Essential Art Lovers Book, 18 Jun 2007
I have many art books, but none as used and flipped through as this book.
It is easy to use as a reference book and would always be first on my list.
With great colour prints of Artists work, a brief history on each Artist and
an important example of each Artists' work.

It is a great book for students at an affordable price, and handy size.

GREAT BUY!!!!

Inspiring, 23 Jul 2006
This is a beautiful and inspiring book to flick through. It is perfect coffee table material and great to dip into at odd moments. The quality of the paper is really good, as well as the reproductions of the art inside. This is a wonderful overview of some of the greatest art and artists that the world has seen. Simply stunning.

A Fantastic Book, 26 Apr 2005
Sadly the large editions of this series are just too expensive for my budget. What a great idea to bring out a small edition for about 1/3 of the price!

The pictures in the book are excellent, considering it's size. A wide range of genres are included. Most of the page taken up with full colour photograph with information above and below.

Although, of course, you do lose something with the pictures being smaller this is the same with any book of photos of art - they can ever compare to the real thing. But then that is not the intention of a book.

A must for any student studying Art, and anyone interested in looking at the art.

Can't put it down, 17 Jul 2004
The reason why i bought this book was as it was on my university book list. I'd passed the book many times in bookstores yet never stoped to look at it.

Now AM i GLAD it was on the list!

This book is a must have for any art student or anybody who has the slightest interest in art. It is easy to cross reference artists, it provides brief yet concise information upon the artist, their characteristic style, and to top it of a full colour image of a characteristic / typical piece of the artist.
Its size means it can be taken anywhere and will fit in your handbag :) and has kept me amused on many bus trips.
You must be crazy not to buy it at this price!

Beats Harry Potter any day! Absolutely Mind expanding!, 24 Feb 2002
In this book there are examples of every kind of art you can think of! It's majorly inspiring! If you ever thought you were not interested in any kind of art, I can assure you you'll find something you'll love. Just because its an art book doesn't mean to say you can put it down easily!

Matthew Collings has already established a reputation for himself as one of the most irreverent and original commentators on the contemporary art world, with his books Blimey! From Bohemia to Britpop and It Hurts: New York Art from Warhol to Now. With the publication of This is Modern Art, Collings has ordered an even bigger canvas to sketch his own uniquely original version of contemporary art today, which he sees as both increasingly popular but also at different points "glamorous, mysterious, sexy, soulful, macabre, gloomy, quirky, kinky and funny". Written to accompany the television series of the same name, This is Modern Art is an in-your-face guide to modern art from Goya's "Disasters of War" to Gillian Wearing's prize-winning video of the police. Along the way, Collings addresses the questions which have both defined and plagued perplexed responses to modern art, including its desire to shock, its questionable aesthetic value, its humour and its blankness. As it moves along in a style which is at times infuriating but always direct and funny, This is Modern Art points out how far we've come since Picasso and Matisse, reverses out of the cul-de-sac of postmodernism, waves the flag for New British Artists like Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin and Sarah Lucas, and ultimately leaves his audience with a streetwise, upbeat book on the abiding value of modern art. --Jerry Brotton

Essential Art Lovers Book, 18 Jun 2007
I have many art books, but none as used and flipped through as this book.
It is easy to use as a reference book and would always be first on my list.
With great colour prints of Artists work, a brief history on each Artist and
an important example of each Artists' work.

It is a great book for students at an affordable price, and handy size.

GREAT BUY!!!!

Inspiring, 23 Jul 2006
This is a beautiful and inspiring book to flick through. It is perfect coffee table material and great to dip into at odd moments. The quality of the paper is really good, as well as the reproductions of the art inside. This is a wonderful overview of some of the greatest art and artists that the world has seen. Simply stunning.

A Fantastic Book, 26 Apr 2005
Sadly the large editions of this series are just too expensive for my budget. What a great idea to bring out a small edition for about 1/3 of the price!

The pictures in the book are excellent, considering it's size. A wide range of genres are included. Most of the page taken up with full colour photograph with information above and below.

Although, of course, you do lose something with the pictures being smaller this is the same with any book of photos of art - they can ever compare to the real thing. But then that is not the intention of a book.

A must for any student studying Art, and anyone interested in looking at the art.

Can't put it down, 17 Jul 2004
The reason why i bought this book was as it was on my university book list. I'd passed the book many times in bookstores yet never stoped to look at it.

Now AM i GLAD it was on the list!

This book is a must have for any art student or anybody who has the slightest interest in art. It is easy to cross reference artists, it provides brief yet concise information upon the artist, their characteristic style, and to top it of a full colour image of a characteristic / typical piece of the artist.
Its size means it can be taken anywhere and will fit in your handbag :) and has kept me amused on many bus trips.
You must be crazy not to buy it at this price!

Beats Harry Potter any day! Absolutely Mind expanding!, 24 Feb 2002
In this book there are examples of every kind of art you can think of! It's majorly inspiring! If you ever thought you were not interested in any kind of art, I can assure you you'll find something you'll love. Just because its an art book doesn't mean to say you can put it down easily!

Disappointing, 18 Mar 2008
I was so exhilarated by Collings' Channel 4 mini-series "This is civilisation" that I had to search the web to find something similar in book form. I didn't, but came across This is modern art, with its amazon.co.uk collection of high ratings, which convinced me to take the plunge. I don't know, this may be a personal issue, but I think I can generally appreciate good writting, even when it's not to my taste. This book, however, I found confusedly written, with no flow and no inspiration. As I say, it may be just me, or it may be that Collings comes across better on tv. Nonetheless, I thought it healthy to add my view as a healthcheck on the total.

Idiosyncratic introduction to contemporary art, 21 Feb 2008
Well-illustrated and easy to read but highly idiosyncratic and selective. Collings is good on those artists he knows personally or has interviewed for his TV shows but this is to the detriment of many important and influential artists who are ignored completely or mentioned only in passing. Highly recommended as an introduction to the field but please don't think this is definitive (let alone "the Bible") - I am sure Collings would make no such claims. And if you are in doubt as to which is the better, this or his other contribution "Blimey" I can reassure you this is the better by far.

Something to get your teeth into, 16 Jan 2008
Collings' writing style will not be for everyone. He can be quite infuriatingly dense about some artists or concepts, and I found myself having to reread some sentences several times to see if it was 'just me'. It wasn't. On the other hand, most of the time he writes about art in a very accessible, and interesting way. His seems to be a fairly personal view, which is not going to suit anyone looking for an authoritative guide to art, but it is entertaining and thought provoking.
The paragraphs are quite clipped, and he just gets into his stride only to move to another subject or idea or artist, which when I was enjoying myself I found quite frustrating. I wanted more. This is not a particularly bad thing. I just found myself on Wikipedia a lot.
There are good illustrations, unlike some art books, and plenty of them. What could be a little challenging was him talking about paintings or works for which there were then no accompanying illustrations, which then sent me back to Wiki.
The potted history of the artists in the margins is a useful feature. I liked the way the book was broken up into manageable chapters and sub headings within chapters. The balance of prose to pictures was good. All in all a very satisfactory book given the dearth of affordable and useful books on what modern art actually is.

Breezy and informal introduction to modern art, 04 Dec 2002
Collings has a breezy writing style that exactly matches the way he talks on television during the Turner Prize or on one of his documentaries. It won't appeal to all readers, but if you've got a sense of humour about modern art (for example you found Craig-Martin's Oak Tree in the Tate Modern amusing), you'll definitely like this book. Collings isn't afraid to tell you that he doesn't really know what some pieces of art are about, or that he is only guessing. I've re-read this book several times, and I still enjoy it.

Explaining how great the Master Collings is, 29 Dec 2001
Reading this book was a really refreshing experience. Matthew Collings must be one of the only art critics in all history who A: Knows something about art and B: Doesn't talk complete bull****. As an art lover and artist my self I can honestly say this is one of the most humourous, truthful and enlightening books I have read in a long, long time.

Essential Art Lovers Book, 18 Jun 2007
I have many art books, but none as used and flipped through as this book.
It is easy to use as a reference book and would always be first on my list.
With great colour prints of Artists work, a brief history on each Artist and
an important example of each Artists' work.

It is a great book for students at an affordable price, and handy size.

