E. H. Gombrich, a well-respected historian, wrote The Story of Art, a concise book that was published in 1950 that follows the path that art undertook. Beginning with cave paintings and ending with modern art like impressionism and surrealism, Gombrich has succeeded at creating a well-balanced, logical, and entertaining book by giving the various movements of art their very own sections, by utilizing visuals, and by connecting the present with the past and future.
One of the main reasons why E. H. Gombrich’s book is an absolute pleasure to read is that it is well-formatted; each movement has its own section, and the chapters go in chronological order. For example, the first chapter, titled “Strange Beginnings,” starts with the beginning of humankind. Gombrich speculates that “We cannot hope to understand these strange beginnings of art unless we try to enter into the mind of the primitive people and find out what kind of experience it is which makes them think of pictures” (20). Gombrich clearly establishes why art is important before he dives into it: art conveys experience, emotion, and feeling. While a printed page can do the same thing, it is not without truth that the classical saying goes, “One picture is worth a thousand words.” In Chapter 4, Gombrich has progressed from the 4th Century B. C. to the First Century A.D. This section mainly discusses Greek art and statues, which is one of the main reasons why I chose to read this book. As a curious reader of mythology, culture, and history, I know that Greece “perfected” art. I like how Gombrich discusses in detail the statue of Laocoon and his sons. The statue depicts a horrifying scene: “[the gods] send two gigantic snake's … which catch the priest and his two unfortunate sons in their coils and suffocate them. It is one of the stories of senseless cruelty perpetrated by the Olympians against poor mortals …” (74). I have read of the story of Laocoon before, but when I read Gombrich’s analysis of its powerful effect on the viewers, I understand why it is so hailed - it depicts fear and agony in a way that is visceral and upfront. In Chapter 37, “The New Learning Spreads,” Gombrich discusses the artistic movement in Germany and the Netherlands in the early 16th century. He mainly describes how artists were able to convey their ideas better through art by using his/her instrument in an unconventional way. This can be seen in a drawing by Grunewald which shows the crucifixion of Jesus. Grunewald showed that “Christ’s dying body is distorted by the torture of the Cross; the thorns of the scourges stick in the festering wounds which cover the whole figure” (257). Artists in that movement commonly distorted the proportions of the human body or the environment to suit their desires, as seen with Grunewald.
Another reason why Gombrich was able to succeed in conveying information was his excellent incorporation of images. It is only fitting that some of the masterpieces, like ‘Have Pity !’ should be portrayed by the use of images. This is seen throughout the text, like in Chapter 7, “Looking Eastwards,” which largely focuses on Islamic and Asian art. Chinese artists would “travel and contemplate the beauty of nature so as to capture the moods of the landscape … Often they would write a few lines of poetry and paint a picture on the same scroll of silk” (106-7). The pages the quote came from contain 3 beautiful images that reinforce the balance between nature, mystery, and humanity. Landscape in moonlight, for example, shows trees that are unnaturally large and mountains that are oddly sloped yet grand, along with a few humans at the base of the picture. Mist is also present in the background, adding a sense of mystery. Landscape after rain shows some trees on an island under the base of an awe-inspiring mountain that is surrounded by mist and rain. The final picture shows fish that have been painted with such elegance and realism they appear to be real, along with the seaweed. Gombrich’s use of images is something I deeply appreciate, as it is unlikely that I would Google every single painting he mentions; he does the audience a massive favor by bringing the scenery to you. However, one complaint I have is that more of the pictures should be in color. Many pieces of art that should have been included in color include (1) The Creation of Adam (227), (2) The Nymph Galatea (235), (3) Constable (312), (4) Steamer in Snowstorm (372), (5) Nocturne in Blue and Silver (403), and (6) Apparition of Face and Fruit-dish on a Beach (451). Regardless, the sheer abundance of paintings in this book informed me of one thing: the feelings an artist can convey through their art is boundless. This is not limited only to images or statues, think of music - the songs that strike an emotional chord within me include (1) The Sixth Station, (2) Now We Are Free, (3) Davy Jones Theme, (4) The Rain, (5) One Day, and (6) The Earth Prelude. One final example of a piece of art that deeply moved me was Nocturne in Blue and Silver. It made me realize how small humans can be in the big picture (think space and the universe), and the night colors made me feel a tinge of melancholy and longing to see beautiful scenery like that in my own life. Another piece of art (in a movie) that utilizes night to great effect is the train scene in Spirited Away, which shows the world in its immensity by utilizing a variety of figures, mysterious and nostalgic scenery, and time transitions. Another reason why I chose this book to read is that I wanted some beauty in my life, something out of the ordinary, which can be satisfied with art. I am not disappointed.
