Art History, Volume 1

Art History, Volume 1, 6th Edition, authored by Marilyn Stokstad and Michael W. Cothren, is an introductory survey textbook examining visual arts across historical and cultural contexts. Designed for introductory art history students, the volume focuses on identifying artistic movements, evaluating form, and placing creative works within their original social and historical environments.

The content tracks foundational creative traditions, beginning with prehistoric art and ancient Near Eastern monuments before examining Aegean, Greek, Etruscan, and Roman architecture and visual culture. Coverage further details sacred traditions including Jewish, Early Christian, Byzantine, and Islamic art, alongside European developments through the early medieval, Romanesque, Gothic, and fourteenth-century periods.

To connect historical monuments with modern creative practices, the 6th Edition includes an updated chapter on contemporary art, reflecting recent artistic trends. This balanced approach gives college and university students a structured entry point into art historical inquiry while providing art history educators with a flexible foundation for course organization.