How Art Made the World: A Journey to the Origins of Human CreativityIn the late nineteenth century, the first discoveries of prehistoric painting were greeted with incredulity. How could there have been such deft and skillful artists in the world over 30,000 years ago? Noted art historian Nigel Spivey begins with this puzzle to explore the record of humanity's artistic endeavors, and their impact on our own development. How Art Made the World, in conjunction with the PBS miniseries, reveals how artists from the earliest caveman to the most studied Renaissance master have grappled with the same questions in their work: What is a man? Why must we die? Is there a God? With the help of vivid color illustrations of some of the world's most moving and enduring works of art, Spivey shows how that art has been used as a means of mass persuasion, essential to the creation of hierarchical societies, and finally, the extent to which art has served as a mode of terror management in the face of our inevitable death. Packed with new insights into ancient wonders and fascinating stories from all around the globe, How Art Made the World is a compelling account of how humans made art and how art makes us human. |
Avis des internautes - Rédiger un commentaire
How art made the world: a journey to the origins of human creativity
Avis d'utilisateur - Not Available - Book VerdictThis work, a companion to a PBS miniseries of the same name, explores art as a phenomenon unique to human existence that has evolved in method and purpose, mirroring the scientific, social and ... Consulter l'avis complet
LibraryThing Review
Avis d'utilisateur - syrinx_77 - LibraryThingDon't necessarily agree with some of the tenative conclusions that are being drawn; but largely an informative and fun read. Consulter l'avis complet
Autres éditions - Tout afficher
How Art Made the World: A Journey to the Origins of Human Creativity Nigel Spivey Aperçu limité - 2006 |
Expressions et termes fréquents
Aboriginal Alexander ancient animals appear artists Ashurbanipal Assyria Augustus became become belonged body bronze Buddha called carved cave central century Christ Christian church clear close created culture Darius death decoration deities depicted detail developed direct divine early effect Egyptian empire essentially Etruscan eventually evidence example eyes figure further gives Göbekli Tepe Greek hands happened head human images individual island Italy king known land landscape later lion living look marked means Museum nature objects offered once original painters painting Palaeolithic particular perhaps Persian recorded relief remains represented Riace Bronzes Roman Rome rule scenes sculpture seems seen sense served shape sort species statue stone story storytelling subjects symbolic temple thousands tomb tradition various visual walls worship
Fréquemment cités
Page 205 - Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them...
Page 21 - ... no navigation nor use of the commodities that may be imported by sea, no commodious building, no instruments of moving and removing such things as require much force, no knowledge of the face of the earth; no account of time, no arts, no letters, no society, and, which is worst of all, continual fear and danger of violent death, and the life of man solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.
Page 148 - It is impossible for the emotions arising from the sublime to be felt beyond what they are here; so beautiful an arch, so elevated, so light, and springing as it were up to heaven! the rapture of the spectator is really indescribable!
Page 244 - In his hands I saw a long golden spear and at the end of the iron tip I seemed to see a point of fire. With this he seemed to pierce my heart several times so that it penetrated to my entrails. When he drew it out, I thought he was drawing them out with it and he left me completely afire with a great love for God.
Page 148 - Standing on the bare ground - my head bathed by the blithe air and uplifted into infinite space - all mean egotism vanishes. I become a transparent eyeball; I am nothing; I see all; the currents of the Universal Being circulate through me; I am part or parcel of God.
Page 160 - ... toward spectacle, toward ceremony, toward the public dramatization of the ruling obsessions of Balinese culture: social inequality and status pride. It was a theatre state in which the kings and princes were the impresarios, the priests the directors, and the peasants the supporting cast, stage crew, and audience.
Page 234 - The Medievals inhabited a world filled with references, reminders and overtones of Divinity, manifestations of God in things. Nature spoke to them heraldically: lions or nut-trees were more than they seemed; griffins were just as real as lions because, like them, they were signs of higher truth.
Page 131 - In landscapes, the painter should give the suggestion of a fairer creation than we know. The details, the prose of nature he should omit, and give us only the spirit and splendor.
Page 83 - The movements of expression give vividness and energy to our spoken words. They reveal the thoughts and intentions of others more truly than do words, which may be falsified.
Informations bibliographiques
| Titre | How Art Made the World: A Journey to the Origins of Human Creativity |
| Auteur | Nigel Jonathan Spivey |
| Édition | illustrée |
| Éditeur | Basic Books, 2005 |
| ISBN | 0465081819, 9780465081813 |
| Longueur | 288 pages |
| Exporter la citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |