Art History & Appreciation

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There are works of art so inherently beautiful or stunning that anyone looking at them ends up choking back tears, or standing transfixed, or simply unable to breathe for several seconds. What you won't often hear is that those are the exceptions, that most paintings, buildings and sculptures require anterior knowledge to be fully appreciated.

Once you know what to look for, the once-abstruse and confusing world of chiaroscuro, Pre-Raphaelite, and oxidation fire becomes navigable and even a welcome place from the ho-hum mundanities of the everyday world. Though, of course, we'd be the last to encourage art appreciation for mere escapism—if a work can't reveal some element of human nature or help us understand things a little better, it isn't worth much.

This is one reason a lot of modern art can't really be considered art at all. It isn't intended to reveal anything, but simply to be "living commentary," a mere reflection, not of reality, but of the artist's inner conflict or angst. Sometimes it's not even that deep, and simply reflects the belief that there is no meaning in the world, that everything is empty, that nihilism is the only truth.

We reject those claims entirely. Everything is meaningful because Christ has made it so. Taken too far that idea is sometimes used to defend all kinds of non-art and just plain bad art, but all it really means is that everything is either consistent with or in rebellion against God's truth, and that artistic endeavours reveal which side the artist is on.

For Christians, understanding art from this perspective should be the primary motive in studying anything from the Sistine Chapel to Rembrandt's portraits to the illustrations of N.C. Wyeth. Art has the potential to entertain and delight, but it also affects the attitudes and thoughts of those who come in contact with it. Understanding a work's context and significance will immensely help us determine whether it's beneficial or pernicious.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he's a husband and father who loves church, good food, and weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.

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Art History & Appreciation

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1st grade (Ages 6-7)

2nd grade (Ages 7-8)

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1st grade (Ages 6-7)

