Uni Books

Hey

This post was inspired by Cass from Cassandra Myee and her post on her art and architecture books which she studies at uni. I thought I would share the books I have for this semester which I am in the last week of, YUS! I have to confess that I tend to be a little slack in reading them especially during the weeks where assignments are due. I will read them for my upcoming exams and afterwards I might flip through them to look at the pictures.

These books are really more Art History based even though one of my papers is technically Ancient History.  I find them really interesting, especially how skilful the ancient people were to create these decorative pieces of art and pottery.

In my Ancient History course we study ancient Aegean and Egyptian art concurrently as they eventually crossover with one another.

The Art of Ancient Egypt - Gay Robins

I was really surprised to learn how developmental Egyptian Art was as before I just thought the same style was maintained throughout the dynasties. I however was wrong and it was interesting to see the changes in showing the figure.

Aegean Art and Architecture - Preziosi and Hitchcock

I won't lie I was more interested in this side of the course rather than the Egyptian especially since we had image tests and it was impossible for me to remember all the strange Egyptian names.  Aegean art was more interesting for me as there were more variation of art; pottery, frescos, sculpture and also the art is very similar to that of ancient Rome which I took a paper on last year and loved.  What interested me the most was the different areas that we looked at; Mycenae which is mainland Greece, Cycladic and Minoan and that they all had their own style.

Painting and Experience in Fifteenth Century Italy - Michael Baxandall

This book is actually for my Art History paper but has less images.  It's more about the theory side I guess of studying the Italian Renaissance and the importance of the 'Period Eye' when looking at art.  It basically means just putting it into the context of the time.

I also have three books comprising of Greek Tragedy plays which are not as interesting as the books above visual wise but the stories are interesting if not a bit disturbing as well.

Hope you all enjoyed this post!