GREAT BUY!!!!

Inspiring, 23 Jul 2006
This is a beautiful and inspiring book to flick through. It is perfect coffee table material and great to dip into at odd moments. The quality of the paper is really good, as well as the reproductions of the art inside. This is a wonderful overview of some of the greatest art and artists that the world has seen. Simply stunning.

A Fantastic Book, 26 Apr 2005
Sadly the large editions of this series are just too expensive for my budget. What a great idea to bring out a small edition for about 1/3 of the price!

The pictures in the book are excellent, considering it's size. A wide range of genres are included. Most of the page taken up with full colour photograph with information above and below.

Although, of course, you do lose something with the pictures being smaller this is the same with any book of photos of art - they can ever compare to the real thing. But then that is not the intention of a book.

A must for any student studying Art, and anyone interested in looking at the art.

Can't put it down, 17 Jul 2004
The reason why i bought this book was as it was on my university book list. I'd passed the book many times in bookstores yet never stoped to look at it.

Now AM i GLAD it was on the list!

This book is a must have for any art student or anybody who has the slightest interest in art. It is easy to cross reference artists, it provides brief yet concise information upon the artist, their characteristic style, and to top it of a full colour image of a characteristic / typical piece of the artist.
Its size means it can be taken anywhere and will fit in your handbag :) and has kept me amused on many bus trips.
You must be crazy not to buy it at this price!

Beats Harry Potter any day! Absolutely Mind expanding!, 24 Feb 2002
In this book there are examples of every kind of art you can think of! It's majorly inspiring! If you ever thought you were not interested in any kind of art, I can assure you you'll find something you'll love. Just because its an art book doesn't mean to say you can put it down easily!

Disappointing, 18 Mar 2008
I was so exhilarated by Collings' Channel 4 mini-series "This is civilisation" that I had to search the web to find something similar in book form. I didn't, but came across This is modern art, with its amazon.co.uk collection of high ratings, which convinced me to take the plunge. I don't know, this may be a personal issue, but I think I can generally appreciate good writting, even when it's not to my taste. This book, however, I found confusedly written, with no flow and no inspiration. As I say, it may be just me, or it may be that Collings comes across better on tv. Nonetheless, I thought it healthy to add my view as a healthcheck on the total.

Idiosyncratic introduction to contemporary art, 21 Feb 2008
Well-illustrated and easy to read but highly idiosyncratic and selective. Collings is good on those artists he knows personally or has interviewed for his TV shows but this is to the detriment of many important and influential artists who are ignored completely or mentioned only in passing. Highly recommended as an introduction to the field but please don't think this is definitive (let alone "the Bible") - I am sure Collings would make no such claims. And if you are in doubt as to which is the better, this or his other contribution "Blimey" I can reassure you this is the better by far.

Something to get your teeth into, 16 Jan 2008
Collings' writing style will not be for everyone. He can be quite infuriatingly dense about some artists or concepts, and I found myself having to reread some sentences several times to see if it was 'just me'. It wasn't. On the other hand, most of the time he writes about art in a very accessible, and interesting way. His seems to be a fairly personal view, which is not going to suit anyone looking for an authoritative guide to art, but it is entertaining and thought provoking.
The paragraphs are quite clipped, and he just gets into his stride only to move to another subject or idea or artist, which when I was enjoying myself I found quite frustrating. I wanted more. This is not a particularly bad thing. I just found myself on Wikipedia a lot.
There are good illustrations, unlike some art books, and plenty of them. What could be a little challenging was him talking about paintings or works for which there were then no accompanying illustrations, which then sent me back to Wiki.
The potted history of the artists in the margins is a useful feature. I liked the way the book was broken up into manageable chapters and sub headings within chapters. The balance of prose to pictures was good. All in all a very satisfactory book given the dearth of affordable and useful books on what modern art actually is.

Breezy and informal introduction to modern art, 04 Dec 2002
Collings has a breezy writing style that exactly matches the way he talks on television during the Turner Prize or on one of his documentaries. It won't appeal to all readers, but if you've got a sense of humour about modern art (for example you found Craig-Martin's Oak Tree in the Tate Modern amusing), you'll definitely like this book. Collings isn't afraid to tell you that he doesn't really know what some pieces of art are about, or that he is only guessing. I've re-read this book several times, and I still enjoy it.

Explaining how great the Master Collings is, 29 Dec 2001
Reading this book was a really refreshing experience. Matthew Collings must be one of the only art critics in all history who A: Knows something about art and B: Doesn't talk complete bull****. As an art lover and artist my self I can honestly say this is one of the most humourous, truthful and enlightening books I have read in a long, long time.

basics fashion , 10 Dec 2007
This is a really informed and visually exciting fashion design know how book. Really easy to read and follow with great use of photography and student example work. There are also designer interviews to support the writings on research approaches and design.
A great book for anyone interested in fashion or studying it at college or university

Essential Art Lovers Book, 18 Jun 2007
I have many art books, but none as used and flipped through as this book.
It is easy to use as a reference book and would always be first on my list.
With great colour prints of Artists work, a brief history on each Artist and
an important example of each Artists' work.

It is a great book for students at an affordable price, and handy size.

GREAT BUY!!!!

Inspiring, 23 Jul 2006
This is a beautiful and inspiring book to flick through. It is perfect coffee table material and great to dip into at odd moments. The quality of the paper is really good, as well as the reproductions of the art inside. This is a wonderful overview of some of the greatest art and artists that the world has seen. Simply stunning.

A Fantastic Book, 26 Apr 2005
Sadly the large editions of this series are just too expensive for my budget. What a great idea to bring out a small edition for about 1/3 of the price!

The pictures in the book are excellent, considering it's size. A wide range of genres are included. Most of the page taken up with full colour photograph with information above and below.

Although, of course, you do lose something with the pictures being smaller this is the same with any book of photos of art - they can ever compare to the real thing. But then that is not the intention of a book.

A must for any student studying Art, and anyone interested in looking at the art.

Can't put it down, 17 Jul 2004
The reason why i bought this book was as it was on my university book list. I'd passed the book many times in bookstores yet never stoped to look at it.

Now AM i GLAD it was on the list!

This book is a must have for any art student or anybody who has the slightest interest in art. It is easy to cross reference artists, it provides brief yet concise information upon the artist, their characteristic style, and to top it of a full colour image of a characteristic / typical piece of the artist.
Its size means it can be taken anywhere and will fit in your handbag :) and has kept me amused on many bus trips.
You must be crazy not to buy it at this price!

Beats Harry Potter any day! Absolutely Mind expanding!, 24 Feb 2002
In this book there are examples of every kind of art you can think of! It's majorly inspiring! If you ever thought you were not interested in any kind of art, I can assure you you'll find something you'll love. Just because its an art book doesn't mean to say you can put it down easily!

Disappointing, 18 Mar 2008
I was so exhilarated by Collings' Channel 4 mini-series "This is civilisation" that I had to search the web to find something similar in book form. I didn't, but came across This is modern art, with its amazon.co.uk collection of high ratings, which convinced me to take the plunge. I don't know, this may be a personal issue, but I think I can generally appreciate good writting, even when it's not to my taste. This book, however, I found confusedly written, with no flow and no inspiration. As I say, it may be just me, or it may be that Collings comes across better on tv. Nonetheless, I thought it healthy to add my view as a healthcheck on the total.

Idiosyncratic introduction to contemporary art, 21 Feb 2008
Well-illustrated and easy to read but highly idiosyncratic and selective. Collings is good on those artists he knows personally or has interviewed for his TV shows but this is to the detriment of many important and influential artists who are ignored completely or mentioned only in passing. Highly recommended as an introduction to the field but please don't think this is definitive (let alone "the Bible") - I am sure Collings would make no such claims. And if you are in doubt as to which is the better, this or his other contribution "Blimey" I can reassure you this is the better by far.