	Alexander Calder by Mike Venezia from Children's Press for 1st-5th grade in Art History & Appreciation (Location: ELE-ARTHIS)
	Art Coloring Book by Sarah Courtauld from Usborne for Kindergarten-3rd grade in Art History & Appreciation (Location: ELE-ARTHIS)
	Art Smart: Spot the Details and Find Out the Facts Act from Dover Publications for 1st-7th grade in Art History & Appreciation (Location: ELE-ARTHIS) $9.99 $6.00 (1 in stock)
	Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse by Eric Carle from Philomel Books for Preschool-2nd grade in Oversized Picture Books (Location: PIC-OVER) $4.80 (1 in stock)
	ArtWorks for Kids by Lori Schue from Evan-Moor Educational Publishers for 1st-6th grade in Evan-Moor Art & Drawing (Location: ZCLE-EM)
	Baby Blessing by Welleran Poltarnees from Laughing Elephant for Kindergarten-Adult in Art History & Appreciation (Location: ELE-ARTHIS) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Because Barbara Barbara Cooney Paints Her World by Sarah Mackenzie, illustrated by Eileen Ryan Ewen from Waxwing Books for Preschool-2nd grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $16.14
	Benjamin West and His Cat Grimalkin by Marguerite Henry & Wesley Dennis from Bobbs-Merril Co Biography for 1st-6th grade in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
	Bible Picture Portfolios - Genesis Bible Picture Portfolios by Emily Kiser from Simply Charlotte Mason for 1st-12th grade in Simply Charlotte Mason (Location: CUR-SCM)
	Boy Who Drew Birds A Story of John James Audubon by Jacqueline Davies from Houghton Mifflin for 1st-3rd grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $15.29
	Camille Pissarro by Alix Wood from Windmill Books for Preschool-3rd grade in Biographies (Location: BIO)
	Child's Book of Art Great Pictures First Words by Lucy Micklethwait from DK Publishing for Preschool-1st grade in Art History & Appreciation (Location: ELE-ARTHIS) $7.00 (2 in stock)
	Claude Monet: Sunshine and Waterlilies by Steven Packard Smart About Art by True Kelley from Grosset & Dunlap for 1st-3rd grade in Artists & Illustrators (Location: ELE-ARTISTS) $3.00 (1 in stock)
	Come Look With Me: American Indian Art by Stephanie Salomon 1st Edition for Kindergarten-3rd grade in Art History & Appreciation (Location: ELE-ARTHIS) $6.00 (1 in stock)
	Come Look With Me: Artist at Work by R. Sarah Richardson from Charlesbridge for Kindergarten-3rd grade in Art History & Appreciation (Location: ELE-ARTHIS) $16.95
	Come Look with Me: Enjoying Art with Children by Gladys S. Blizzard from Charlesbridge for Kindergarten-3rd grade in Art History & Appreciation (Location: ELE-ARTHIS) $12.00 $10.00 (3 in stock)
	Come Look With Me: Exploring Landscape Art With Children by Gladys S. Blizzard from Charlesbridge for 1st-3rd grade in Art History & Appreciation (Location: ELE-ARTHIS) $16.95
	Country Artist A Story About Beatrix Potter by David R. Collins from First Avenue Editions Biography for Preschool-3rd Grade in Biographies (Location: BIO)
	Diego Rivera His World and Ours by Duncan Tonatiuh First Edition from Harry N. Abrams, Inc. for 1st-3rd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
	Discovering Great Artists Hands-On Art Experiences in the Styles of Great Masters by MaryAnn F. Kohl & Kim Solga 2^nd edition from Chicago Review Press for Preschool-6th grade in Art History & Appreciation (Location: ELE-ARTHIS) $21.99
	Discovering Great Artists (old) Hands-On Art for Children in the Styles of the Great Masters by MaryAnn F. Kohl & Kim Solga from Bright Ring Publishing for Preschool-6th grade in Clearance: Art & Music (Location: ZCLE-ART) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Elizabeth Fry Angel of Newgate from Emerald Books for Kindergarten-3rd grade in Heroes of History (Location: BIO-BENGE) $10.19
	Etcher's Studio by Arthur Geisert from Houghton Mifflin for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $2.40 (1 in stock)
	Famous Children: Picasso by Tony Hart, illustrated by Susan Hellard from Barron's for 1st-3rd grade in Artists & Illustrators (Location: ELE-ARTISTS) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	I Spy a Freight Train: Transportation in Art by Lucy Micklethwait from Greenwillow Books for Preschool-2nd grade in Art History & Appreciation (Location: ELE-ARTHIS) $4.80 (1 in stock)
	Joke's on George by Michael O. Tunnell; illustrated by Kathy Osborn from Tambourine Books for Preschool-4th grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $3.20 (1 in stock)
	Katie Meets the Impressionists by James Mayhew from Orchard Books for 1st-4th grade in Art History & Appreciation (Location: ELE-ARTHIS)
	Kindergarten Art Posters from Memoria Press for Kindergarten-12th grade in Art History & Appreciation (Location: ELE-ARTHIS) $25.00 (1 in stock)
	Life and Work of Auguste Rodin by Richard Tames from Heinemann Library for Kindergarten-2nd grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $4.80 (1 in stock)
	Life and Work of Frederic Remington by Ernestine Giesecke from Heinemann Library for Kindergarten-2nd grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $4.80 (1 in stock)
	Life and Work of Henry Moore by Sean Connolly from Heinemann Library for Kindergarten-3rd grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $4.80 (1 in stock)
	Linnea in Monet's Garden by Christina Bjork & Lena Anderson from R&S Books Biography for Preschool- 3rd Grade in Art History & Appreciation (Location: ELE-ARTHIS) $4.80 (2 in stock)
	Make Way The Story of Robert McCloskey, Nancy Schon, and Some Very Famous Ducklings by Angela Burke Kunkel, illustrated by Claire Keane from Random House for Preschool-2nd grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $16.99
