Product Description

This authoritative, lively book, based on the BBC Time-Life television series, provides a comprehensive survey of the birth and development of modern art and an updated discussion of the European and American art movements in the 70s and 80s including minimalist and public art, 70s American painting, German Neo-Expressionism, art by women, and environmental art. "The Future that Was," the final chapter, is completely rewritten and updated. 75% of the 275 illustrations in the revised edition are in 4-color.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #242838 in Books
• Published on: 1990-09-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 448 pages

From Publishers Weekly
The author of The Fatal Shore and Time magazine's art critic here presents a greatly expanded version of a PBS television series on modern art, and includes some 270 color illustrations. Although he frequently deals in generalities, "choice anecdotes, telling characterizations, witty observations flow from his pen," lauded PW . The "chapters bristle with apt insights."
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Inside Flap
A beautifully illustrated hundred-year history of modern art, from cubism to pop and avant-guard. More than 250 color photos.

About the Author
Robert Hughes has been an art critic for Time magazine since 1970. His eight-part BBC/Time-Life television series, on which this book is based, has been broadcast throughout the United States on public television. He has received the Franklin Jewett Mather Award for Distinguished Criticism from the College Art Association of America twice, and he has authored the Art of Australia (1966); Heaven and Hell in Western Art (1969); and Nothing If Not Critical (1990), a collection of essays on art and artists.

Customer Reviews

More than an art book, by more than an art critic
I bought and read the first edition of this book after seeing the 1979 PBS series Hughes hosted, and I heartily recommend both book (which I still have) and the TV show if you can find it anywhere. Hughes' special brilliance is his ability to show the revolution in art at the turn of the 20th century as reacting to the revolution in technology and living standards and the rapid changes in every part of society -- the "shock" of this race to "newnesss" that really starting picking up speed a hundred years ago. Also unique and priceless is Hughes' puckish sense of humor and willingness to express an opinion - even a negative opinion - about art and architectural movements.

This is art history for the intelligent nonartist -- you will greatly enjoy it!

Valuable for the curious and the more experienced
This is a famous art text and justly so. If you are wondering "just what is this modern art stuff?", this book will help you. If you are thinking "I don't know much about art but I know what I like" this book will surprise you with its magnificent colour plates and images. Robert Hughes can write reviews for the art glitterati, but he can also write for the average person with an interest in Modern Art, and very well he does it too!

Superb, sensible introduction to modern art for the curious
Robert Hughes manages to do what no other contemporary critics can, see painting as a painter does, rather than as a writer--writing about painting. As someone who makes my living as a painter, I'm always frustrated by the clueless interpretations of art historians and especially critics. Often, they simply don't get it! They're looking for philosophic meaning in every nuance of a painting, when any honest painter would tell you, sometimes "It's just because it looked good like that!" I would highly recommend Mr. Hughes's book. It is a very sensible, insightful, and readable text. As a painter, I was very impressed by his observations and how he managed to communicate some idea of how painters actually create their work. (Critics would have you believe they start with a manifesto/theory/or other B.S. It's usually a lot less mysterious than that and Hughes does a great job of demystifying it. Also, it's a great book to show someone the purpose and value of art since 1900. Great Book!