Something to get your teeth into, 16 Jan 2008
Collings' writing style will not be for everyone. He can be quite infuriatingly dense about some artists or concepts, and I found myself having to reread some sentences several times to see if it was 'just me'. It wasn't. On the other hand, most of the time he writes about art in a very accessible, and interesting way. His seems to be a fairly personal view, which is not going to suit anyone looking for an authoritative guide to art, but it is entertaining and thought provoking.
The paragraphs are quite clipped, and he just gets into his stride only to move to another subject or idea or artist, which when I was enjoying myself I found quite frustrating. I wanted more. This is not a particularly bad thing. I just found myself on Wikipedia a lot.
There are good illustrations, unlike some art books, and plenty of them. What could be a little challenging was him talking about paintings or works for which there were then no accompanying illustrations, which then sent me back to Wiki.
The potted history of the artists in the margins is a useful feature. I liked the way the book was broken up into manageable chapters and sub headings within chapters. The balance of prose to pictures was good. All in all a very satisfactory book given the dearth of affordable and useful books on what modern art actually is.

Breezy and informal introduction to modern art, 04 Dec 2002
Collings has a breezy writing style that exactly matches the way he talks on television during the Turner Prize or on one of his documentaries. It won't appeal to all readers, but if you've got a sense of humour about modern art (for example you found Craig-Martin's Oak Tree in the Tate Modern amusing), you'll definitely like this book. Collings isn't afraid to tell you that he doesn't really know what some pieces of art are about, or that he is only guessing. I've re-read this book several times, and I still enjoy it.

Explaining how great the Master Collings is, 29 Dec 2001
Reading this book was a really refreshing experience. Matthew Collings must be one of the only art critics in all history who A: Knows something about art and B: Doesn't talk complete bull****. As an art lover and artist my self I can honestly say this is one of the most humourous, truthful and enlightening books I have read in a long, long time.

basics fashion , 10 Dec 2007
This is a really informed and visually exciting fashion design know how book. Really easy to read and follow with great use of photography and student example work. There are also designer interviews to support the writings on research approaches and design.
A great book for anyone interested in fashion or studying it at college or university

Yes a classic but too linear, 01 May 2008
He loves a neat linear narrative.
Insisting all western art (and there's nothing non-Western) follows a first there was this, then artists thought that, then artists thought that is way too simplistic.

Yes it's a classic but is only useful in the classroom for school-age kids to grasp what a wide range of Euro-centric art looked like but nothing beyond that.

The first, best introduction to Art and Art History there is. Superb., 03 Jan 2008
It might be recommendation enough to see that this book has been in continual publication for nearly sixty years, but that's just the start. The one thing which really sets this work apart is Gombrich himself - his love for his subject, his unpretentious attitude and his humility and generosity of spirit. These shine through from the moment one reads the introduction: "There are no bad reasons for liking a painting; there are bad reasons for not liking a painting". Gombrich shows us that fine art isn't just the province of snobby, Courtauld Institute dons; it's for everyone, and accessing it is easy, and enjoyable.

Originally written for younger readers, that was in a time when 'younger readers' were expected to be substantially more literate than they are today, and adults won't feel at all talked-down-to.

This is the best-selling book on art in the world. There is a reason for that.

Starter, 18 Sep 2007
It is a good book to start with, if you`re interested in the History of Art, but no way should it be treated as a complete. Once again - nothing is said about female artists, there are some gaps, and I personally would like to read some more on photography, XX and Eastern European art in particular.

'THE' Story Of Art, 31 Jul 2007
31 July 2007
I bought this book back in April 2007 and have just literally finished. (I am quite a slow reader but have you seen the size of it?)
This book was recommended to me by a university that I am about to embark on a course to learn to teach Art and Design in secondary school. So I bought it and settled down to months of reading it.

I was quite intimidated by the size of this book but I began with an open mind and within a few pages I was in love. It is a fantastic book that, at times, reads like a novel and at other times reads like a journal (by which I mean that the author allows his own perspective to shake your ideas and guide you forward.)

This book was recommenced to me and so I wish to recommend it to you in turn. You won't have read an art book from cover to cover like this before.

Updated 18 July 2008
After my Teaching course I felt I should add a small comment to my previous celebration of such a well written book. Over the past year I have entered into heated discussions centered round this book and it has been brought to my attention that there is not one single mention of female artists (not even once) throughout this entire book! I was shocked. More over, I felt deceived. I have no idea how I could have missed such an obvious fact. The very first chance I could, I grabbed it and began my futile search to prove my tutor wrong... needless to say, I failed.

I referenced this book a lot over the teaching course for assignments and whatnot and with my new qualification I am still willing to stick by my original 5 star rating even though it is quite obviously not 'THE' Story of Art.

Difficult to rate, 09 Apr 2007
Gombrich's 'The Story of Art' is one of the referred to texts of my Art History BA Degree, being a contextual comment on the History of Art as a somewhat indefinable whole. He focuses on the canon of art prominent in his era, and one must consider this when reading it - do not under any circumstances allow yourself to be guided to Gombrich's representation of a singular art history. Instead, analyse his motives and contextual issues when you read it - this will surely improve your own grasp of stories of Art. He writes for the male scholar of a certain class with certain interests, and for the 'modern' reader like myself (I am female and 18) this is undoubtedly narrow minded. Cultural diversities and the feminine inputs to Art are among factors that do not crop up in his volume, as some reviewers previous to me have mentioned, but it is an excellent reference and interesting mark for western society's ever changing and often selective approach to Art History. To be followed by James Elkins' broader 'The Stories of Art', most definitely.

Essential Art Lovers Book, 18 Jun 2007
I have many art books, but none as used and flipped through as this book.
It is easy to use as a reference book and would always be first on my list.
With great colour prints of Artists work, a brief history on each Artist and
an important example of each Artists' work.

It is a great book for students at an affordable price, and handy size.

GREAT BUY!!!!

Inspiring, 23 Jul 2006
This is a beautiful and inspiring book to flick through. It is perfect coffee table material and great to dip into at odd moments. The quality of the paper is really good, as well as the reproductions of the art inside. This is a wonderful overview of some of the greatest art and artists that the world has seen. Simply stunning.

A Fantastic Book, 26 Apr 2005
Sadly the large editions of this series are just too expensive for my budget. What a great idea to bring out a small edition for about 1/3 of the price!

The pictures in the book are excellent, considering it's size. A wide range of genres are included. Most of the page taken up with full colour photograph with information above and below.

Although, of course, you do lose something with the pictures being smaller this is the same with any book of photos of art - they can ever compare to the real thing. But then that is not the intention of a book.

A must for any student studying Art, and anyone interested in looking at the art.

Can't put it down, 17 Jul 2004
The reason why i bought this book was as it was on my university book list. I'd passed the book many times in bookstores yet never stoped to look at it.

Now AM i GLAD it was on the list!

This book is a must have for any art student or anybody who has the slightest interest in art. It is easy to cross reference artists, it provides brief yet concise information upon the artist, their characteristic style, and to top it of a full colour image of a characteristic / typical piece of the artist.
Its size means it can be taken anywhere and will fit in your handbag :) and has kept me amused on many bus trips.
You must be crazy not to buy it at this price!

Beats Harry Potter any day! Absolutely Mind expanding!, 24 Feb 2002
In this book there are examples of every kind of art you can think of! It's majorly inspiring! If you ever thought you were not interested in any kind of art, I can assure you you'll find something you'll love. Just because its an art book doesn't mean to say you can put it down easily!

Disappointing, 18 Mar 2008
I was so exhilarated by Collings' Channel 4 mini-series "This is civilisation" that I had to search the web to find something similar in book form. I didn't, but came across This is modern art, with its amazon.co.uk collection of high ratings, which convinced me to take the plunge. I don't know, this may be a personal issue, but I think I can generally appreciate good writting, even when it's not to my taste. This book, however, I found confusedly written, with no flow and no inspiration. As I say, it may be just me, or it may be that Collings comes across better on tv. Nonetheless, I thought it healthy to add my view as a healthcheck on the total.

Idiosyncratic introduction to contemporary art, 21 Feb 2008
Well-illustrated and easy to read but highly idiosyncratic and selective. Collings is good on those artists he knows personally or has interviewed for his TV shows but this is to the detriment of many important and influential artists who are ignored completely or mentioned only in passing. Highly recommended as an introduction to the field but please don't think this is definitive (let alone "the Bible") - I am sure Collings would make no such claims. And if you are in doubt as to which is the better, this or his other contribution "Blimey" I can reassure you this is the better by far.

Something to get your teeth into, 16 Jan 2008
Collings' writing style will not be for everyone. He can be quite infuriatingly dense about some artists or concepts, and I found myself having to reread some sentences several times to see if it was 'just me'. It wasn't. On the other hand, most of the time he writes about art in a very accessible, and interesting way. His seems to be a fairly personal view, which is not going to suit anyone looking for an authoritative guide to art, but it is entertaining and thought provoking.
The paragraphs are quite clipped, and he just gets into his stride only to move to another subject or idea or artist, which when I was enjoying myself I found quite frustrating. I wanted more. This is not a particularly bad thing. I just found myself on Wikipedia a lot.
There are good illustrations, unlike some art books, and plenty of them. What could be a little challenging was him talking about paintings or works for which there were then no accompanying illustrations, which then sent me back to Wiki.
The potted history of the artists in the margins is a useful feature. I liked the way the book was broken up into manageable chapters and sub headings within chapters. The balance of prose to pictures was good. All in all a very satisfactory book given the dearth of affordable and useful books on what modern art actually is.

Breezy and informal introduction to modern art, 04 Dec 2002
Collings has a breezy writing style that exactly matches the way he talks on television during the Turner Prize or on one of his documentaries. It won't appeal to all readers, but if you've got a sense of humour about modern art (for example you found Craig-Martin's Oak Tree in the Tate Modern amusing), you'll definitely like this book. Collings isn't afraid to tell you that he doesn't really know what some pieces of art are about, or that he is only guessing. I've re-read this book several times, and I still enjoy it.

Explaining how great the Master Collings is, 29 Dec 2001
Reading this book was a really refreshing experience. Matthew Collings must be one of the only art critics in all history who A: Knows something about art and B: Doesn't talk complete bull****. As an art lover and artist my self I can honestly say this is one of the most humourous, truthful and enlightening books I have read in a long, long time.

basics fashion , 10 Dec 2007
This is a really informed and visually exciting fashion design know how book. Really easy to read and follow with great use of photography and student example work. There are also designer interviews to support the writings on research approaches and design.
A great book for anyone interested in fashion or studying it at college or university

Yes a classic but too linear, 01 May 2008
He loves a neat linear narrative.
Insisting all western art (and there's nothing non-Western) follows a first there was this, then artists thought that, then artists thought that is way too simplistic.

Yes it's a classic but is only useful in the classroom for school-age kids to grasp what a wide range of Euro-centric art looked like but nothing beyond that.

The first, best introduction to Art and Art History there is. Superb., 03 Jan 2008
It might be recommendation enough to see that this book has been in continual publication for nearly sixty years, but that's just the start. The one thing which really sets this work apart is Gombrich himself - his love for his subject, his unpretentious attitude and his humility and generosity of spirit. These shine through from the moment one reads the introduction: "There are no bad reasons for liking a painting; there are bad reasons for not liking a painting". Gombrich shows us that fine art isn't just the province of snobby, Courtauld Institute dons; it's for everyone, and accessing it is easy, and enjoyable.

Originally written for younger readers, that was in a time when 'younger readers' were expected to be substantially more literate than they are today, and adults won't feel at all talked-down-to.

This is the best-selling book on art in the world. There is a reason for that.

Starter, 18 Sep 2007
It is a good book to start with, if you`re interested in the History of Art, but no way should it be treated as a complete. Once again - nothing is said about female artists, there are some gaps, and I personally would like to read some more on photography, XX and Eastern European art in particular.

'THE' Story Of Art, 31 Jul 2007
31 July 2007
I bought this book back in April 2007 and have just literally finished. (I am quite a slow reader but have you seen the size of it?)
This book was recommended to me by a university that I am about to embark on a course to learn to teach Art and Design in secondary school. So I bought it and settled down to months of reading it.

I was quite intimidated by the size of this book but I began with an open mind and within a few pages I was in love. It is a fantastic book that, at times, reads like a novel and at other times reads like a journal (by which I mean that the author allows his own perspective to shake your ideas and guide you forward.)

This book was recommenced to me and so I wish to recommend it to you in turn. You won't have read an art book from cover to cover like this before.

Updated 18 July 2008
After my Teaching course I felt I should add a small comment to my previous celebration of such a well written book. Over the past year I have entered into heated discussions centered round this book and it has been brought to my attention that there is not one single mention of female artists (not even once) throughout this entire book! I was shocked. More over, I felt deceived. I have no idea how I could have missed such an obvious fact. The very first chance I could, I grabbed it and began my futile search to prove my tutor wrong... needless to say, I failed.

I referenced this book a lot over the teaching course for assignments and whatnot and with my new qualification I am still willing to stick by my original 5 star rating even though it is quite obviously not 'THE' Story of Art.

Difficult to rate, 09 Apr 2007
Gombrich's 'The Story of Art' is one of the referred to texts of my Art History BA Degree, being a contextual comment on the History of Art as a somewhat indefinable whole. He focuses on the canon of art prominent in his era, and one must consider this when reading it - do not under any circumstances allow yourself to be guided to Gombrich's representation of a singular art history. Instead, analyse his motives and contextual issues when you read it - this will surely improve your own grasp of stories of Art. He writes for the male scholar of a certain class with certain interests, and for the 'modern' reader like myself (I am female and 18) this is undoubtedly narrow minded. Cultural diversities and the feminine inputs to Art are among factors that do not crop up in his volume, as some reviewers previous to me have mentioned, but it is an excellent reference and interesting mark for western society's ever changing and often selective approach to Art History. To be followed by James Elkins' broader 'The Stories of Art', most definitely.

At this price, it is a steal! (25th Century Edition), 21 Aug 2008
I bought a copy of this book for an artist friend a couple of months ago and paid around £25 for it. This is a newer (2008) edition and has literally hundreds of photos and illustrations. A very, very attractive book, like all Taschen offerings, and I would call it a huge bargain. With free shipping (thanks to Amazon Prime) there is no reason why one should not buy a copy right away.

About the book: It is a survey of the contemporary art and gives a nice overall picture of what is happening in the world of photography, painting and architecture. Taschen would not be organised, no not them! The book has everything thrown in and the only order that is followed is the surnames of the artists in alphabetical order. (Follow Taschen and you will be left with a bookshelf displaying Titian (Taschen Basic Art Series) next to The Big Book of Breasts! In short, they are eclectic in everything they do and this makes their publications so very unique. Do expect some "chaos" when you buy this book. The book can be opened at any page and since every section is self-contained, they can be browsed through repeatedly. I am very happy with my purchase and although contemporary art is not my specialty, this book can be an excellent starting point.

A useful survey of art today - but note the different editions!, 18 Jan 2008
As is sometime the case with Amazon, they group reviews for different editions of a book together. For the record there are several editions of ART NOW:

"ART NOW 137 Artists at the Rise of the New Millennium", ISBN 382281444X (pub June 2002)

This reasonable size book, it measures 25.5cmm x 20cm (10"x8"), 640 pages, and is packed full if images. It covers the work of 137 different artists from the areas of painting, photography, film and video, sculpture, performance art and installation. Each artist is allotted four pages, has a brief introduction of one paragraph (printed in English, German and French), along with a thumb-nail photograph of the artist and a short list of selected exhibitions and bibliography. The pictures fill the pages, sometimes several to a page; in total I estimate there are around 750 illustrations almost entirely in colour. The book concludes with a glossary and brief biographical notes on the authors, plus a section entitled The Art Newspaper which provides art market details and facts about leading art cities in the world.

It covers many well known names including Jeff Koons, Damien Hurst, Luc Tuymans, John Currin, Peter Doig, Tracey Emin to mention a few, plus some less familiar, providing a very useful if brief summary of art today

"ART NOW Artist at the rise of the new Millennium" ISBN 9783822840931 (pub April 2005)

A scaled down version of the above; this is fairly compact book with around 360 pages, it measures 22.5cmm x 18cm (8.75"x7"). It covers the work of just 81 of the artists from the original edition, exactly as they appear there. There are over 500 illustrations almost entirely in colour. The book concludes with a glossary and brief biographical notes on the authors, but there is no "Art Newspaper"

"ART NOW VOL 2 137 Artists at the Rise of the New Millennium" ISBN 3822839965 (pub Dec 2005)

This edition I have not seen, but I understand that the format is the same as before; however all the artists covered are entirely new, none is repeated from previous issues. It is listed as having 640 pages and as being the same size as the original edition.


Excellent, 26 Apr 2007
As with all Taschen art books, this has beautiful and huge colour prints throughout and is a facinating look at a little bit about vast varieties of different modern artists. Extremely interesting, even for those with no interest in art.

Great!, 17 Dec 2002
This book is a continuation of the book "Art at the turn of the
Millenium". It follows exactly the same format. Each artist has
four pages of photographs dedicated to his or her work. There is also a small paragraph about the artist and a mug shot of the artist's
head. Unfortunately, the problems with the origional book have
carried through to this one. The captions to the pictures are unhelpfull, especially with installation and film work and there is little quality writing about the artist in question. However,
the book is extremely concentrated and none (as far as I can see)
of the works featured in the origional book are featured here,
even though many of the artists are. The works on show are thus
those since 2000 or there about. It is however, extremely good value and contains much material which is unavailable outside
art magazines and gallery brochures over the last few years.
If you liked the origional book then this is more of the same, and it's just as good as the last one, if not better!
However, those wanting to begin learning about modern art would
be well advised to look elsewhere. For some artists, the entries
may well mean nothing to you if you don't know at least something about those artists or have seen their exhibitions.
Great! I hope another one comes out in three years time!

Essential Art Lovers Book, 18 Jun 2007
I have many art books, but none as used and flipped through as this book.
It is easy to use as a reference book and would always be first on my list.
With great colour prints of Artists work, a brief history on each Artist and
an important example of each Artists' work.

It is a great book for students at an affordable price, and handy size.

GREAT BUY!!!!

Inspiring, 23 Jul 2006
This is a beautiful and inspiring book to flick through. It is perfect coffee table material and great to dip into at odd moments. The quality of the paper is really good, as well as the reproductions of the art inside. This is a wonderful overview of some of the greatest art and artists that the world has seen. Simply stunning.

A Fantastic Book, 26 Apr 2005
Sadly the large editions of this series are just too expensive for my budget. What a great idea to bring out a small edition for about 1/3 of the price!

The pictures in the book are excellent, considering it's size. A wide range of genres are included. Most of the page taken up with full colour photograph with information above and below.

Although, of course, you do lose something with the pictures being smaller this is the same with any book of photos of art - they can ever compare to the real thing. But then that is not the intention of a book.

A must for any student studying Art, and anyone interested in looking at the art.

Can't put it down, 17 Jul 2004
The reason why i bought this book was as it was on my university book list. I'd passed the book many times in bookstores yet never stoped to look at it.

Now AM i GLAD it was on the list!

This book is a must have for any art student or anybody who has the slightest interest in art. It is easy to cross reference artists, it provides brief yet concise information upon the artist, their characteristic style, and to top it of a full colour image of a characteristic / typical piece of the artist.
Its size means it can be taken anywhere and will fit in your handbag :) and has kept me amused on many bus trips.
You must be crazy not to buy it at this price!

Beats Harry Potter any day! Absolutely Mind expanding!, 24 Feb 2002
In this book there are examples of every kind of art you can think of! It's majorly inspiring! If you ever thought you were not interested in any kind of art, I can assure you you'll find something you'll love. Just because its an art book doesn't mean to say you can put it down easily!

Disappointing, 18 Mar 2008
I was so exhilarated by Collings' Channel 4 mini-series "This is civilisation" that I had to search the web to find something similar in book form. I didn't, but came across This is modern art, with its amazon.co.uk collection of high ratings, which convinced me to take the plunge. I don't know, this may be a personal issue, but I think I can generally appreciate good writting, even when it's not to my taste. This book, however, I found confusedly written, with no flow and no inspiration. As I say, it may be just me, or it may be that Collings comes across better on tv. Nonetheless, I thought it healthy to add my view as a healthcheck on the total.

Idiosyncratic introduction to contemporary art, 21 Feb 2008
Well-illustrated and easy to read but highly idiosyncratic and selective. Collings is good on those artists he knows personally or has interviewed for his TV shows but this is to the detriment of many important and influential artists who are ignored completely or mentioned only in passing. Highly recommended as an introduction to the field but please don't think this is definitive (let alone "the Bible") - I am sure Collings would make no such claims. And if you are in doubt as to which is the better, this or his other contribution "Blimey" I can reassure you this is the better by far.

Something to get your teeth into, 16 Jan 2008
Collings' writing style will not be for everyone. He can be quite infuriatingly dense about some artists or concepts, and I found myself having to reread some sentences several times to see if it was 'just me'. It wasn't. On the other hand, most of the time he writes about art in a very accessible, and interesting way. His seems to be a fairly personal view, which is not going to suit anyone looking for an authoritative guide to art, but it is entertaining and thought provoking.
The paragraphs are quite clipped, and he just gets into his stride only to move to another subject or idea or artist, which when I was enjoying myself I found quite frustrating. I wanted more. This is not a particularly bad thing. I just found myself on Wikipedia a lot.
There are good illustrations, unlike some art books, and plenty of them. What could be a little challenging was him talking about paintings or works for which there were then no accompanying illustrations, which then sent me back to Wiki.
The potted history of the artists in the margins is a useful feature. I liked the way the book was broken up into manageable chapters and sub headings within chapters. The balance of prose to pictures was good. All in all a very satisfactory book given the dearth of affordable and useful books on what modern art actually is.

Breezy and informal introduction to modern art, 04 Dec 2002
Collings has a breezy writing style that exactly matches the way he talks on television during the Turner Prize or on one of his documentaries. It won't appeal to all readers, but if you've got a sense of humour about modern art (for example you found Craig-Martin's Oak Tree in the Tate Modern amusing), you'll definitely like this book. Collings isn't afraid to tell you that he doesn't really know what some pieces of art are about, or that he is only guessing. I've re-read this book several times, and I still enjoy it.

Explaining how great the Master Collings is, 29 Dec 2001
Reading this book was a really refreshing experience. Matthew Collings must be one of the only art critics in all history who A: Knows something about art and B: Doesn't talk complete bull****. As an art lover and artist my self I can honestly say this is one of the most humourous, truthful and enlightening books I have read in a long, long time.

basics fashion , 10 Dec 2007
This is a really informed and visually exciting fashion design know how book. Really easy to read and follow with great use of photography and student example work. There are also designer interviews to support the writings on research approaches and design.
A great book for anyone interested in fashion or studying it at college or university

Yes a classic but too linear, 01 May 2008
He loves a neat linear narrative.
Insisting all western art (and there's nothing non-Western) follows a first there was this, then artists thought that, then artists thought that is way too simplistic.

Yes it's a classic but is only useful in the classroom for school-age kids to grasp what a wide range of Euro-centric art looked like but nothing beyond that.

The first, best introduction to Art and Art History there is. Superb., 03 Jan 2008
It might be recommendation enough to see that this book has been in continual publication for nearly sixty years, but that's just the start. The one thing which really sets this work apart is Gombrich himself - his love for his subject, his unpretentious attitude and his humility and generosity of spirit. These shine through from the moment one reads the introduction: "There are no bad reasons for liking a painting; there are bad reasons for not liking a painting". Gombrich shows us that fine art isn't just the province of snobby, Courtauld Institute dons; it's for everyone, and accessing it is easy, and enjoyable.

Originally written for younger readers, that was in a time when 'younger readers' were expected to be substantially more literate than they are today, and adults won't feel at all talked-down-to.

This is the best-selling book on art in the world. There is a reason for that.

Starter, 18 Sep 2007
It is a good book to start with, if you`re interested in the History of Art, but no way should it be treated as a complete. Once again - nothing is said about female artists, there are some gaps, and I personally would like to read some more on photography, XX and Eastern European art in particular.

'THE' Story Of Art, 31 Jul 2007
31 July 2007
I bought this book back in April 2007 and have just literally finished. (I am quite a slow reader but have you seen the size of it?)
This book was recommended to me by a university that I am about to embark on a course to learn to teach Art and Design in secondary school. So I bought it and settled down to months of reading it.

I was quite intimidated by the size of this book but I began with an open mind and within a few pages I was in love. It is a fantastic book that, at times, reads like a novel and at other times reads like a journal (by which I mean that the author allows his own perspective to shake your ideas and guide you forward.)

