The Story of Art Paperback – September 9, 1995

I thought this was going to be a used copy. More likely it was remaindered. It is one of the most beautifully produced paperback books I have ever seen. The mostly full color reproductions are excellent; they & text on heavyweight paper. Some of illustrations fold out to provide a bigger view. Text is superb, especially so in making comparisons between illustrations by page & number—something that I find much more difficult to do in digital formats. Only downside is that after the author’s death, it hasn’t been revised since the 1970s.

Perhaps there is a better one-volume overview of the history of art in the West, but I have not seen it yet.Professor Gombrich's work is already a classic, and it will forever remain one for a few simple reasons. It is written in a straight-forward and clear style, so it is accessible by young and old alike. His enthusiasm and utter command of his subject are infectious, and he gives the reader many insights into the different periods and movements of art.For example, he makes a compelling argument that Cezanne, Gauguin, and Van Gogh were the fore-fathers of modern art as we know it.When he makes comparisons to art movements over the centuries, the book is simply astounding. The plates are carefully selected by the author and serve as very telling samples. My only minor complaint: the paperback edition is somewhat flimsy and can easily tear apart for reasons unknown to me. But get this book and read it---your only regret will be that you didn't devour it sooner.

Not stuffy or too bogged down in personal likes and dislikes.

The time I received this pocket edition,it was cover with a very thin paper,I felt this book was mailed by a very considered book store.I cherished the moment I touched the book,I could felt it is fragile,sensitive and pure.Then I found out two pieces of bookmarks,and tried to find out the purpose!The pocket edition was separated into two parts,one is words ,the other is pictures.At first,I thought it is not so easy to read,but when I used the book,I found out it is even easier for Dr.Gombrich's Comparative Art History.And comparison is the best part of this book for me.Dr.Gombrich identified the different trends of art and how them influence each other.I love this unique book very much,but,I would suggest only ladies to purchase it!

Gombrich's text is, of course, a classic. The size of the book and its price are huge benefits. The are, however, two catches that make it less than perfect. First, the text pages are amazingly thin. I'm worried that they might tear and it's possible to see the text on the other side, which is distracting. Second, the text all goes first and THEN all of the plates together at the end. I understand the necessity of this strategy but it does mean that one has to flip back and forth between the text and the plates. Otherwise, it's a wonderful book and an ideal introduction to art. Given the exceptional price, the drawbacks become trivial. As such, it's an ideal text.

I've read a few "art 101" style histories, and this stands out as by far the best. The problem with most comprehensive histories is that each chapter is usually written by a different author. Consequently, they end up reading like encyclopedias rather than smooth narratives. Volumes like Gardner and Janson are big, impressive, authoritative, and richly illustrated, but reading them cover to cover tends to be a painful and boring labor. Not so with Gombrich, whose "Story of Art" truly reads like a story. Each chapter progresses nicely from the last, making reference to material already covered. The 400+ full page illustrations mean you know exactly what he's describing.It's worth noting that, with the exception of one chapter on Islamic and Chinese art, Gombrich covers western art almost exclusively. While this might be unsatisfying to some, I think sacrificing comprehensiveness is worth maintaining narrative flow.My only complaint is that all the illustrations are lumped together in the back of the pocket edition. This necessitates constant flipping back and forth while reading. I suppose the publisher had to do this to keep the price low and the size small, but it becomes tiresome pretty quickly.

The Story of Art is a great read, but some chapters feel repetitive. It focuses mostly on Europe, Egypt, Greece, and Italy, with little on Asian, African, or other non-Western art. It might as well be called The Story of European and Classical Art. I was hoping for a broader perspective.

This book is a great introductory tool. The overview is easy to read and gives you a good bird's eye view of the history of art from cave paintings down to the present. It also does a nice job of clear up much of the confusion about what is "Art" and tries to open up your senses to not being snobby about the subject. The strongest feature of the book is that half of it is actual plates that are referred to as the book goes on. An example might be how the author tries to show you the difference between Egyptian art during the Hyksos dynasty and its change during Akenaten. In the appendix, side by side, there will be reliefs or statuary of both that has been referenced in the text. It makes the work so much more interesting and meaningful to actually see examples of what the author is talking about. No more boring, dry art history. Highly recommend.