The Annotated Mona Lisa: A Crash Course in Art History from Prehistoric to Post-Modern Reviews

• Excellent from middle school to college

  
  By A735M4VH087H8 on 2000-05-15
  This book is wonderful for several reasons:

  1) clear and concise; 2) inclusive of the audience; 3) makes art very approachable; 4) places art within its historical context and development; 5) quick reference;

  I was exposed to this book after taking various humanities courses and found this book great. It does a much better job of making art accessable than books like Gardner and Janson. I was impressed that the book covered a variety of bases without leaving too much out.

  The tone of the work was inclusive and allowed anyone with an interest in understanding methods, techniques, personalities and history of art to do well towards approaching that goal. It does not approach art for the few with a rarefied tone nor does it talk down to the reader.

  The layout of the pages are done well and have a decent flow of text and image. It does not, thank god, go into list memorization which is the downfall of some compact versions of some topics.

  Highly recommended for those who play academic tournaments at the high school and college levels. The topics covered and interesting personal history found in this book will be found at all levels of play. The pricing of the paperback version will allow people to compete very well indeed.

  For home schoolers/educators this book is a good survey introduction and is portable enough for museum trips.

  Very few books do so well with so much material to compress. Very impressive. The only thing I could wish further is a music history version of this work.
  
  

• Great book !!!

  
  By AXQ8T2D9IT6UG on 2003-01-07
  I don't know much about art, and I wanted to learn a little bit more. That is the reason why I bought this book. Truth to be told, I was pleasantly surprised when I read it: it teachs you a lot, but it's also entertaining and... FUN TO READ. You end up wanting to read more about art, and from my point of view that's what makes a book successful, disregarding the subject matter.

  "The annotated Mona Lisa" allows you to appreciate paintings you have already seen in a new way (you must try to pay attention not only to de color and composition but also to the historical circumstances in which it was painted, and to the meaning hidden in the painting) and introduces you to new ones.

  Carol Strickland, in the introduction to this book, tells us that "There is a world of difference between viewing a work of art and really seeing it - the difference between sight and insight". In "The annotated Mona Lisa" she tries to give us an insight into what art is really about, and in my opinion, she has a good deal of success.
  
  

• Provides the basics to appreciating art to the fullest!

  
  By on 1999-06-23
  In such a short book, compared to other Art History books such as Gardner's Art History, etc., one may begin to wonder what this book has omitted. The answer is basically NOTHING. The difference between Gardner's and this book is that this book is a wonderful introduction to anybody appreciative of art but lacks the basic skills at analyzing and appreciating art to the fullest. 1500pg Art History books serve as a wonderful reference but as a poor introduction. Enter "Annotated Mona Lisa" , giving readers an introduction to art combined with attention-grabbing description and prose with the history and background of several thousands of years of art from pre-historic to modern. This book can serve as a study guide to much larger books, especially for those who take college art history classes or the AP Art History class in High School. This is a genuine MUST HAVE for anyone vaguely familiar with the term "art."
  
  

• A great bargain for the budding art history enthusiast

  
  By A1M6AXC34XFPTG on 2005-12-18
  It does indeed require a crash course to recount 25,000 years of art history in just under 200 pages. The Annotated Mona Lisa does it well with a few exceptions. Beginning with the title itself, it should be noted that this book details the history of "Western" art only, a distinction that is vital for a holistic understanding of art. Another exception is an occasional departure in chronological order. For example, the inclusion of Art Nouveau architecture in the section on Rococo Art (which is twenty-five pages before Art Nouveau is discussed) disrupts the chronological flow. There are also occasional poor choices of representative artwork. For example, I would not consider City Night to be representative of Georgia O'Keeffe's work. I noticed as well that certain well-known terms that describe art styles or techniques are omitted; an example is "Frontalism" in Egyptian art. Some art movements that I would consider to be significant are also omitted, such as the Pre-Raphaelites. And I must admit I was disheartened to see an outright inaccuracy when the book stated that artist Artemisia Gentileschi accused a fellow pupil of raping her when it is known to have been her teacher she accused.
  
  What the The Annotated Mona Lisa excels at is providing the reader with numerous charts that compare styles that are often confused such as Gothic and Romanesque architecture or Italian Renaissance and Northern Renaissance art. There are also charts that distinguish between artists such as the one that differentiates the style characteristics of several Post-Impressionist artists. The upbeat writing and interesting facts about artists and their work really help to keep the reader engaged as do interesting page designs and more than 300 illustrations, many of them in color. Another nice feature is the inclusion of pronunciations for foreign words, giving the reader the confidence to discuss newfound knowledge with others.
  
