Scholarly Texts
GENERAL
"Art Optics: The Hockney-Falco Thesis" by Charles M. Falco
A web site by Charles M. Falco at the University of Arizona College of Optical Sciences detailing studies with his research partner, the famous painter David Hockney, in which they advance the idea that some portions of some paintings as early as the Renaissance era were painted with the use of a projection system that featured either concave mirrors or special lenses. Charles M. Falco, PhD. is an experimental physicist who has published more than 250 scientific manuscripts and has been a Professor of Optical Sciences at the University of Arizona since 1982. The work that he and Hockney have published has been sparked much controversy within the art world.
A web site by Charles M. Falco at the University of Arizona College of Optical Sciences detailing studies with his research partner, the famous painter David Hockney, in which they advance the idea that some portions of some paintings as early as the Renaissance era were painted with the use of a projection system that featured either concave mirrors or special lenses. Charles M. Falco, PhD. is an experimental physicist who has published more than 250 scientific manuscripts and has been a Professor of Optical Sciences at the University of Arizona since 1982. The work that he and Hockney have published has been sparked much controversy within the art world.
"The Arts' Key Role In Our Society" by Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.
This is a New York Times opinion piece on the value of art to our society that illuminates many great American leaders' thoughts on the arts including George Washington and John F. Kennedy.
This is a New York Times opinion piece on the value of art to our society that illuminates many great American leaders' thoughts on the arts including George Washington and John F. Kennedy.
Beyond Multicultural Education, edited by Doug Boughton and Rachel Mason
This online text gathers articles examining various perspectives in multicultural art education.
This online text gathers articles examining various perspectives in multicultural art education.
"The Carlisle Indian School Remembered" by Dickinson College
A collection of short articles and photos from the Dickinson College digital archives (Carlisle, Pennsylvania) documenting the Carlisle Indian School's role in the cultural genocide of Native American peoples.
A collection of short articles and photos from the Dickinson College digital archives (Carlisle, Pennsylvania) documenting the Carlisle Indian School's role in the cultural genocide of Native American peoples.
CONTENT AREA SPECIFIC
Global Prehistory
"Cave Art and the Theory of Art: The origins of the religious interpretation of palaeolithic graphic expression" by Eduardo Palacio-Pérez
A link to a downloadable article comparing possible meanings of cave art. The following description is from the article abstract: "This paper explores the origins of the symbolic–religious interpretation of Palaeolithic art. We analyze the relationship between the explanations that were given of the ‘primitive’ mentality in the second half of the nineteenth century and the birth of the religious interpretations of Palaeolithic art..."
A link to a downloadable article comparing possible meanings of cave art. The following description is from the article abstract: "This paper explores the origins of the symbolic–religious interpretation of Palaeolithic art. We analyze the relationship between the explanations that were given of the ‘primitive’ mentality in the second half of the nineteenth century and the birth of the religious interpretations of Palaeolithic art..."
The Ancient World
"The Natural History" by Pliny The Elder, translation by John Bostock, M.D., F.R.S., H.T. Riley, Esq., B.A., Ed.
This link accesses Tufts University's online digital text of the 37 book, 10 volume history of the natural world by Ancient Roman philosopher, military commander, and administrator to Emperor Vespasian, Pliny the Elder. "The Natural History" is one of the largest surviving works of Roman literature. Books XXXV and XXXVI deal specifically with drawing/painting and sculpture respectively.
This link accesses Tufts University's online digital text of the 37 book, 10 volume history of the natural world by Ancient Roman philosopher, military commander, and administrator to Emperor Vespasian, Pliny the Elder. "The Natural History" is one of the largest surviving works of Roman literature. Books XXXV and XXXVI deal specifically with drawing/painting and sculpture respectively.
Early Europe and Colonial Americas
"Nasher Virtue" by Jessica Pessini, Simon Verity, et al
A website devoted to the research on Duke University's "Nasher Virtue," a stone carving from the Notre Dame cathedral in France, circa 1245 C.E. Site includes extensive information on stone carving tools and techniques as well as rotateable 3-D models of the sculpture.
A website devoted to the research on Duke University's "Nasher Virtue," a stone carving from the Notre Dame cathedral in France, circa 1245 C.E. Site includes extensive information on stone carving tools and techniques as well as rotateable 3-D models of the sculpture.
The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci, translated by Jean Paul Richter
This link provides an online ebook version of the notebooks of one of the High Renaissance's great thinkers and artists as translated in the 1880's by Jean Paul Richter.
This link provides an online ebook version of the notebooks of one of the High Renaissance's great thinkers and artists as translated in the 1880's by Jean Paul Richter.
Later Europe and the Americas
Excerpt from "Conversations With Picasso" by Brassaï
This is an excerpt from the full-length book of which Picasso famously said, "Read this book if you want to understand me."
This is an excerpt from the full-length book of which Picasso famously said, "Read this book if you want to understand me."
World Art
"The Cultural Revolution and the 'No Name Painting Association'" by Luna Liu
This excerpt from Luna Liu's book, Tales of Their Time, is an account of the artist Wei Zhang and the impact of China's Cultural Revolution, begun in 1966, on his family. During the Cultural Revolution, Chairman Mao Zedong attempted to compel all Chinese to embrace the new communist ideology by employing a volunteer "Red Guard" of children and teens to destroy artifacts and art and persecute, torture and murder "dangerous" individuals. In 2016, the modern Chinese Communist Party denounced the period as among the worst periods of Chinese history.
This excerpt from Luna Liu's book, Tales of Their Time, is an account of the artist Wei Zhang and the impact of China's Cultural Revolution, begun in 1966, on his family. During the Cultural Revolution, Chairman Mao Zedong attempted to compel all Chinese to embrace the new communist ideology by employing a volunteer "Red Guard" of children and teens to destroy artifacts and art and persecute, torture and murder "dangerous" individuals. In 2016, the modern Chinese Communist Party denounced the period as among the worst periods of Chinese history.