	Masterpiece of the Month by Jennifer Thomas from Teacher Created Materials, Inc. for 1st-3rd grade in Art History & Appreciation (Location: ELE-ARTHIS) $4.50 (1 in stock)
	Memoria Press First Grade Art Cards from Memoria Press for 1st grade in Art History & Appreciation (Location: ELE-ARTHIS) $10.07
	Mona Lisa: The Secret of the Smile by Letizia Galli, translated by Nicholas B.A. Nicholson from Doubleday Book For Young Readers for Preschool-2nd grade in Biographies (Location: BIO)
	More Than Meets the Eye Seeing Art with All Five Senses by Bob Raczka from Millbrook Press for Preschool-2nd grade in Art History & Appreciation (Location: ELE-ARTHIS) $3.20 (1 in stock)
	My Name is Georgia from Harcourt, Brace & Company for Preschool-2nd grade in Biographies (Location: BIO)
	Painting Wonder How Pauline Baynes Illustrated the Worlds of C.S. Lewis & J.R.R. Tolkien by Katie Wray Schon from Waxwing Books for 1st-3rd grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $16.14
	Picture Study Portfolio Extra Print Pack: Millet (1814-1875) by Emily Kiser from Simply Charlotte Mason for 1st-12th grade in Simply Charlotte Mason (Location: CUR-SCM)
	Picture Study Portfolio Extra Print Pack: Rafael (1483-1520) by Emily Kiser from Simply Charlotte Mason for 1st-12th grade in Simply Charlotte Mason (Location: CUR-SCM)
	Picture Study Portfolios: Constable (1776-1837) by Emily Kiser from Simply Charlotte Mason for 1st-12th grade in Simply Charlotte Mason (Location: CUR-SCM)
	Picture Study Portfolios: da Vinci (1452-1519) by Emily Kiser from Simply Charlotte Mason for 1st-12th grade in Simply Charlotte Mason (Location: CUR-SCM)
	Picture Study Portfolios: Dürer (1471-1528) by Emily Cottrill from Simply Charlotte Mason for 1st-12th grade in Simply Charlotte Mason (Location: CUR-SCM)
	Picture Study Portfolios: Fra Angelico (1395-1455) by Emily Kiser from Simply Charlotte Mason for 1st-12th grade in Simply Charlotte Mason (Location: CUR-SCM)
	Picture Study Portfolios: Gainsborough 1727-1788 by Emily Cottrill from Simply Charlotte Mason for 1st-12th grade in Simply Charlotte Mason (Location: CUR-SCM)
	Picture Study Portfolios: Giotto 1266-1337 by Emily Kiser from Simply Charlotte Mason for 1st-12th grade in Simply Charlotte Mason (Location: CUR-SCM)
	Picture Study Portfolios: Mary Cassatt 1844-1926 by Emily Kiser from Simply Charlotte Mason for 1st-12th grade in Simply Charlotte Mason (Location: CUR-SCM)
	Picture Study Portfolios: Michelangelo 1475-1564 by Emily Cottrill from Simply Charlotte Mason for 1st-12th grade in Simply Charlotte Mason (Location: CUR-SCM)
	Picture Study Portfolios: Millet (1814-1875) by Emily Kiser from Simply Charlotte Mason for 1st-12th grade in Simply Charlotte Mason (Location: CUR-SCM)
	Picture Study Portfolios: Monet 1840-1926 by Emily Kiser from Simply Charlotte Mason for 1st-12th grade in Simply Charlotte Mason (Location: CUR-SCM)
	Picture Study Portfolios: Rafael (1483-1520) by Emily Kiser from Simply Charlotte Mason for 1st-12th grade in Simply Charlotte Mason (Location: CUR-SCM)
	Picture Study Portfolios: Rembrandt by Emily Cottrill from Simply Charlotte Mason for 1st-12th grade in Simply Charlotte Mason (Location: CUR-SCM)
	Picture Study Portfolios: Titian (1488-1576) by Emily Kiser from Simply Charlotte Mason for 1st-12th grade in Simply Charlotte Mason (Location: CUR-SCM)
	Picture Study Portfolios: Van Gogh (1853-1890) by Emily Kiser from Simply Charlotte Mason for 1st-12th grade in Simply Charlotte Mason (Location: CUR-SCM)
	Picture Study Portfolios: Velazquez (1599-1660) by Emily Kiser from Simply Charlotte Mason for 1st-12th grade in Simply Charlotte Mason (Location: CUR-SCM)
	Pierre Auguste Renoir Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists by Mike Venezia from Children's Press for Preschool-3rd grade in Artists & Illustrators (Location: ELE-ARTISTS)
	Pieter Brugel by Mike Venezia from Children's Press for Preschool-3rd grade in Biographies (Location: BIO)
	Salvador Dali by Mike Venezia Revised from Children's Press for Preschool- 3rd Grade in Artists & Illustrators (Location: ELE-ARTISTS)
	Secret World of Walter Anderson by Hester Bass, illustrated by E. B. Lewis from Candlewick Press for Kindergarten-2nd grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $6.40 (1 in stock)
	Sparky & Spike Charles Schulz and the Wildest, Smartest Dog Ever by Barbara Lowell, illustrated by Dan Andreasen from Harry N. Abrams, Inc. Picture Biography for Preschool-3rd grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $14.41 $8.00 (1 in stock)
	Sweet Dreams by Pamela Prince, featuring art by Bessie Pease Gutmann from Chronicle Books for Nursery-1st grade in Poetry for Children (Location: POET-CHIL) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	This is M. Sasek The Extraordinary Life and Travels of the Beloved Children's Book Illustrator by Olga Cerna, Pavel Ryska, and Martin Salisbury from Universe Publishing for 1st-6th grade in Oversized Picture Books (Location: PIC-OVER)
	Tomfoolery by Michelle Markel; illustrated by Barbara McClintock from Chronicle Books for Preschool-2nd grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $18.99
	Vinnie and Abraham by Dawn FitzGerald, illustrated by Catherine Stock from Charlesbridge for Kindergarten-3rd grade in U.S. Monuments & Symbols (Location: HISV-LANUS) $4.80 (1 in stock)
	Visiting the Art Museum by Laurine Krasny Brown & Marc Brown from Child's Play Ltd. for Kindergarten-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $6.00 (1 in stock)

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