  At a price of under $25, despite the flaws mentioned above, The Annotated Mona Lisa has a lot to offer the new art history student that wants to learn a lot about art history in a short amount of time at little expense.
  
  
  

• Poor in terms of Non-Western Art

  
  By A2ACHMPWOPWDTE on 2004-08-03
  The book provides a quick glance on the art of the west and for that, I would give it 4 stars. It is faulty though, when the book calls itself "A Crash Course in Art History from Prehistoric to Post-Modern".
  
  The book does little next to nothing in presenting Islamic Art and its influences on Western Art and vise versa. This leaves a big gaping whole in one's understanding of the History of Art and how the Renaissance began. The book also fails to mention the cultures pre-dating those of the Greeks and the Romans, leaving one to believe that those cultures just came from nowhere with no influences at all! Cycladic figures could have at least been mentioned along with the Minoans and the Myceneans. I also find it odd that the history and art of the Etruscans were left out, seeing as how it helps tie in the Greek influence on the Romans.
  
  Basically, this book is a very abridged version of "Art History". It focuses only on Western Art, but does a poor job of tying it all together, showing the actual "History" aspect of art, how it has evolved and "why". It should really be called "Western Art for Dummies" as art from the non-western tradition is barely mentioned.
  
  
• Great survey of art even for Art History majors
  By A1W1XJLSLVJIGV on 2002-01-28
  It has been years since I got my degree in Art History. I found this book to be a great refresher. I wish I had this book when I was in college. This book has been well thought out and well designed and illustrated.

  I'm looking forward to reading the author's subsequent book "The Annotated Arch: A Crash Course in the History of Architecture."
  
  

• help me pass the art: content knowledge praxis
  By A363URLR0N8KTI on 2006-01-07
  This book was KEY in helping me study for the art: content knowledge praxis exam. Much less time consuming then "Gardner's art through the ages", this book is broken down - not dumbed down. the facts are accurate and more than half of what i read was on the test. this book paired with "the art teacher's book of list" are perfect study aids for this exam.
  
  
• accuracy please!
  By A3F0WBZ7E5RWUG on 2004-10-11
  Although I was excited to see attention brought to baroque woman artist Artemisia Gentileschi, I was dismayed to see yet again inaccurate facts about this brilliant woman disseminating to the general public. Artemisia was not raped by a fellow pupil, but by Agositino Tassi, a landscape painter her father arranged for her to study perspective under. She was seventeen at the time. The "sibile(sp)" or thumbscrews were a correct account, but Tassi was in fact convicted and sentenced to time already served and ordered to leave Rome. As for Artemisia Gentileschi devoting herself to painting women who wreck havoc on men, that is, if you ask me, a short sighted, and shallow opinion of her work. Such dramatic generalizations do not give this artistic genius a fraction of the credit she deserves.
  
  
• Very Accessible
  By A342MWL1JQZUPJ on 2006-04-12
  I use this book for a survey course for undergraduate and graduate students who are non-art majors. It is far more accessible than most texts of that type, and far less detailed and costly as well. A perfect start for someone trying to grasp the basic concepts involved. I recommend it highly for that purpose.
  
  
• Covers the History of Art from Prehistory to modernity
  By on 1998-12-16
  This book is a must have to anyone studying history of art of the western world. Very useful for student of Advanced Placement History of Art. She (C. Strickland) explains the information in a way useful to study and remember. The text includes color images, tables, among other useful learning methods. I used this book to study for my AP Art History exam in May 98 and it was very useful. It is a great coffee table book too!! I highly recommend it.
  
  
• A Crash Course Indeed!
  By A115UXRHV5KREU on 2004-12-02
  This author takes you through the first 25,000 years of art history in a mere sixty-three pages, including the Renaissance, and devotes fully one-third of the book to the modern art of the twentieth century. Perhaps I was mislead by the title, hoping for a little bit more attention to Mona's time. A better choice would be Thomas Hoving's "Art for Dummies", with his more objective point of view.
  
  
  
• 2007 edition is PERFECT - older editions ALMOST perfect
  By ACYAG4UWLQCDW on 2007-01-23
  THE NEW EDITION IS PERFECT -
  
  The new (2007) edition has the (1-2) sexual references deleted, and has added a new chapter on contemporary art, which is wonderful.
  THANKS so much to author and editors who helped us with getting an affordable text that the state board of education will approve!
  
