Art History: Background Information

Hardbound. This dictionary supplies associations which have been evoked by certain words, signs, etc. in Western civilization in the past, and which may float to the surface again tomorrow; for however 'daringly new' a modern use of imagery may look, it generally appears to have roots in what has been said and done in the past. No fine distinctions have been made between symbols (in the limited sense), allegories, metaphors, signs, types, images, etc. (not to mention 'ascending' and 'descending' symbols), since such subtle distinctions, however sensible from a scientific point of view, are useless to a person struggling with the deeper comprehension (and thus appreciation) of a particular 'symbol'.

Among the most engaging genres of scholarly literature, art history and architecture history publications appeal to the eye as well as the intellect. In the late 20th century the literature of art history has been documented by two standard reference bibliographies published by the American Library Association: Mary Chamberlin's Guide to Art Reference Books (ALA 1959), and Guide to the Literature of Art History by Etta Arntzen and Robert Rainwater (ALA Editions, 1980). Now, a new supplementary volume, Guide to the Literature of Art History 2 (ALA Editions, 2004) has arrived to record and annotate the best art and architecture books and journals published worldwide in the last two decades of the 20th century. supplement its predecessor by recording important publications produced primarily in western languages. Adopting the chapter and numbering system of the first volume, GLAH 2 will help art scholars keep abreast of more recent publications in art and architectural history. An expert team of 24 contributors has come together with editors Max Marmor and Alex Ross to produce this significant work, featuring new titles, volumes, editions, and reprints, while providing ample cross referencing to GLAH 1. and Cultural Heritage, which covers the literature of art preservation and art law. Librarians and scholars will welcome the new collection development information, including: The best electronic art and architectural history sources. Cumulative 40-year bibliography of art history literature, with GLAH 1. Critical selection of nearly all literature in art history, primarily in Western European languages, since 1977. Resources for art historians outside their areas of specialization. architectural literature for the last two decades of the 20th century, Guide to the Literature of Art History 2 is the authoritative, must-have resource for all art history students, institutions, and agencies.

This is the first Oxford Companion to deal with the subject of photography. It appears at a watershed in the medium's history, as digital imaging increasingly dominates the global photography scene at both amateur and professional levels. In addition to a wide range of technical information,the book encapsulates in concise and readily accessible form the mass of recent scholarship on photography as a social and artistic practice, organized both thematically and geographically. There are over 800 biographical entries, both on photographers and on other individuals who have significantly influenced photographic culture from the early 19th century to the present. The book's scope is worldwide. The international team of contributors is made up of leading authorities in their fields, and include: Heather Angel, Sylvie Aubenas, Quentin Bajac, Marta Braun, Clement Cheroux, Elizabeth Edwards, John Falconer, Colin Ford, Ron Graham, Sarah Greenough, Mark Haworth-Booth, Roger Hicks, Paul Hill,Jens Jaeger, Jan-Erik Lundstrom, Naomi Rosenblum, Rolf Sachsse, Martha Sandweiss, Graham Saxby, Joan Schwartz, Sara Stevenson, Roger Taylor, Regine Thiriez, John Ward, Liz Wells, and Mike Ware. The book is extensively illustrated and includes many pictures never before published. The majority of the 1600-plus entries include suggestions for further reading. But the work's usefulness is further enhanced by the inclusion of an extensive bibliography, a chronology of photographic history, a list of important websites, and an index of people.