Art: The Definitive Visual Guide (DK Definitive Cultural Histories)

An astoundingly beautiful and comprehensive book, Art: The Definitive Visual History lives up to its name. Each page is not only printed on glossy paper but in high resolution and full color, allowing the reader to get the best possible experience of every piece of art included. Many historically significant works are given a two page spread to truly showcase it without distraction. Additionally, the book shows thoughtful layout and design from table of contents and color coded sections to back glossary and extensive index. The format eases the reader into the art world in the first 22 pages (13-35) by exploring different elements of art in the Looking at Art, which breaks down complex ideas into single paragraph summaries with one to three explanatory art pieces as examples. All remaining pages (36-595) are dedicated solely to artists and their pieces broken down into sections by time period, then further categorized by either the region, theme, or movement to which each belongs. I simply cannot recommended this book highly enough. I took many art history and appreciation classes in college and wish I’d been assigned this book as it is so much better than the ones we read. If you can only afford to have one high quality art book on your shelf, this is it.

It's beautiful and full of beautiful artwork.

I just received this book and I’m absolutely thrilled. The illustrations are breathtaking — every page is a visual feast. The scope is impressive: from ancient cave paintings to modern art movements, the book delivers a rich, beautifully organized overview of world art history. The layout and print quality are top-notch — crisp images, clean typography, easy to navigate. Even as someone with only basic art knowledge, I find it accessible and deeply engaging; and I’m sure experts would appreciate the breadth of coverage too. A special note for the seller: your shipping was fast, packaging secure, and book arrived in perfect condition. Great service. Highly recommend this volume — perfect for anyone who loves art, collects books, or wants a reliable, comprehensive reference for decades to come.

This is a very interesting book especially if you want to know more about art history. There are many examples of different genres of art from prehistoric to Renaissance to Impressionism and beyond. I appreciate that art from multiple cultures is included.

Love this book! Heavy but worth it!

Just magnificent. The author provides wonderful explanations and even includes a reminder of how to look at art.. It covers not just Western art but Islamic and other cultures a swell. At this began price I was able to send copies to two friends, not for any special occasion but just because. The reproductions are top notch. What a treat.

Best overall visual art history book there is. Basically is the history of visual art from beginning of time up to modern era. Excellent quality photos, and for the more famous (or large) paintings, there are usually a few pages dedicated to breaking it down in smaller photos of each section with an analysis of that part, which is helpful for larger paintings. Mainly paintings, however there are several bits of pottery, sculptures, etc. And the best part is the book follows a historical timeline, from start to now, broken into sections of the style/eras/period, so it's easy to find "Italian Renaissance" or "Impressionism" with the flick of a page. If you were to own one book that that summarizes visual art history, touching base on most of each era with prime examples, this is the one to own. 600 pages of pure gold.

Like other DK books, the printing is great, on glossy pages. I was hoping for a bit more though. This is very, very basic with some scattered insights that do elevate what are rudimentary introductions to artists and genres. Blurbs are maybe 3/4 of a page. To get more out of this, you need to pair it with apps like Google Arts & Culture or Wikipedia. Frankly you also need a magnifying glass. It does look erudite and the cover design is modern.