, 1973.

12 F. Klingender, Art and the Indus- trial Revolution, London: Paladin, 1972.

13 T. Kuhn, The Structure of Scien- tific Revolutions, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1962 (revised 1970).

14 T. Parsons, The System of Modern Societies, New York: Prentice Hall, 1971.

15 J. Ruskin Modern Painters, Lon- don: Dent, 1907.

16 K. von Frisch, AnimalArchitecture, New York: Harcourt Brace, 1974.

Societies, New York: Prentice Hall, 1971.

15 J. Ruskin Modern Painters, Lon- don: Dent, 1907.

16 K. von Frisch, AnimalArchitecture, New York: Harcourt Brace, 1974.

jBook Reviews ART: A HISTORY OF PAINTING, SCULPTURE, AND ARCHITECTURE. Frederick Hartt, 2 vols.-paper and hard back editions. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., and New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1976. $50.00 a set.

Frederick Hartt's massive (1,094 pages, to be exact) entry into a field dominated largely by Horst Janson and Helen Gardner is an impressive attempt to capture a share of the art history sweepstakes. The stakes, to be sure, are high, when one considers the foundation courses in the field, and the still growing market of art majors, evening extension programs, and, of course, that old stand-by, the coffee table. Somehow, the art book in pa- perback is more appropriate for the liv- ing room than are other texts, and author Hartt has made his debut in a two-volume edition of considerable distinction as well as heft. This is a con- venience not only for the general reader, whose interest may only lie in "early" or "contemporary" art, but for the teacher, whose course content lies in one area or the other, defined as pre- history, ancient world, or Middle Ages.

As one who is concerned mostly with the art history in the senior high school, rather than the levels of higher educa- tion, I would still have to stay with Gombrich's The Story of Art because of its interpretive quality, narrative flow, and its ease of style. For anyone in an Advanced Placement course in art history, however, Hartt's set of books clearly deserves to sit beside the afore- mentioned Janson and Gardner. (Odd that Hartt neglects to mention these two, or any other general histories, in his otherwise useful bibliography.)

The author's credentials as a scholar, teacher, official in the Archives Divi- sion of the U.S. Army, and a member of the Committee to Rescue Italian Art after the Florence Disaster is sound. Since his scholarly interests have cen- tered largely around the Renaissance, one would expect particularly insight- ful treatment of this period both in Italy and in Northern Europe, and one is not disappointed. He keeps his enthusiasm for this period in bounds, however, and indeed allots more space for the "Modern World" than for the period of

jBook Reviews ART: A HISTORY OF PAINTING, SCULPTURE, AND ARCHITECTURE. Frederick Hartt, 2 vols.-paper and hard back editions. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., and New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1976. $50.00 a set.

Frederick Hartt's massive (1,094 pages, to be exact) entry into a field dominated largely by Horst Janson and Helen Gardner is an impressive attempt to capture a share of the art history sweepstakes. The stakes, to be sure, are high, when one considers the foundation courses in the field, and the still growing market of art majors, evening extension programs, and, of course, that old stand-by, the coffee table. Somehow, the art book in pa- perback is more appropriate for the liv- ing room than are other texts, and author Hartt has made his debut in a two-volume edition of considerable distinction as well as heft. This is a con- venience not only for the general reader, whose interest may only lie in "early" or "contemporary" art, but for the teacher, whose course content lies in one area or the other, defined as pre- history, ancient world, or Middle Ages.

As one who is concerned mostly with the art history in the senior high school, rather than the levels of higher educa- tion, I would still have to stay with Gombrich's The Story of Art because of its interpretive quality, narrative flow, and its ease of style. For anyone in an Advanced Placement course in art history, however, Hartt's set of books clearly deserves to sit beside the afore- mentioned Janson and Gardner. (Odd that Hartt neglects to mention these two, or any other general histories, in his otherwise useful bibliography.)

