This book was written and illustrated by Hendrik Willem van Loon to give the general reader (who perhaps had always considered this a rather remote subject) a better understanding and a greater appreciation of everything that has been done within the realm of painting and architecture and music and sculpture and the theater and most of the so-called minor arts from the beginning of time until the moment we come so close to them that we begin to lose our perspective.
On the front end-papers, there's a chronological general outline of the arts from the Prehistoric Period to a broad general period titled Empire Style. And on the rear end-papers there's another chronological chart illustrating the clothing of 10 periods of time from Prehistoric to Rococo. Overall, a really terrific book, easy to read, informative, knowledgable, never stuffy, one that you will go back. An excellent choice, also, for the young adult in the family.
The dustjacket that was originally included with The Arts came in two parts. A note to the reader states: "On the inside of this wrapper (as the reader will discover upon unfolding it) is a map of the arts, drawn by Hendrik Willem van Loon, suitable for framing." As a consequence, the dustjackets, or wrappers, were unfolded and the map framed, or just pinned upon a wall, so that most of the DJs were destroyed in the process.
Hendrik Willem van Loon (January 14, 1882 – March 11, 1944) was a Dutch-American historian, journalist, and children's book author.
From the 1910s until his death, Van Loon wrote many books, illustrating them himself. Best remembered among these is The Story of Mankind (1921), a history of the world intended for children, which won the first Newbery Medal in 1922. The book was later updated by Van Loon and has continued to be updated, first by his son and later by other historians.
However, he also wrote many other very popular books aimed at young adults. As a writer he was known for emphasizing crucial historical events and giving a complete picture of individual characters, as well as the role of the arts in history. He also had an informal and thought-provoking style which, particularly in The Story of Mankind, included personal anecdotes. As an illustrator of his own books, he was known for his lively black-and-white drawings and his chronological diagrams.
Very sound hardcover bound in a rich red buckram . Feels good in the hands . Illustration of a violin and a painter's palette on a panel on the spine. . Spine is lightly sun-tanned.