  
  The following was the old review, for 1992 edition:
  
  only ONE star if you are looking for a "G" rating -
  
  I teach art history online, and have searched for an inexpensive text that organizes and edits pictures and content in such a way that 15-18 year old students can easily grasp a very complex subject.
  I think this book does an excellent job, and is almost perfect for my classes, but I cannot use it!
  While I agree with the author that there is some pretty silly performance art being done, the comment "Acconci masturbated for six hours under a ramp at the Sonnabend gallery, broadcasting his moans and groans on loudspeakers" eliminates this book from being considered as a text. In one sentence, the author has prevented me from using the book, as I can't get it approved by state dept. of education for use, especially online, as it is shipped directly to the student.
  My students have to use texts that cost twice as much and not as flexible for teaching online, which is a great shame.
  
  For those of you looking for a good beginning text, I highly recommend it. I am very frustrated that the author or company did not consider the effect this one sentence could cause for younger students in public education.
  
  NOTE:
  THEY DID! THANKS for the new (2007) edition!!
  
  
  
  
  
• Better than Cliff's notes
  By on 1999-10-26
  This book is a must for anyone studying art history! It is the fountain of clarity.
  
  
• Exactly what it says...a crash course
  By A179M96ECF8Y3M on 2006-01-01
  No you won't learn everything you need for the AP exam. Actually, you won't really learn much at all. However, it helps tremendously in putting the details in perspective and context. This should be really good for essays and it probably helps in guessing should you ever run into a question you know nothing about. If you're in this course, buy this book. It's the only good one out there.
  
  
• Perfect book for High School Art Teacher
  By A12KCJRP2RL6DF on 2006-02-18
  This is the perfect reference book for a high school art teacher. It covers the main artists for the time periods listed on the cover. Great pictures, artwork, and art history. The book is easy to read. It makes art history painless.
  
  
• Excellent overview of art.
  By on 1998-06-02
  I used this book to successfully prepare for the humanities CLEP exam and passed with flying colors. The book takes often esoteric art terms and periods and makes them easily understandable. The succinct nature of the book makes it ideal for anyone wanting to "cut to the chase" when learning about art.
  
  
• Great source
  By on 2004-01-21
  I use the Annotated Mona Lisa in my 8th grade Art History class. Throughout my years of using it I have seen this as my most reliable source of information. Each period or movement is well introduced and there is a lot of information on each major artist. It is filled with many colorful quotes, all coming from people of the time period. Overall I consider this a great source and I recomend it to any aspiring art historians. im 14
  
  
• An outstanding guide to great art
  By on 1998-02-02
  This one book will be your best companion in visiting the great art museums of the world. I purchased it before the first of two visits to St. Petersburg, Russia. During each stay I spent 5 or 6 days at the Hermitage Museum, where there were no catalogues in English to be found. I found that the rich descriptions of artists' styles, combined with key influences on each artist's work, was a virtual replacement for--I would say, even better than--a traditional museum-specific guidebook, let alone a superficial guided tour. I referred to it constantly as a walked from room to room. In fact, numerous people wanted to know where I got it! I probably could have sold a dozen of them. Before writing this review, I took a momemt to read the interview with one of the authors. There I discovered the following statement: "Just heard from a reader in California who took my book along to the Hermitage Museum in Russia. She said, "When everyone got too tired to go another step, we sat down and I gave us an art lesson from your book. Then we were off again." I am not THAT California reader, but I am certainly a very pleased OTHER reader from California. As I pack my books to ship off for my upcoming Fulbright in St. Petersburg, you can bet I am packing The Annotated Mona List.
  
  
• A easy-to-understand layout makes art history comprehensible for all!
  By A2JJN54HEOB83O on 2005-08-18
  When I was a senior in high school (this would be 1999), my AP Art History teacher actually listed this book as a required text. He said that it would help to clarify any murky concepts, and he was right. I used this book to supplement our more academic art history texts. Between "The Annotated Mona Lisa" and episodes of Sister Wendy, I was able to more fully understand the historical context of art in a non-esoteric, humanistic way. (I also passed the AP exam, but that's because I had a great teacher. Thanks Mr. Marcucilli!) I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to gain a little perspective on the past, and have a good time while doing so. It touches on key points in art history and gives you the right amount of useful information... granted, the focus IS primarily on Western art; in the near future I would love to see a similar tome for non-Western arts as well.
  