The author's credentials as a scholar, teacher, official in the Archives Divi- sion of the U.S. Army, and a member of the Committee to Rescue Italian Art after the Florence Disaster is sound. Since his scholarly interests have cen- tered largely around the Renaissance, one would expect particularly insight- ful treatment of this period both in Italy and in Northern Europe, and one is not disappointed. He keeps his enthusiasm for this period in bounds, however, and indeed allots more space for the "Modern World" than for the period of his own personal concern. Hartt dedi- cates his books to Meyer Shapiro, and his section on the Middle Ages reflects his indebtedness to Shapiro's known passion for that period. (One passion

his own personal concern. Hartt dedi- cates his books to Meyer Shapiro, and his section on the Middle Ages reflects his indebtedness to Shapiro's known passion for that period. (One passion

among many!) Hartt has provided some useful learning guides along with the main body of the work, and his time lines, while not as comprehensive as those in Bill Francis' The Humanities in Retrospect, are certainly useful, chart- ing parallel courses between political history, religion and literature (grouped together), science and tech- nology, painting, sculpture, and archi- tecture. His glossary should be espe- cially useful for any senior high art history teacher, who might well mimeograph both sections as re- source material for every student. The bibliographies are divided into books and monographs, each placed within period categories with a special "intro- duction" group dealing with aesthetics and criticism rather than on a histori- cal, chronological format.

Hartt's language, like that of most historians, is largely descriptive, but he does not retreat from interpretation or metaphorical statements; particularly when he warms towards a particular figure. He writes, "His (Richard Anusckiewicz) pictures are painted in colors so closely adjusted as to form sharp dissonances."

He can then move to a more personal level and say "Anusckiewicz' art is one of brilliance, harmony, poise and beauty." Joseph Stella is "unexpect- edly lyrical" and Karl Appel's paintings achieve a sense of "frightening barbar- ity." These are not isolated examples of a personally interpretive approach which permeate the entire book and is particularly vivid in the movements of the 20th century.

Any book of this size invites quib- bling. Some choices Qf reproductions could be questioned. (How much does a small black and white version of a painting by Clifford Still really tell a stu- dent?) Nor is any mention made of the Pre-Raphaelites, and occasionally even a non-historian such as myself may quarrel with a critical decision, as in the case of the Pop Art movement, which Hartt described as being "opposed to individual emotional expression." (p. 464) The sense of con- tempt that artists such as Richard Hamilton bring to their subjects cer- tainly reflects an emotional, as well as an intellectual stance.

Enough of nit-picking; Frederick Hartt's new history can hardly be avoided if one is an inveterate browser

among many!) Hartt has provided some useful learning guides along with the main body of the work, and his time lines, while not as comprehensive as those in Bill Francis' The Humanities in Retrospect, are certainly useful, chart- ing parallel courses between political history, religion and literature (grouped together), science and tech- nology, painting, sculpture, and archi- tecture. His glossary should be espe- cially useful for any senior high art history teacher, who might well mimeograph both sections as re- source material for every student. The bibliographies are divided into books and monographs, each placed within period categories with a special "intro- duction" group dealing with aesthetics and criticism rather than on a histori- cal, chronological format.

Hartt's language, like that of most historians, is largely descriptive, but he does not retreat from interpretation or metaphorical statements; particularly when he warms towards a particular figure. He writes, "His (Richard Anusckiewicz) pictures are painted in colors so closely adjusted as to form sharp dissonances."

He can then move to a more personal level and say "Anusckiewicz' art is one of brilliance, harmony, poise and beauty." Joseph Stella is "unexpect- edly lyrical" and Karl Appel's paintings achieve a sense of "frightening barbar- ity." These are not isolated examples of a personally interpretive approach which permeate the entire book and is particularly vivid in the movements of the 20th century.

Any book of this size invites quib- bling. Some choices Qf reproductions could be questioned. (How much does a small black and white version of a painting by Clifford Still really tell a stu- dent?) Nor is any mention made of the Pre-Raphaelites, and occasionally even a non-historian such as myself may quarrel with a critical decision, as in the case of the Pop Art movement, which Hartt described as being "opposed to individual emotional expression." (p. 464) The sense of con- tempt that artists such as Richard Hamilton bring to their subjects cer- tainly reflects an emotional, as well as an intellectual stance.

Enough of nit-picking; Frederick Hartt's new history can hardly be avoided if one is an inveterate browser through the annals of art. By all means, pick up an edition at your local super- market.

Al Hurwitz West Newton, Massachusetts

through the annals of art. By all means, pick up an edition at your local super- market.

Al Hurwitz West Newton, Massachusetts

This content downloaded from 185.44.77.89 on Sun, 15 Jun 2014 05:40:23 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions