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Reviews
History of Beauty by Girolamo De Michele, Umberto Eco, Agnolo di Cosimo Bronzino, Alastair McEwen
mingmeowmeow's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
5.0
rationes_seminales's review against another edition
5.0
(4.5/5 ) It's an impressive book, it explains everything in an orderly and coherent way and for beginners in the subject is a very useful book, it does not have a very confusing language.
karinacc's review against another edition
5.0
To read and reread and keep reading again. Truly loved it.
blueyorkie's review against another edition
3.0
A very documented and academic study of beauty through art, a relevant and written reflection on aesthetics, significantly changed over the centuries.
rachelleahdorn's review against another edition
4.0
Dense.
I had to simply assign myself to get through the book. Though I read the book and made an honest attempt to absorb a goodly amount of the information, I suspect that I missed entire theses in my reading.
One reason is that the writing in supported with both images and text. Before I began the book I thought it was mostly an art historical history of beauty. I didn't realize how great a role writing, especially poetry and philosophy, would play in the theories expressed and discussed in the book. I am an artist and art instructor, but my grounding in philosophy is mediocre and my poetry background is almost nil. I was much better able to understand the arguments and explanations when they referred to art images (those included in the book or those left out) than when they were supported by poetry, philosophy, literature or music.
The writing is very academic and the book is full of both quality color reproductions of artworks and excerpts from many many written works. In the written works context was sometimes limited and this added to my feeling of being lost or confused.
I would expect the book to be used more as a textbook--a graduate level textbook supported by other text, readings and discussions. This is not a light read.
I had to simply assign myself to get through the book. Though I read the book and made an honest attempt to absorb a goodly amount of the information, I suspect that I missed entire theses in my reading.
One reason is that the writing in supported with both images and text. Before I began the book I thought it was mostly an art historical history of beauty. I didn't realize how great a role writing, especially poetry and philosophy, would play in the theories expressed and discussed in the book. I am an artist and art instructor, but my grounding in philosophy is mediocre and my poetry background is almost nil. I was much better able to understand the arguments and explanations when they referred to art images (those included in the book or those left out) than when they were supported by poetry, philosophy, literature or music.
The writing is very academic and the book is full of both quality color reproductions of artworks and excerpts from many many written works. In the written works context was sometimes limited and this added to my feeling of being lost or confused.
I would expect the book to be used more as a textbook--a graduate level textbook supported by other text, readings and discussions. This is not a light read.
kdavis's review against another edition
5.0
Really enjoyed how the author organized the artwork. Quotes from the artists are woven throughout.
sam_dias's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
5.0
mcampbel's review against another edition
4.0
A really great collection of paintings. I enjoyed the way that Professor Eco progressed along the timeline. My favourite paintings were the Titian's, the Rosetti's, some of the Fragonard's and Da Vinci's Lady with an Ermine. Surprised that there were not more tapestries though.