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The Story of Art:
Summary
E.H. GOMBRICH
MARTEN WILLEMS
,Inhoudsopgave
CHAPTER 1: STRANGE BEGINNINGS.................................................................2
CHAPTER 2: ART FOR ETERNITY.......................................................................3
CHAPTER 3: THE GREAT AWAKENING...............................................................4
CHAPTER 4: THE REALM OF BEAUTY................................................................5
CHAPTER 5: WORLD CONQUERORS..................................................................8
CHAPTER 6: A PARTING OF WAYS...................................................................10
CHAPTER 7: LOOKING EASTWARDS................................................................11
CHAPTER 8: WESTERN ART IN THE MELTING POT............................................13
CHAPTER 9: THE CHURCH MILITANT...............................................................15
CHAPTER 10: THE CHURCH TRIUMPHANT.......................................................16
CHAPTER 11: COURTIERS AND BURGHERS......................................................18
CHAPTER 12: THE CONQUEST OF REALITY......................................................20
CHAPTER 13: TRADITION AND INNOVATION I..................................................21
CHAPTER 14: TRADITION AND INNOVATION II.................................................24
CHAPTER 15: HARMONY ATTAINED................................................................25
CHAPTER 16: LIGHT AND COLOUR..................................................................27
CHAPTER 17: THE NEW LEARNING SPREADS...................................................29
CHAPTER 18: A CRISIS OF ART.......................................................................30
CHAPTER 19: VISIONS AND VISIONS..............................................................32
CHAPTER 20: THE MIRROR OF NATURE...........................................................34
CHAPTER 21: POWER AND GLORY I................................................................35
CHAPTER 22: POWER AND GLORY II...............................................................37
CHAPTER 23: THE AGE OF REASON................................................................39
CHAPTER 24: THE BREAK IN TRADITION.........................................................41
CHAPTER 25: PERMANENT REVOLUTION.........................................................43
CHAPTER 26: IN SEARCH OF NEW STANDARDS...............................................44
CHAPTER 27: EXPERIMENTAL ART..................................................................46
CHAPTER 29: A STORY WITHOUT END............................................................48
1
,The story of art – E.H. Gombrich
Chapter 1: Strange beginnings
Prehistoric and primitive peoples; ancient America
In this chapter, Gombrich explores how art has its origins far back in
prehistoric times, and how even the earliest humans had a desire to create
images. In this case not for decoration, but for ritual, belief, utility and
meaning. He begins with the observation sentence “We do not know how
art began any more than we know how language started.” Yet although
the beginning is obscure, Gombrich argues, art is universal. Every society,
how primitive they may be according to modern standards, has produced
some kind of art.
One of the key ideas is that, for either ancient or primitive people,
building, image making… were not separate from daily life or religious
belief. It often served a religious/ magical purpose. So, art was useful in a
way modern viewers might not get. For example, cave paintings may have
been part of hunting; in the magical sense where it gives power over
animals by picturing them.
Gombrich emphasises that our judgements of “primitive art” run the risk
of being unfair if we impose modern standards of beauty or realism. He
invites the readers to try entering the mind of the makers, to see what
their idea was rather than judging on technical skills.
Another central theme is that the history of art is not primarily a tale of
steady technical progress. It is more of a story of changing ideas and
requirements.
He also considers how early art begins to function as precursor to writing:
images carry meaning not only by resemblance but by standing for their
ideas.
He gives examples of art from prehistoric caves, from primitive tribes and
shows how even when we do not fully understand the legends/ beliefs
behind them, the art can still be admired for their craft or the way they
meet the demands their makers set for them.
Finally, Gombrich’s style in this chapter is to draw connections between
‘primitive’ art and modern art initiatives. Not to diminish the differences,
but rather to show how many basic impulses survive: the wish to
represent, communicate, connect with the unseen…
2
, Chapter 2: Art For Eternity
Egypt, Mesopotamia, Crete
In this chapter, Gombrich makes the turn from the beginnings of art in
primitive societies to one of the earliest great civilizations: ancient Egypt.
He explains how Egyptian art is characterized by a desire for permanence,
stability and oder.
Key themes and ideas
1. Continuity and Stability
Egyptian art changed very little over long periods. The reason
is that what mattered most for the Egyptians was not novelty
or realism, but eternalness. Art was meant to last and to
preserve the idea of the deceased in the afterlife.
The artists followed strict, conventional rules. These rules
dictated how a human figure must be posed, how the profile
and front views are combined. The object was clarity
2. Function over Decoration
Much of Egyptian art was functional in a religious or ritual
sense. It was not made for aesthetic enjoyment, but to serve
the dead. Statues, tomb paintings… were intended to sustain
the ka (spiritual double) of the deceased to ensure a good life
in the afterlife.
The monuments (pyramids, tombs, mortuary temples) are built
with immense care, solid materials, precise geometry all
aimed at permanence.
3. Balance of geometry and observation
Gombrich notes that Egyptian artists combined geometric
regularity with close observation of nature. Though their work
is highly stylized, there is evidence they observed natural
forms, proportion, and anatomy — but these observations are
always filtered through their artistic rules.
The geometry helps produce a sense of order, symmetry,
calm, and “austere harmony”—qualities that reinforce the idea
of timelessness.
4. Hierarchies, Symbolism and Clarity
The clarity in representation is important. Everything to be
included in a depiction must be clearly identifiable; the
combination of various viewpoints (profile, frontal) ensures
that even parts of the figure that cannot be seen in the “best”
angle still appear clearly.
