Secondhand Art History & Criticism Bargain Book Box SP2250

Secondhand Art History & Criticism Bargain Book Box

Dive deep into the history and philosophy of visual culture with this exceptional collection, featuring eighteen insightful volumes on criticism, aesthetics, and major art movements. Curated for the serious student and the curious mind, this box provides classic theories from Walter Pater and Heinrich Wölfflin alongside piercing contemporary analysis from John Berger and Peter Fuller. These books explore everything from Giotto's frescoes to the political undercurrents of modernism, offering multiple perspectives on how and why we create and appreciate art. Each book is secondhand and may show signs of wear.

1. The Red Tent of Bologna by John Berger

   A fascinating, dense exploration of various cultural and artistic topics, this collection challenges conventional views of history and art's consumption. Berger's essays combine autobiography, political critique, and aesthetic theory, forcing the reader to re-evaluate their relationship with images and tradition. It is a powerful example of mid-20th century Marxist-inspired cultural criticism.

2. Museum Without Walls by André Malraux

   Malraux contemplates the revolutionary change photography brought to art consumption, dissolving physical barriers and allowing masterpieces to be compared across time and geography. He argues that this "museum without walls" fundamentally alters our perception of art history by focusing on aesthetic similarity rather hand historical context. This essay is crucial for understanding the impact of mass reproduction on modern aesthetics.

3. The Renaissance by Walter Pater

   A foundational text of Aestheticism, this work is a series of lyrical essays on Renaissance figures like Leonardo da Vinci and Botticelli. Pater advocates for "art for art's sake," urging the reader to embrace passion and sensory experience as the highest form of human existence. It concludes with his famous assertion that life's true goal is "to burn always with this hard, gem-like flame."

4. A Painter of Our Time by John Berger

   This novel, disguised as a biography, follows the final days of Hungarian painter Janos Lavin, who vanishes in London, leaving behind only his enigmatic work. Through Lavin's life and art, Berger explores the political duties of the artist, the sacrifices required by creation, and the tension between social commitment and personal expression. It serves as a profound meditation on exile, integrity, and the artist's relevance in a hostile modern world.

5. Confabulations by John Berger

   A series of essays and observations where Berger muses on drawing, light, memory, and the act of seeing itself. This collection focuses on intimate, personal moments—a conversation, a landscape, or a single work of art—to uncover deep philosophical truths about humanity and perception. The pieces are characterized by their reflective, conversational tone and ethical commitment.

6. Landscape into Art by Kenneth Clark

   Lord Clark examines how the Western European perception of nature evolved, moving from merely symbolic background to a subject worthy of independent artistic representation. He traces this development through various masters, demonstrating how the changing cultural meaning of "nature" shaped everything from the medieval illuminated manuscript to the Romantic sublime. This book is a classic study of iconography and changing artistic values.

7. Essays on Literature and Art by Walter Pater

   This collection expands on Pater's aesthetic philosophy, applying his intense appreciation of beauty and style not only to painting but to literary figures and historical moments. He analyzes the confluence of form and substance, urging a rigorous, sensory approach to understanding creative genius. It is essential reading for grasping the tenets of late Victorian intellectual aestheticism.

8. The Critic as Advocate by Bernard Smith

   A selection of writings from one of Australia's pre-eminent art historians and critics, covering the period 1948–1988. Smith's essays engage fiercely with the social, political, and institutional contexts of art production in Australia and internationally. He champions overlooked artists and debates the role of the critic as an active participant—an advocate—in shaping cultural discourse and national identity.

9. The Arena Chapel Frescoes by Giotto

   A detailed study of Giotto's revolutionary fresco cycle in the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua, completed around $1305\text{}$. This book meticulously examines the chapel's narrative scenes, which depict the lives of Joachim and Anna, the Virgin Mary, and Christ, culminating in the Last Judgement. It highlights Giotto's groundbreaking use of realism, emotion, and sculptural form that heralded the dawn of the Italian Renaissance.

10. Enjoying Paintings by David Piper

    A wonderfully accessible guide that encourages the general reader to engage more deeply and personally with visual art. Piper offers practical advice and stimulating observations on different styles, periods, and techniques, breaking down the perceived barriers between the viewer and the masterpiece. It aims to enhance appreciation by providing context and fostering confident, active looking.

11. The Nude by Kenneth Clark

    Clark's comprehensive and scholarly exploration of the nude human body in art, tracing its transformation from merely naked representation to a profound aesthetic and spiritual ideal in Western culture. The book explores the complex iconography of the subject through classical antiquity, the Renaissance, and modernity. It remains a foundational work on how artists have used the figure to express ideas about beauty, vitality, and divinity.

12. Aesthetics After Modernism by Peter Fuller

    A critique of the late 20th-century art world, where Fuller argues for a return to aesthetic values rooted in spiritual and psychological experience, rather than purely materialistic or theoretical concerns. He challenges the dominance of post-structuralism and market hype, advocating for the importance of craft, nature, and the authentic human response to beauty. This polemical work remains a key voice in post-modern art debate.

13. St. Paul's Within the Walls, Rome (Various Authors)

    This publication is dedicated to the history and architecture of St. Paul's Within the Walls, the first non-Catholic church built in Rome after Italy's unification. The text documents the stunning interior, including the mosaics by Sir Edward Burne-Jones, a major example of the Pre-Raphaelite movement applied to a grand ecclesiastical scale. It details the church's unique role as an American Episcopal landmark in the Eternal City.

14. Looking at Pictures by Kenneth Clark

    A collection of essays derived from Lord Clark's lectures, offering penetrating, intimate examinations of specific, iconic paintings by masters such as Rembrandt, Leonardo, and Turner. Clark invites the reader to join him in a deep, critical engagement with the work itself, focusing on elements of composition, light, and hidden narrative. This volume showcases Clark's elegant prose and enduring ability to make complex art history accessible.

15. Il Trionfo di Pallade di Palazzo Lonati Montanari (Various Authors)

    A detailed monograph focusing on the fresco cycle The Triumph of Pallas located within the Palazzo Lonati Montanari in Italy. This specialized study likely examines the iconography, stylistic details, and historical context of the Baroque or Renaissance wall paintings. It offers deep insight into the patronage and decorative programs of Italian noble residences.

16. Principles of Art History by Heinrich Wölfflin

    This seminal work establishes the foundational methodology for comparative art history by defining the five opposing pairs of concepts (linear vs. painterly, plane vs. recession, etc.). Wölfflin uses these binaries to analyze the stylistic shift from the High Renaissance to the Baroque period. The book’s systematic approach revolutionized the study of style and remains mandatory reading for art historians.

17. Impressionism by T. H. Johnson

    A comprehensive study of the Impressionist movement, tracing its revolutionary break from academic tradition and its focus on light, colour, and transient perception. The text examines the key artists—Monet, Renoir, Degas, and others—and the cultural forces that allowed their radical techniques to flourish. It highlights the movement's enduring influence on modern visual culture.

18. William Dobell by James Gleeson

    An acclaimed monograph by the Surrealist artist and critic James Gleeson on the controversial and celebrated Australian painter William Dobell. The book explores Dobell's masterful portraiture, his technical facility, and the dramatic legal battles that surrounded his most famous works. It provides a complex analysis of Dobell's psychological depth and his place in 20th-century Australian art.