Sharon Latchaw Hirsh

This entry in the Great Courses series provides a comprehensive introduction to art history. The instructor provides a detailed overview art as it has evolved over the last two millennia. It begins with an overview of some very basic concepts but quickly moves to a more advanced consideration of the evolution of art. As the course progresses she explains how each advance differs from and builds on the work that preceded it.

The first 2/3 of the material focuses on basic aspects of art: color; line; space, shape shade, and shadow; composition; perspective; texture and light; and so on. Latchaw explains and illustrates the various methods of making prints: relief (woodcut, wood engraving, and linocuts), intaglio (etching, dry point, mezzotint), and planographic (lithograph, and silkscreen). Sculpture and painting receive attention is separate lectures.

The last third of the material provides an overview of the major philosophies of art as they have evolved over time.

The series consists of six DVDs that contain 36 half-hour lectures and a 280-page book. Although it takes quite a large chunk of time to review the entire course, it held my interest to the very end.… (mehr)