Covering the entire history of art, from Paleolithic cave painting to contemporary art, An Introduction to Art provides foundational guidance on the basic character and techniques of the different art forms, on the various genres of painting in the Western tradition, and on the techniques of sculpture as they have been practiced over several millennia and across a wide range of cultures. Harrison discusses the relative priorities of aesthetic appreciation, historical inquiry and the importance of combining the two approaches.
In this extract, which we are sharing as part of the 50 Years in 50 Books series for our 50th Anniversary, Harrison introduces his readers to key examples of print media such as Intaglio printing, Planographic printing and Japanese woodblock prints; allowing us to gain a better understanding of the processes involved and the unique effects they produce.
Read an extract from An Introduction to Art
About the Author:
Charles Harrison (1942–2009) was professor emeritus at the Open University and had previously held positions at the University of Chicago, the University of Texas at Austin and the Getty Research Institute.
About the book:
An Introduction to Art
by Charles Harrison
At once engaging, personal, and analytical, this book provides the intellectual resources for the critical understanding of art
Further reading:
Yale University Press is celebrating 50 years of publishing in London. To celebrate, we have selected 50 important Yale London books from our past, present and future to tell the story of our publishing through a series of articles and extracts.