  
• Best Art History Review Guide Out There!!
  By A77X992N13VBL on 2007-01-13
  If you are in an AP course or Intro-level college course, this is a wonderful investment. It won't replace your textbook for the pictures and details of individual pieces you need to learn (Gardner's is the best textbook). This book will help you take a step back from the overwhelming amount of material discussed in class and provide a great overview of major artwork and art periods. Other review books, like "Essential Art History" tend to be more wordy with poor examples in tiny black and white pictures.
  For those who want to learn more about art history and artists, this is a great book. First and foremost, it's easy to read! And, the content is so interesting. It provides timelines, major art pieces (painting, sculpture, architecture, etc.), and art's historical relevance.
  Enjoy!
  
  
• Comment on this book
  By A2F1LNNJC08BDB on 2005-11-27
  I am completely dissapinted with this book. It is just a one-page introduction to every chapter plus little comments on two or three representative works of each period. Whether you have some knowledge or not on arts, the book is useless.
  
  
• a wonderful introduction
  By A2NHD7LUXVGTD3 on 2003-12-22
  The Annotated Mona Lisa is a fabulous introduction to the history of western art from pre-history to the Post-Modern era. Artists, movements, vocabulary, and specific works of art are all discussed in enough detail to give the reader a very good foundation. The only thing lacking is that it is oriented exclusively towards Western art. Boswell has done a marvelous job on the art of the West, its a pity attention was not given to the art of Asia, the Americas or Africa - especially considering the influence these regions have had on western art through the ages. Nonetheless, a recommended resource.
  
  
• great art review book!
  By AVU83OUHNLKCE on 2005-05-12
  As a fan of art, I thought the Annotated Mona Lisa got to the point and was easy to read. For those who have absolutely no idea about Matisse or Caravaggio, this is a great book to acquaint yourself with the world of art. As a student of art history, the Annotated Mona Lisa is the closest thing you can get to an art history review book. Although there is some background information there and some quotes here, there is definetly substance hidden in it which could help one answer the free-response questions completely. The charts which characterize each artist during some of the art periods are very helpful, clear and no-nonsense. The multiple choice AP Art History exam tests more factual not analytical information and the book can help one tackle those questions. For the art history student, the only down side to this book is that it only depicts a few art pieces per period, and the AP Art History asks for a little more. In all, the exam tests one knowledge of overall themes and characteristics, and the Annotated Mona Lisa was really helpful!
  
  
• Excellent Overview
  By A1EHDS3SZI4B7Y on 2005-09-06
  For those just getting started in the world of art, this is a wonderful overview. It covers at a high-level the major achievements and associates those achievements with the culture and/or history of the time. I highly recommend it.
  
  
• Not what I expected
  By A3UMQBKKQ87P00 on 2007-03-16
  The type is different all over the page and makes for hard reading. It is not cohesive and seems to be just bits and pieces. Quite disappointing - considering it was "recommended" when I purchased other books.
  
  
• The Annotated Mona Lisa
  By A1X59W5DO48PVG on 2007-05-07
  Excellent book for AP Art History review. I have used it in my classroom for eight years with great results!
  
  
• Great summary
  By A2SDF1QNFHDK92 on 2007-05-13
  This book points out the specifics of different art movements in a brief and informative fashion. Don't expect in-depth analysis of specific works, but you will get a run-down of the important names and pieces from significant periods in Art History. This book helped me go from a 4 to a 5 in A.P. Art History practice tests. I highly recommend it for the price!
  
  
• Art Education Student
  By A1J7Y82MNWJ6Z7 on 2007-08-16
  I am preparing to take the Art education part of the GACE exam. Not only is ths book a must but all of my professors encourage us to study it. The color photos are perfect and you could not buy anything better.
  
  
• great quick reference
  By A3A6XJ31K9MLPJ on 2005-10-17
  Excellent choice for those looking for a quick overview of art history and as a reference guide. Good choice for the beginning art aficionado.
  
  
• Art History student
  By A90VCENSSOXAA on 2006-11-03
  I absolutely LOVE this book! I'm taking a History of Modern Art class, and I bought this book since I had never taken an art class before. This book was the greatest thing I ever could have ever gotten! The text used in the class is Gardner's Art Through the Ages, and the Annotated Mona Lisa highlights the key ideas and paintings without a lot of wordiness or filler. Its a great supplemental book to any art history class, I recommended it to all the students in my class! :)
  
  

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