Arts and Culture: An Introduction to the Humanities, Volume II

For one semester/quarter courses on Introduction to the Humanities or Cultural Studies.

Now in full color, Arts and Culture provides an introduction to global civilizations and their artistic achievements, history, and cultures. The authors consider two important questions: What makes a work a masterpiece of its type? And what qualities of a work enable it to be appreciated over time? Critical thinking is also highlighted throughout the text with 4 different box features that ask students to explore connections across the humanities and different cultures. These boxes are entitled Connections, Cross Currents, Then & Now, and Cultural Impact boxes. Open the new fourth edition of Arts and Culture and open a world of discovery.

Key Benefit: This book offers an integrated exploration of Western civilization's cultural heritage. Key Topics: Readers move chronologically through major periods and styles to gain insight into the achievements and ideas in painting, sculpture, architecture, literature, philosophy, religion, and music. Divided into 24 chapters, the book provides readers with a historical (political, economic, and social) framework to contextualize these achievements within a specific time and place, from prehistoric culture to 20th-Century America. Attention is given to non-Western cultures and influences, making this text global in reach.