Styles, Schools and Movements

Book excerpt: A profusely illustrated, cross-referenced guide to more than a century of stylistic and conceptual revolution in art. Art in the modern era has come to be defined by its styles, schools, and movements. The three hundred discussed here provide an introduction and a guide to the major developments in Western painting, sculpture, architecture, and design during one of the most dynamic and exciting periods in art history. One hundred main entries are presented in broadly chronological order, from Impressionism in the nineteenth century to Earth Art, Sound Art, and Internet Art in the twenty-first. Two hundred supplementary entries provide fully cross-referenced summaries of essential styles and movements, tracing intriguing patterns of influence and development. A timeline shows at a glance how the evolution of art corresponds with historical events, providing a thorough overview of the entire period. A list of major international collections and carefully selected suggestions for further reading are given for all the main entries, and the comprehensive index features over 1,000 artists, architects, designers, impresarios, critics, collectors, and champions of modern art, linking the styles, schools, and movements with the people who created them. 266 illustrations, 159 in color.