The third reason The Story of Art is effective at conveying information is that it presents a cohesive narrative that has ties with the past, present, and future. This is seen when Gombrich discussed the massive influence printed pictures had on art in Chapter 14: “In the middle of the fifteenth century a very decisive technical invention had been made in Germany, which had a tremendous effect on the future development of art ... the invention of printing” (203). Gombrich went on to discuss the immediate effects of printing: regular people could buy materials made of paper since the technique to create them was so simple, which can be seen with their playing cards and prints. This made me think of today’s playing cards, where images are utilized for decoration. Gombrich later remarked in his chapter “In Search of New Standards” of how time seemed to have little effect on art, for, “we know that in art one problem need only be solved for a host of new ones to appear in its stead” (408). That is, unlike many other subjects, art cannot be “improved” upon. This is because it is largely subjective, and what could be “gorgeous” for you could be “horrendous” for me. I knew this before I read the book, but when I read this it made me feel art is a truly endless pursuit, as there is no definitive beginning or end. I now view this as a cause for celebration, as artists everywhere can investigate their own imagination, innovation, and emotions without too many hindrances. A third example of Gombrich’s connections of transitions takes place in the conclusion when he states that balance between all three time periods is necessary for art: “We have no guarantee that our new responsiveness will not lead us to neglect a real genius among us who forges ahead regardless of fashion and publicity … the absorption in the present could easily cut us off from our heritage if we came to regard the art of the past as the mere foil against which the new conquests acquire meaning” (469). Indeed, the Modernist movement included impressionism, cubism, and surrealism. Like many of its predecessors, the Modernist movement wanted to break the chains and fetters of tradition. Here Gombrich argues that even though new styles and techniques are desirable and necessary, we shouldn’t constantly scorn the past. After all, where did we get all of our preexisting techniques, knowledge, and culture?
Art is a “precious string of pearls that is our heirloom from the past” (454). It is indeed a valuable because it shows the longlasting creations of men and women in the past who have been compelled by their inner muses to create something of intrinsic value: a painting is worth more than the canvas it is created on. This book has made it evident to me that art comes in all forms and sizes, and even that toilet which currently lies in an art exhibit (no kidding!) could be considered “art,” even if the form is absurd, ordinary, plain, and whimsical. Gombrich has made The Story of Art an effective conveyor of information by dividing each movement into chapters, by adding visual representations to accompany his descriptions of art, and by weaving a cohesive tapestry that is made up of the past, the present, and the future. Overall, I enjoyed his book as it informed me of art movements I wasn’t well-acquainted with (which was basically all of them), as well as introducing me to new artists like Goya and Jan Van Eyck. Each artist shared similarities with the others, yet the “best” had their own unique points. For instance, Picasso enjoyed Cubism to a great degree while Eyck was obsessed with meticulous details that the viewer may not even recognize and appreciate. While I did enjoy this book for the most part, I wish all of the pictures were in color, as most of the readers may not have the luxury of time to search up every image on the internet to fully enjoy the immersive experience. Despite this major complaint of mine, I loved reading The Story of Art, as it offers a comprehensive and enjoyable biography of art, a well as creativity, excellence, struggle, and style.
Link to the image:
Get the book: