The Practice of Art: A Classic Victorian Treatise (Dover Fine Art, History of Art)

Originally published in 1845 as The Principles & Practice of Art: With Illustrations Drawn and Engraved by the Author, this enduring guide is the work of an English painter and lithographer. J. D. Harding wrote several popular books on art instruction, and this volume constitutes one of his finest. A comprehensive manual geared toward practicing artists, the book features 24 black-and-white plates of illustrations by Harding that elucidate his observations and instructions. Topics include:
• Imitation as Applied to Art
• The Distinction Between the Judgment and the Feelings with Respect to Art
• Beauty and Form
• Composition
• Light and Shade
• Color
• Drawing from Nature
Art historians and students—especially those of nineteenth–century art—will prize this book for its philosophical theory of beauty and its abundant supply of illustrative examples, rendered in various styles of engraving and lithography.