H. W. Janson Libri

This edition includes a table of parallel illustrations from various art history texts, additional iconographical entries, and updates on ancient, medieval, and Renaissance art. It features an expanded chronology of painters, sculptors, photographers, and architects, complete with phonetic pronunciations, and an index of defined terms and subjects. Serving as a comprehensive supplement to a major art history work, this handbook acts as a standalone reference, defining and explaining common terms and concepts in visual arts history. It contextualizes art terms, processes, and principles with references to over 1,200 illustrations. Key features include a dictionary of terms and processes, an extensive discussion on perceptual concepts and visual literacy fundamentals, a chronological overview of Christian subjects and their iconography, and a focus on Christian symbols and attributes of saints. Additionally, it provides a systematic treatment of media, techniques, processes, and visual principles beyond standard art survey texts, complemented by maps and line drawings to illustrate the concepts presented.

In the early 1970s, "Janson" was a manageable 616-page volume, primarily featuring black-and-white photographs, with no works by female artists and only eight pages on non-Western art. Over the decades, it has transformed into a substantial, slipcased 1,000-page book filled with 865 color reproductions and organized subheadings that clarify individual artists' contributions. Women artists, from Artemisia Gentileschi to Cindy Sherman, are now included, and the focus has expanded to encompass 20th-century photography and postmodernism, albeit with limited coverage of postmodern theory. The redesigned timeline now charts significant art milestones alongside key historical, scientific, and cultural events, complemented by world maps and primary source excerpts, including unique accounts like that of painter Hugo van der Goes's struggles. Each edition reflects evolving scholarly interpretations, as noted by H.W. Janson in his original preface, emphasizing that "there are no 'plain facts' in the history of art." Changes have been made to sections on ancient art, French romanticism, realism, impressionism, and Western architecture, while the clarity and intelligence of the writing remain intact. Overall, this work continues to be an essential reference for art students and scholars, though it may benefit from a new title and division into two volumes to ease the burden on future historians.

Completely revised, this book has been expanded to cover the important developments in recent art, architecture and photography. There is an increased focus on all modern art media, including photography, performance art, installation art, collaboration, video and mixed-media works.