This book was recommenced to me and so I wish to recommend it to you in turn. You won't have read an art book from cover to cover like this before.

Updated 18 July 2008
After my Teaching course I felt I should add a small comment to my previous celebration of such a well written book. Over the past year I have entered into heated discussions centered round this book and it has been brought to my attention that there is not one single mention of female artists (not even once) throughout this entire book! I was shocked. More over, I felt deceived. I have no idea how I could have missed such an obvious fact. The very first chance I could, I grabbed it and began my futile search to prove my tutor wrong... needless to say, I failed.

I referenced this book a lot over the teaching course for assignments and whatnot and with my new qualification I am still willing to stick by my original 5 star rating even though it is quite obviously not 'THE' Story of Art.

Difficult to rate, 09 Apr 2007
Gombrich's 'The Story of Art' is one of the referred to texts of my Art History BA Degree, being a contextual comment on the History of Art as a somewhat indefinable whole. He focuses on the canon of art prominent in his era, and one must consider this when reading it - do not under any circumstances allow yourself to be guided to Gombrich's representation of a singular art history. Instead, analyse his motives and contextual issues when you read it - this will surely improve your own grasp of stories of Art. He writes for the male scholar of a certain class with certain interests, and for the 'modern' reader like myself (I am female and 18) this is undoubtedly narrow minded. Cultural diversities and the feminine inputs to Art are among factors that do not crop up in his volume, as some reviewers previous to me have mentioned, but it is an excellent reference and interesting mark for western society's ever changing and often selective approach to Art History. To be followed by James Elkins' broader 'The Stories of Art', most definitely.

At this price, it is a steal! (25th Century Edition), 21 Aug 2008
I bought a copy of this book for an artist friend a couple of months ago and paid around £25 for it. This is a newer (2008) edition and has literally hundreds of photos and illustrations. A very, very attractive book, like all Taschen offerings, and I would call it a huge bargain. With free shipping (thanks to Amazon Prime) there is no reason why one should not buy a copy right away.

About the book: It is a survey of the contemporary art and gives a nice overall picture of what is happening in the world of photography, painting and architecture. Taschen would not be organised, no not them! The book has everything thrown in and the only order that is followed is the surnames of the artists in alphabetical order. (Follow Taschen and you will be left with a bookshelf displaying Titian (Taschen Basic Art Series) next to The Big Book of Breasts! In short, they are eclectic in everything they do and this makes their publications so very unique. Do expect some "chaos" when you buy this book. The book can be opened at any page and since every section is self-contained, they can be browsed through repeatedly. I am very happy with my purchase and although contemporary art is not my specialty, this book can be an excellent starting point.

A useful survey of art today - but note the different editions!, 18 Jan 2008
As is sometime the case with Amazon, they group reviews for different editions of a book together. For the record there are several editions of ART NOW:

"ART NOW 137 Artists at the Rise of the New Millennium", ISBN 382281444X (pub June 2002)

This reasonable size book, it measures 25.5cmm x 20cm (10"x8"), 640 pages, and is packed full if images. It covers the work of 137 different artists from the areas of painting, photography, film and video, sculpture, performance art and installation. Each artist is allotted four pages, has a brief introduction of one paragraph (printed in English, German and French), along with a thumb-nail photograph of the artist and a short list of selected exhibitions and bibliography. The pictures fill the pages, sometimes several to a page; in total I estimate there are around 750 illustrations almost entirely in colour. The book concludes with a glossary and brief biographical notes on the authors, plus a section entitled The Art Newspaper which provides art market details and facts about leading art cities in the world.

It covers many well known names including Jeff Koons, Damien Hurst, Luc Tuymans, John Currin, Peter Doig, Tracey Emin to mention a few, plus some less familiar, providing a very useful if brief summary of art today

"ART NOW Artist at the rise of the new Millennium" ISBN 9783822840931 (pub April 2005)

A scaled down version of the above; this is fairly compact book with around 360 pages, it measures 22.5cmm x 18cm (8.75"x7"). It covers the work of just 81 of the artists from the original edition, exactly as they appear there. There are over 500 illustrations almost entirely in colour. The book concludes with a glossary and brief biographical notes on the authors, but there is no "Art Newspaper"

"ART NOW VOL 2 137 Artists at the Rise of the New Millennium" ISBN 3822839965 (pub Dec 2005)

This edition I have not seen, but I understand that the format is the same as before; however all the artists covered are entirely new, none is repeated from previous issues. It is listed as having 640 pages and as being the same size as the original edition.


Excellent, 26 Apr 2007
As with all Taschen art books, this has beautiful and huge colour prints throughout and is a facinating look at a little bit about vast varieties of different modern artists. Extremely interesting, even for those with no interest in art.

Great!, 17 Dec 2002
This book is a continuation of the book "Art at the turn of the
Millenium". It follows exactly the same format. Each artist has
four pages of photographs dedicated to his or her work. There is also a small paragraph about the artist and a mug shot of the artist's
head. Unfortunately, the problems with the origional book have
carried through to this one. The captions to the pictures are unhelpfull, especially with installation and film work and there is little quality writing about the artist in question. However,
the book is extremely concentrated and none (as far as I can see)
of the works featured in the origional book are featured here,
even though many of the artists are. The works on show are thus
those since 2000 or there about. It is however, extremely good value and contains much material which is unavailable outside
art magazines and gallery brochures over the last few years.
If you liked the origional book then this is more of the same, and it's just as good as the last one, if not better!
However, those wanting to begin learning about modern art would
be well advised to look elsewhere. For some artists, the entries
may well mean nothing to you if you don't know at least something about those artists or have seen their exhibitions.
Great! I hope another one comes out in three years time!

Useful... occasinally, 27 Nov 2005
Very often I have come to use this book and not been able to find what I need, probably best for reasearching more traditional artists etc, but can be very useful to have at hand. Also this, the 7th edition, whs first published in 1997 and I don't think it has been updated since which is probably necessary.

A dictionary worth swallowing, digesting, and regurgitating., 13 Jan 2001
This book is compact yet detailed. Pick any noteworthy artist and they are guaranteed to be depicted here in more than a passing definition. As a student of art, it has proved invaluable as a resource and is the first port-of-call for any research required. Equally, as a bed-time read, simply by opening a page I can always be sure to learn something new about the world of art.

Essential Art Lovers Book, 18 Jun 2007
I have many art books, but none as used and flipped through as this book.
It is easy to use as a reference book and would always be first on my list.
With great colour prints of Artists work, a brief history on each Artist and
an important example of each Artists' work.

It is a great book for students at an affordable price, and handy size.

GREAT BUY!!!!

Inspiring, 23 Jul 2006
This is a beautiful and inspiring book to flick through. It is perfect coffee table material and great to dip into at odd moments. The quality of the paper is really good, as well as the reproductions of the art inside. This is a wonderful overview of some of the greatest art and artists that the world has seen. Simply stunning.

A Fantastic Book, 26 Apr 2005
Sadly the large editions of this series are just too expensive for my budget. What a great idea to bring out a small edition for about 1/3 of the price!

The pictures in the book are excellent, considering it's size. A wide range of genres are included. Most of the page taken up with full colour photograph with information above and below.

Although, of course, you do lose something with the pictures being smaller this is the same with any book of photos of art - they can ever compare to the real thing. But then that is not the intention of a book.

A must for any student studying Art, and anyone interested in looking at the art.

Can't put it down, 17 Jul 2004
The reason why i bought this book was as it was on my university book list. I'd passed the book many times in bookstores yet never stoped to look at it.

Now AM i GLAD it was on the list!

This book is a must have for any art student or anybody who has the slightest interest in art. It is easy to cross reference artists, it provides brief yet concise information upon the artist, their characteristic style, and to top it of a full colour image of a characteristic / typical piece of the artist.
Its size means it can be taken anywhere and will fit in your handbag :) and has kept me amused on many bus trips.
You must be crazy not to buy it at this price!

Beats Harry Potter any day! Absolutely Mind expanding!, 24 Feb 2002
In this book there are examples of every kind of art you can think of! It's majorly inspiring! If you ever thought you were not interested in any kind of art, I can assure you you'll find something you'll love. Just because its an art book doesn't mean to say you can put it down easily!

