FICTION

A Child's Introduction to Art: The World's Greatest Paintings and Sculptures

illus. by Meredith Hamilton. 95p. chron. index. reprods. Black Dog & Leventhal. May 2014. Tr $19.95. ISBN 9781579129569.
COPY ISBN
Gr 4–8—This attractive, child-friendly primer brings many of Western civilization's major players from the Middle Ages to the present day to entertaining life. Artists' birth and death dates, cartoon portraits, and very brief biographies are provided, while representative examples of their works appear on opposite pages. Easy and engaging themed activities and quirky facts about some of the artists help make this title particularly appealing to young readers, though no source notes or bibliography are included. Informative essays are interspersed throughout, including an introduction about the meaning of art and its ancient origins and a final note about the contemporary scene. Of necessity, an anthology must omit some major figures, and only one woman, one non-European, and one African American are included. Also, the small font may discourage younger readers. Still, the colorful reproductions are quite well known, explanatory notes with arrows highlight salient details in the artworks, and the museums in which they are housed are noted. Often, quotes from the artists themselves are used, which shed light on their craft. This title will be useful for students in art classes or for art history units.—Carol Goldman, Queens Library, NY
This art history survey for children begins with the Lascaux cave paintings and traces great artists and works, anecdotally and chronologically, to Andy Warhol, with a concluding spread briefly noting contemporary artists. Color, perspective, geometry, and museum information are considered between chapters. The ambitious, well-organized compendium includes relevant sidebars, playful illustrations, and many reproductions on cleanly designed pages. Five coloring sheets are included. Timeline. Ind.

Be the first reader to comment.

Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.


RELATED 

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?