The Content of Watercolor by Edward Reep (review)

Books-Livres 477 is a beautiful and concise account of Piaget's main ideas.) 6. 1. H. Flavell, The DevelopmentalPsychology of JeanPiaget (Princeton: D.VanNostrand, 1963). (This is the classical account ofPiaget's ideas.) Piaget's studies of child psychology cannot be brought into proper focus without noting that they are the basis of his genetic epistemology, which throws a new light on the historical development of scientific knowledge. Epistemological considerations are always in the forefront ofPiaget's thought. The Story of Art. E. H. Gombrich. Phaidon, London, New York, 1968. 488 pp., illus. 27s. 6d. Reviewed by: Norman Narotzky* The author has tackled the formidable task of telling, in less than 500 pages, the story of art from the cave man to the present, including discussions of primitive, pre-Columbian and Oriental art. He has succeeded admirably. His book is an introduction intended for people with little or no knowledge of art history. The main danger in surveys of this type is that they often tend to degenerate into long lists of names and statements that are so condensed that they have little meaning to anyone without a thorough background in the matter. The author manages to avoid this danger by treating fewer works, thus allowing himself space for fuller commentary . However, it is not merely a question of organization but also of ideas and ability to communicate them. The author does not waste time in superficial descriptions and he avoids jargon and flowery language. In the clearest possible manner, he tries to arrive at an explanation of what the artist was trying to do, how the style of art reflects its purpose and how it relates to the time in which it was created. He sees the story of art not as a history of technical or artistic progress but as one of changing ideas and needs. Art differs in style at different moments in history because its purpose is different. One should, therefore, not expect to find something which never was intended. All works discussed are illustrated and Gombrich takes pains to make comparisons with earlier work, pointing out where the later work derives its ideas from the earlier and where it differs. This helps to give the reader a sense of the continuity of art history and also a deeper understanding of the changes that took place and the reasons for them. Technical developments, of course, are among the factors involved in stylistic change and these are discussed where relevant. The description of the discoveries that led to the change from Romanesque to Gothic architecture is a case in point and an excellent example of clear exposition. This book was begun in 1937 and completed in 1948. In this latest edition, the author adds a postscript bringing the story up to 1965. He * Instituto de Estudios Norteamericanos, Corcega 196, Barcelona 11, Spain. describes some of the developments in the post-war period but finds that the most important event in art history during the last 20 years is not any particular new movement but rather the changing position of the public in relation to the artist. Whereas in previous times critics and public rejected new movements and the artist had to struggle against a hostile public, now it is the artist who shuns rebellious gestures who needs a champion, while public, critics and the forces of propaganda are all on the side of so-called non-conformist art. 'A Note on Art Books' at the end is a very useful commentary on the fundamental bibliography of the field which will be helpful to those wishing to pursue any topic further. The illustrations are well chosen, with one exception, and this is my only criticism. The two full color reproductions which pretend to portray prehistoric paintings from the caves of Altamira in Spain and Font de Gaume in France are, in reality, copies made by the Abbe Breuil. This is misleading because the copies are very different in quality from the originals and there is no excuse for reproducing them when good photographs of the originals are available. Had the author at least indicated somewhere that these were copies the reader would be put on his guard...