Disappointing, 18 Mar 2008
I was so exhilarated by Collings' Channel 4 mini-series "This is civilisation" that I had to search the web to find something similar in book form. I didn't, but came across This is modern art, with its amazon.co.uk collection of high ratings, which convinced me to take the plunge. I don't know, this may be a personal issue, but I think I can generally appreciate good writting, even when it's not to my taste. This book, however, I found confusedly written, with no flow and no inspiration. As I say, it may be just me, or it may be that Collings comes across better on tv. Nonetheless, I thought it healthy to add my view as a healthcheck on the total.

Idiosyncratic introduction to contemporary art, 21 Feb 2008
Well-illustrated and easy to read but highly idiosyncratic and selective. Collings is good on those artists he knows personally or has interviewed for his TV shows but this is to the detriment of many important and influential artists who are ignored completely or mentioned only in passing. Highly recommended as an introduction to the field but please don't think this is definitive (let alone "the Bible") - I am sure Collings would make no such claims. And if you are in doubt as to which is the better, this or his other contribution "Blimey" I can reassure you this is the better by far.

Something to get your teeth into, 16 Jan 2008
Collings' writing style will not be for everyone. He can be quite infuriatingly dense about some artists or concepts, and I found myself having to reread some sentences several times to see if it was 'just me'. It wasn't. On the other hand, most of the time he writes about art in a very accessible, and interesting way. His seems to be a fairly personal view, which is not going to suit anyone looking for an authoritative guide to art, but it is entertaining and thought provoking.
The paragraphs are quite clipped, and he just gets into his stride only to move to another subject or idea or artist, which when I was enjoying myself I found quite frustrating. I wanted more. This is not a particularly bad thing. I just found myself on Wikipedia a lot.
There are good illustrations, unlike some art books, and plenty of them. What could be a little challenging was him talking about paintings or works for which there were then no accompanying illustrations, which then sent me back to Wiki.
The potted history of the artists in the margins is a useful feature. I liked the way the book was broken up into manageable chapters and sub headings within chapters. The balance of prose to pictures was good. All in all a very satisfactory book given the dearth of affordable and useful books on what modern art actually is.

Breezy and informal introduction to modern art, 04 Dec 2002
Collings has a breezy writing style that exactly matches the way he talks on television during the Turner Prize or on one of his documentaries. It won't appeal to all readers, but if you've got a sense of humour about modern art (for example you found Craig-Martin's Oak Tree in the Tate Modern amusing), you'll definitely like this book. Collings isn't afraid to tell you that he doesn't really know what some pieces of art are about, or that he is only guessing. I've re-read this book several times, and I still enjoy it.

Explaining how great the Master Collings is, 29 Dec 2001
Reading this book was a really refreshing experience. Matthew Collings must be one of the only art critics in all history who A: Knows something about art and B: Doesn't talk complete bull****. As an art lover and artist my self I can honestly say this is one of the most humourous, truthful and enlightening books I have read in a long, long time.

basics fashion , 10 Dec 2007
This is a really informed and visually exciting fashion design know how book. Really easy to read and follow with great use of photography and student example work. There are also designer interviews to support the writings on research approaches and design.
A great book for anyone interested in fashion or studying it at college or university

Yes a classic but too linear, 01 May 2008
He loves a neat linear narrative.
Insisting all western art (and there's nothing non-Western) follows a first there was this, then artists thought that, then artists thought that is way too simplistic.

Yes it's a classic but is only useful in the classroom for school-age kids to grasp what a wide range of Euro-centric art looked like but nothing beyond that.

The first, best introduction to Art and Art History there is. Superb., 03 Jan 2008
It might be recommendation enough to see that this book has been in continual publication for nearly sixty years, but that's just the start. The one thing which really sets this work apart is Gombrich himself - his love for his subject, his unpretentious attitude and his humility and generosity of spirit. These shine through from the moment one reads the introduction: "There are no bad reasons for liking a painting; there are bad reasons for not liking a painting". Gombrich shows us that fine art isn't just the province of snobby, Courtauld Institute dons; it's for everyone, and accessing it is easy, and enjoyable.

Originally written for younger readers, that was in a time when 'younger readers' were expected to be substantially more literate than they are today, and adults won't feel at all talked-down-to.

This is the best-selling book on art in the world. There is a reason for that.

Starter, 18 Sep 2007
It is a good book to start with, if you`re interested in the History of Art, but no way should it be treated as a complete. Once again - nothing is said about female artists, there are some gaps, and I personally would like to read some more on photography, XX and Eastern European art in particular.

'THE' Story Of Art, 31 Jul 2007
31 July 2007
I bought this book back in April 2007 and have just literally finished. (I am quite a slow reader but have you seen the size of it?)
This book was recommended to me by a university that I am about to embark on a course to learn to teach Art and Design in secondary school. So I bought it and settled down to months of reading it.

I was quite intimidated by the size of this book but I began with an open mind and within a few pages I was in love. It is a fantastic book that, at times, reads like a novel and at other times reads like a journal (by which I mean that the author allows his own perspective to shake your ideas and guide you forward.)

This book was recommenced to me and so I wish to recommend it to you in turn. You won't have read an art book from cover to cover like this before.

Updated 18 July 2008
After my Teaching course I felt I should add a small comment to my previous celebration of such a well written book. Over the past year I have entered into heated discussions centered round this book and it has been brought to my attention that there is not one single mention of female artists (not even once) throughout this entire book! I was shocked. More over, I felt deceived. I have no idea how I could have missed such an obvious fact. The very first chance I could, I grabbed it and began my futile search to prove my tutor wrong... needless to say, I failed.

I referenced this book a lot over the teaching course for assignments and whatnot and with my new qualification I am still willing to stick by my original 5 star rating even though it is quite obviously not 'THE' Story of Art.

Difficult to rate, 09 Apr 2007
Gombrich's 'The Story of Art' is one of the referred to texts of my Art History BA Degree, being a contextual comment on the History of Art as a somewhat indefinable whole. He focuses on the canon of art prominent in his era, and one must consider this when reading it - do not under any circumstances allow yourself to be guided to Gombrich's representation of a singular art history. Instead, analyse his motives and contextual issues when you read it - this will surely improve your own grasp of stories of Art. He writes for the male scholar of a certain class with certain interests, and for the 'modern' reader like myself (I am female and 18) this is undoubtedly narrow minded. Cultural diversities and the feminine inputs to Art are among factors that do not crop up in his volume, as some reviewers previous to me have mentioned, but it is an excellent reference and interesting mark for western society's ever changing and often selective approach to Art History. To be followed by James Elkins' broader 'The Stories of Art', most definitely.

At this price, it is a steal! (25th Century Edition), 21 Aug 2008
I bought a copy of this book for an artist friend a couple of months ago and paid around £25 for it. This is a newer (2008) edition and has literally hundreds of photos and illustrations. A very, very attractive book, like all Taschen offerings, and I would call it a huge bargain. With free shipping (thanks to Amazon Prime) there is no reason why one should not buy a copy right away.

About the book: It is a survey of the contemporary art and gives a nice overall picture of what is happening in the world of photography, painting and architecture. Taschen would not be organised, no not them! The book has everything thrown in and the only order that is followed is the surnames of the artists in alphabetical order. (Follow Taschen and you will be left with a bookshelf displaying Titian (Taschen Basic Art Series) next to The Big Book of Breasts! In short, they are eclectic in everything they do and this makes their publications so very unique. Do expect some "chaos" when you buy this book. The book can be opened at any page and since every section is self-contained, they can be browsed through repeatedly. I am very happy with my purchase and although contemporary art is not my specialty, this book can be an excellent starting point.

A useful survey of art today - but note the different editions!, 18 Jan 2008
As is sometime the case with Amazon, they group reviews for different editions of a book together. For the record there are several editions of ART NOW:

"ART NOW 137 Artists at the Rise of the New Millennium", ISBN 382281444X (pub June 2002)

This reasonable size book, it measures 25.5cmm x 20cm (10"x8"), 640 pages, and is packed full if images. It covers the work of 137 different artists from the areas of painting, photography, film and video, sculpture, performance art and installation. Each artist is allotted four pages, has a brief introduction of one paragraph (printed in English, German and French), along with a thumb-nail photograph of the artist and a short list of selected exhibitions and bibliography. The pictures fill the pages, sometimes several to a page; in total I estimate there are around 750 illustrations almost entirely in colour. The book concludes with a glossary and brief biographical notes on the authors, plus a section entitled The Art Newspaper which provides art market details and facts about leading art cities in the world.

It covers many well known names including Jeff Koons, Damien Hurst, Luc Tuymans, John Currin, Peter Doig, Tracey Emin to mention a few, plus some less familiar, providing a very useful if brief summary of art today

"ART NOW Artist at the rise of the new Millennium" ISBN 9783822840931 (pub April 2005)

A scaled down version of the above; this is fairly compact book with around 360 pages, it measures 22.5cmm x 18cm (8.75"x7"). It covers the work of just 81 of the artists from the original edition, exactly as they appear there. There are over 500 illustrations almost entirely in colour. The book concludes with a glossary and brief biographical notes on the authors, but there is no "Art Newspaper"

"ART NOW VOL 2 137 Artists at the Rise of the New Millennium" ISBN 3822839965 (pub Dec 2005)

This edition I have not seen, but I understand that the format is the same as before; however all the artists covered are entirely new, none is repeated from previous issues. It is listed as having 640 pages and as being the same size as the original edition.


Excellent, 26 Apr 2007
As with all Taschen art books, this has beautiful and huge colour prints throughout and is a facinating look at a little bit about vast varieties of different modern artists. Extremely interesting, even for those with no interest in art.

Great!, 17 Dec 2002
This book is a continuation of the book "Art at the turn of the
Millenium". It follows exactly the same format. Each artist has
four pages of photographs dedicated to his or her work. There is also a small paragraph about the artist and a mug shot of the artist's
head. Unfortunately, the problems with the origional book have
carried through to this one. The captions to the pictures are unhelpfull, especially with installation and film work and there is little quality writing about the artist in question. However,
the book is extremely concentrated and none (as far as I can see)
of the works featured in the origional book are featured here,
even though many of the artists are. The works on show are thus
those since 2000 or there about. It is however, extremely good value and contains much material which is unavailable outside
art magazines and gallery brochures over the last few years.
If you liked the origional book then this is more of the same, and it's just as good as the last one, if not better!
However, those wanting to begin learning about modern art would
be well advised to look elsewhere. For some artists, the entries
may well mean nothing to you if you don't know at least something about those artists or have seen their exhibitions.
Great! I hope another one comes out in three years time!

Useful... occasinally, 27 Nov 2005
Very often I have come to use this book and not been able to find what I need, probably best for reasearching more traditional artists etc, but can be very useful to have at hand. Also this, the 7th edition, whs first published in 1997 and I don't think it has been updated since which is probably necessary.

A dictionary worth swallowing, digesting, and regurgitating., 13 Jan 2001
This book is compact yet detailed. Pick any noteworthy artist and they are guaranteed to be depicted here in more than a passing definition. As a student of art, it has proved invaluable as a resource and is the first port-of-call for any research required. Equally, as a bed-time read, simply by opening a page I can always be sure to learn something new about the world of art.

Studying Arthistory at OU?, 03 Nov 2001
This book was made especially for students from the Open University. Its content is therefore emphasizing on learning.
Sometimes it could be going straight to the point instead of going around it.

Essential Art Lovers Book, 18 Jun 2007
I have many art books, but none as used and flipped through as this book.
It is easy to use as a reference book and would always be first on my list.
With great colour prints of Artists work, a brief history on each Artist and
an important example of each Artists' work.

It is a great book for students at an affordable price, and handy size.

GREAT BUY!!!!

Inspiring, 23 Jul 2006
This is a beautiful and inspiring book to flick through. It is perfect coffee table material and great to dip into at odd moments. The quality of the paper is really good, as well as the reproductions of the art inside. This is a wonderful overview of some of the greatest art and artists that the world has seen. Simply stunning.

A Fantastic Book, 26 Apr 2005
Sadly the large editions of this series are just too expensive for my budget. What a great idea to bring out a small edition for about 1/3 of the price!

The pictures in the book are excellent, considering it's size. A wide range of genres are included. Most of the page taken up with full colour photograph with information above and below.

Although, of course, you do lose something with the pictures being smaller this is the same with any book of photos of art - they can ever compare to the real thing. But then that is not the intention of a book.

A must for any student studying Art, and anyone interested in looking at the art.

Can't put it down, 17 Jul 2004
The reason why i bought this book was as it was on my university book list. I'd passed the book many times in bookstores yet never stoped to look at it.

Now AM i GLAD it was on the list!

This book is a must have for any art student or anybody who has the slightest interest in art. It is easy to cross reference artists, it provides brief yet concise information upon the artist, their characteristic style, and to top it of a full colour image of a characteristic / typical piece of the artist.
Its size means it can be taken anywhere and will fit in your handbag :) and has kept me amused on many bus trips.
You must be crazy not to buy it at this price!

Beats Harry Potter any day! Absolutely Mind expanding!, 24 Feb 2002
In this book there are examples of every kind of art you can think of! It's majorly inspiring! If you ever thought you were not interested in any kind of art, I can assure you you'll find something you'll love. Just because its an art book doesn't mean to say you can put it down easily!

Disappointing, 18 Mar 2008
I was so exhilarated by Collings' Channel 4 mini-series "This is civilisation" that I had to search the web to find something similar in book form. I didn't, but came across This is modern art, with its amazon.co.uk collection of high ratings, which convinced me to take the plunge. I don't know, this may be a personal issue, but I think I can generally appreciate good writting, even when it's not to my taste. This book, however, I found confusedly written, with no flow and no inspiration. As I say, it may be just me, or it may be that Collings comes across better on tv. Nonetheless, I thought it healthy to add my view as a healthcheck on the total.

Idiosyncratic introduction to contemporary art, 21 Feb 2008
Well-illustrated and easy to read but highly idiosyncratic and selective. Collings is good on those artists he knows personally or has interviewed for his TV shows but this is to the detriment of many important and influential artists who are ignored completely or mentioned only in passing. Highly recommended as an introduction to the field but please don't think this is definitive (let alone "the Bible") - I am sure Collings would make no such claims. And if you are in doubt as to which is the better, this or his other contribution "Blimey" I can reassure you this is the better by far.

Something to get your teeth into, 16 Jan 2008
Collings' writing style will not be for everyone. He can be quite infuriatingly dense about some artists or concepts, and I found myself having to reread some sentences several times to see if it was 'just me'. It wasn't. On the other hand, most of the time he writes about art in a very accessible, and interesting way. His seems to be a fairly personal view, which is not going to suit anyone looking for an authoritative guide to art, but it is entertaining and thought provoking.
The paragraphs are quite clipped, and he just gets into his stride only to move to another subject or idea or artist, which when I was enjoying myself I found quite frustrating. I wanted more. This is not a particularly bad thing. I just found myself on Wikipedia a lot.
There are good illustrations, unlike some art books, and plenty of them. What could be a little challenging was him talking about paintings or works for which there were then no accompanying illustrations, which then sent me back to Wiki.
The potted history of the artists in the margins is a useful feature. I liked the way the book was broken up into manageable chapters and sub headings within chapters. The balance of prose to pictures was good. All in all a very satisfactory book given the dearth of affordable and useful books on what modern art actually is.

Breezy and informal introduction to modern art, 04 Dec 2002
Collings has a breezy writing style that exactly matches the way he talks on television during the Turner Prize or on one of his documentaries. It won't appeal to all readers, but if you've got a sense of humour about modern art (for example you found Craig-Martin's Oak Tree in the Tate Modern amusing), you'll definitely like this book. Collings isn't afraid to tell you that he doesn't really know what some pieces of art are about, or that he is only guessing. I've re-read this book several times, and I still enjoy it.

Explaining how great the Master Collings is, 29 Dec 2001
Reading this book was a really refreshing experience. Matthew Collings must be one of the only art critics in all history who A: Knows something about art and B: Doesn't talk complete bull****. As an art lover and artist my self I can honestly say this is one of the most humourous, truthful and enlightening books I have read in a long, long time.

basics fashion , 10 Dec 2007
This is a r