In an age overflowing with images, the bridge between seeing and knowing
An introductory book that outlines Western art and the best humanities book that contains everything.
From prehistoric times to modern art, the vast history of Western art is completed in 700 pages and 413 color plates.

The world's best-selling art book, translated into 19 languages ​​and selling over 8 million copies worldwide, a book that makes a great gift, a book that recipients actually read, a book that will change your life, the best humanities book that has it all… … .
As many people as there have been in the book's long history have read Gombrich's "A History of Western Art" and have showered it with praise.
All of these words are crucial words that run through this book, but if I had to choose just one, it would be 'A must-read for an introduction to Western art history.'
The closer we are to the truth, the more universal and ordinary the words that express that truth must be.

Gombrich's "A History of Western Art" is a must-read book for anyone wanting to understand Western art.
Because it is best for those who are new to the field of art and need some theoretical training.
Covering a wide range of topics from prehistoric cave paintings to experimental modern art, it presents great and outstanding works from throughout art history, organized by period, style, title, and artist on each page, helping readers understand the systematic order of Western art.
Only Gombrich's "A History of Western Art" can contain such a vast history in one volume that will be read for a long time.

There is no such thing as art.
'There are only artists.' This is the first sentence of the preface to 'A History of Western Art.'
When you open a book, the illustrations catch your eye first, but as you read the text, you feel the people.
When you read and think about why the artist painted, what concerns he had while painting, and the relationship between the subject in the painting and the artist, you will see the painting again.
The story of a person, told in plain language, eventually becomes a story of art, and the history of art becomes the history of people.
If you follow this flow, you will not be able to let go of books, art, art, and life.
This is why I believe that Gombrich's "A History of Western Art" will always be with us in future history.

“The whole history of art
It's not a story of progress in technical proficiency,
“It’s about changing thoughts and needs.”
- E.
H. Gombrich

The constant stream of technical jargon and superficial sentiments has become a pernicious habit, leading many young people to dismiss all art books as being the same throughout their lives... To avoid this pitfall, I've made a sincere effort to use plain language, even at the risk of appearing overly prosaic and unprofessional.

In the preface

Caravaggio, a young painter with a rich imagination and uncompromising spirit, was struggling to imagine what it would be like for Matteo, an old, poor laborer and simple tax collector, to suddenly sit down and write.
So he drew himself, bald and barefoot, awkwardly clutching a large book, his brow furrowed anxiously from the nervousness of writing in an unfamiliar language.
Next to him was a young, beautiful angel who had just descended from heaven and was politely leading the worker by the hand, as a teacher would a child.

When Caravaggio delivered this painting to the cathedral to be hung above the altar, people were outraged, saying that it lacked respect for the saints.
The painting was not accepted, so Caravaggio had to repaint it.
This time he didn't take any chances.
He strictly adhered to conventional notions of what angels and saints should look like.
Caravaggio, a young painter with a rich imagination and uncompromising spirit, was struggling to imagine what it would be like for Matteo, an old, poor laborer and simple tax collector, to suddenly sit down and write.
So he drew himself, bald and barefoot, awkwardly clutching a large book, his brow furrowed anxiously from the nervousness of writing in an unfamiliar language.
Next to him was a young, beautiful angel who had just descended from heaven and was politely leading the worker by the hand, as a teacher would a child.

When Caravaggio delivered this painting to the cathedral to be hung above the altar, people were outraged, saying that it lacked respect for the saints.
The painting was not accepted, so Caravaggio had to repaint it.
This time he didn't take any chances.
He strictly adhered to conventional notions of what angels and saints should look like.

--- p.31

Versailles is Baroque not so much because of its decorative details as because of its sheer scale.
The architects divided the massive mass of the building into left and right wings, focusing on giving each wing a noble and majestic appearance.
Versailles is Baroque not so much because of its decorative details as because of its sheer scale.
The architects divided the massive mass of the building into left and right wings, focusing on giving each wing a noble and majestic appearance.

--- p.447