A New ‘History of Art’

The publisher Pearson Prentice Hall is introducing this month the first thoroughly revised edition of Janson’s History of Art, the classic work that has been used as the standard textbook in college survey courses for nearly half a century, and a New York Times article this morning surveys how the new edition differs from the old. Quite different, it turns out. The painting popularly known as Whistler’s Mother is out, and works by female artists are in. There’s more contemporary art as well as more photography. In all, it’s quite a change since the last edition, a decade ago (The Chronicle, August 11, 1995).