Who Wrote Janson’s History of Art?

Art|Art History

Janson’s History of Art is an essential source for those studying the history of art. Written by art historian H.W.

Janson and first published in 1962, it is still considered the definitive work on the subject. The book covers a broad range of topics, from ancient times to contemporary art, giving readers a comprehensive overview of the development of art throughout history.

Janson’s History of Art is divided into eight volumes, each one focusing on a different time period or geographical area. Volume 1 covers Pre-History and Ancient Art; Volume 2 looks at Medieval Art; Volume 3 examines Renaissance and Baroque Art; Volume 4 discusses Modern Art up to World War II; Volume 5 examines Post-War and Contemporary Art; Volume 6 looks at Non-Western Art; Volume 7 focuses on Architecture; and Volume 8 deals with Prints, Drawings, and Photography. Each volume contains detailed discussion of key works, biographies of important artists, and an extensive bibliography for further reading.

The text itself is written in a clear and concise style that makes it easy to understand even for those with little or no knowledge about the subject matter. Janson’s writing style is both informative and engaging, making it a great choice for students as well as more experienced scholars. In addition to discussing individual works in detail, he also provides insight into why certain movements were important or influential throughout history.

H.W Janson was born in Germany in 1913 but moved to the United States soon after World War II ended in 1945. He studied at the University of California Berkeley before joining the faculty at New York University in 1955 where he taught art history until his retirement in 1981.

During his academic career he wrote numerous books on various topics related to art history including The Story of Painting (1957), 19th Century European Painting (1960) and 19th Century American Painting (1963). He was also instrumental in establishing NYU’s Institute of Fine Arts which remains one of the foremost institutions dedicated to the study of art today.

In conclusion ‘Who Wrote Janson’s History Of Art?’ The answer is H W Janson who was an academic based at New York University from 1955 until his retirement 1981 who wrote numerous books about various topics related to art history including ‘Janson’s History Of Art’. His writing style was both informative and engaging making it perfect for students as well as more experienced scholars and continues to be used today as an essential source when studying the history of art.