3
26
The Story of Art:
Summary
E.H. GOMBRICH
MARTEN WILLEMS
,Inhoudsopgave
CHAPTER 1: STRANGE BEGINNINGS.................................................................2
CHAPTER 2: ART FOR ETERNITY.......................................................................3
CHAPTER 3: THE GREAT AWAKENING...............................................................4
CHAPTER 4: THE REALM OF BEAUTY................................................................5
CHAPTER 5: WORLD CONQUERORS..................................................................8
CHAPTER 6: A PARTING OF WAYS...................................................................10
CHAPTER 7: LOOKING EASTWARDS................................................................11
CHAPTER 8: WESTERN ART IN THE MELTING POT............................................13
CHAPTER 9: THE CHURCH MILITANT...............................................................15
CHAPTER 10: THE CHURCH TRIUMPHANT.......................................................16
CHAPTER 11: COURTIERS AND BURGHERS......................................................18
CHAPTER 12: THE CONQUEST OF REALITY......................................................20
CHAPTER 13: TRADITION AND INNOVATION I..................................................21
CHAPTER 14: TRADITION AND INNOVATION II.................................................24
CHAPTER 15: HARMONY ATTAINED................................................................25
CHAPTER 16: LIGHT AND COLOUR..................................................................27
CHAPTER 17: THE NEW LEARNING SPREADS...................................................29
CHAPTER 18: A CRISIS OF ART.......................................................................30
CHAPTER 19: VISIONS AND VISIONS..............................................................32
CHAPTER 20: THE MIRROR OF NATURE...........................................................34
CHAPTER 21: POWER AND GLORY I................................................................35
CHAPTER 22: POWER AND GLORY II...............................................................37
CHAPTER 23: THE AGE OF REASON................................................................39
CHAPTER 24: THE BREAK IN TRADITION.........................................................41
CHAPTER 25: PERMANENT REVOLUTION.........................................................43
CHAPTER 26: IN SEARCH OF NEW STANDARDS...............................................44
CHAPTER 27: EXPERIMENTAL ART..................................................................46
CHAPTER 29: A STORY WITHOUT END............................................................48
1
,The story of art – E.H. Gombrich
Chapter 1: Strange beginnings
Prehistoric and primitive peoples; ancient America
In this chapter, Gombrich explores how art has its origins far back in
prehistoric times, and how even the earliest humans had a desire to create
images. In this case not for decoration, but for ritual, belief, utility and
meaning. He begins with the observation sentence “We do not know how
art began any more than we know how language started.” Yet although
the beginning is obscure, Gombrich argues, art is universal. Every society,
how primitive they may be according to modern standards, has produced
some kind of art.
One of the key ideas is that, for either ancient or primitive people,
building, image making… were not separate from daily life or religious
belief. It often served a religious/ magical purpose. So, art was useful in a
way modern viewers might not get. For example, cave paintings may have
been part of hunting; in the magical sense where it gives power over
animals by picturing them.
Gombrich emphasises that our judgements of “primitive art” run the risk
of being unfair if we impose modern standards of beauty or realism. He
invites the readers to try entering the mind of the makers, to see what
their idea was rather than judging on technical skills.
Another central theme is that the history of art is not primarily a tale of
steady technical progress. It is more of a story of changing ideas and
requirements.
He also considers how early art begins to function as precursor to writing:
images carry meaning not only by resemblance but by standing for their
ideas.
He gives examples of art from prehistoric caves, from primitive tribes and
shows how even when we do not fully understand the legends/ beliefs
behind them, the art can still be admired for their craft or the way they
meet the demands their makers set for them.
Finally, Gombrich’s style in this chapter is to draw connections between
‘primitive’ art and modern art initiatives. Not to diminish the differences,
but rather to show how many basic impulses survive: the wish to
represent, communicate, connect with the unseen…
2
, Chapter 2: Art For Eternity
Egypt, Mesopotamia, Crete
In this chapter, Gombrich makes the turn from the beginnings of art in
primitive societies to one of the earliest great civilizations: ancient Egypt.
He explains how Egyptian art is characterized by a desire for permanence,
stability and oder.
Key themes and ideas
1. Continuity and Stability
Egyptian art changed very little over long periods. The reason
is that what mattered most for the Egyptians was not novelty
or realism, but eternalness. Art was meant to last and to
preserve the idea of the deceased in the afterlife.
The artists followed strict, conventional rules. These rules
dictated how a human figure must be posed, how the profile
and front views are combined. The object was clarity
2. Function over Decoration
Much of Egyptian art was functional in a religious or ritual
sense. It was not made for aesthetic enjoyment, but to serve
the dead. Statues, tomb paintings… were intended to sustain
the ka (spiritual double) of the deceased to ensure a good life
in the afterlife.
The monuments (pyramids, tombs, mortuary temples) are built
with immense care, solid materials, precise geometry all
aimed at permanence.
3. Balance of geometry and observation
Gombrich notes that Egyptian artists combined geometric
regularity with close observation of nature. Though their work
is highly stylized, there is evidence they observed natural
forms, proportion, and anatomy — but these observations are
always filtered through their artistic rules.
The geometry helps produce a sense of order, symmetry,
calm, and “austere harmony”—qualities that reinforce the idea
of timelessness.
4. Hierarchies, Symbolism and Clarity
The clarity in representation is important. Everything to be
included in a depiction must be clearly identifiable; the
combination of various viewpoints (profile, frontal) ensures
that even parts of the figure that cannot be seen in the “best”
angle still appear clearly.
3
