SKU: 78470861850

Why a Painting Is Like a Pizza: A Guide to Understanding and Enjoying Modern Art

Sale price$22.91 Regular price$25.46
Save 10%

Pay in installments of $6.37 with ShopPay, AfterPay and Klarna

Shipping Estimate
USA
  • USA
  • CAN

Ships within 48 hours · Estimated delivery Jul 15 - Jul 20

Promo Codes Available:

For Your Every Summer RSVP, with Code: SUMMER15

Description

Why a Painting Is Like a Pizza: A Guide to Understanding and Enjoying Modern ArtThe first time she made a pizza from scratch, art historian Nancy Heller made the observation that led her to write this entertaining guide to contemporary art. Comparing modern art not only to pizzas but also to traditional and children's art, Heller shows us how we can refine analytical tools we already possess to understand and enjoy even the most unfamiliar paintings and sculptures. How is a painting like a pizza? Both depend on visual balance for

The first time she made a pizza from scratch, art historian Nancy Heller made the observation that led her to write this entertaining guide to contemporary art. Comparing modern art not only to pizzas but also to traditional and children's art, Heller shows us how we can refine analytical tools we already possess to understand and enjoy even the most unfamiliar paintings and sculptures.

How is a painting like a pizza? Both depend on visual balance for much of their overall appeal and, though both can be judged by a set of established standards, pizzas and paintings must ultimately be evaluated in terms of individual taste. By using such commonsense examples and making unexpected connections, this book helps even the most skeptical viewers feel comfortable around contemporary art and see aspects of it they would otherwise miss. Heller discusses how nontraditional works of art are made--and thus how to talk about their composition and formal elements. She also considers why such art is made and what it means.

At the same time, Heller reassures those of us who have felt uncomfortable around avant-garde art that we don't have to like all--or even any--of it. Yet, if we can relax, we can use the aesthetic awareness developed in everyday life to analyze almost any painting, sculpture, or installation. Heller also gives concise answers to the eight questions she is most frequently asked about contemporary art--from how to tell when an abstract painting is right side up to which works of art belong in a museum.

This book is for anyone who agrees with art critic Clement Greenberg that All profoundly original art looks ugly at first. It's also for anyone who disagrees. It is for anyone who wants to get more out of a museum or gallery visit and would like to be able to say something more than just yes or no when asked if they like an artist's work.-- "Choice"

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Published: 10/13/2002
ISBN: 9780691090528
Pages: 192
Weight: 1.08lbs
Size: 8.80h x 5.80w x 0.70d

Review Citations: Library Journal 02/15/2003 pg. 133
Kliatt 03/01/2003 pg. 53
Shipping Notes
  • Free Standard Shipping on $100+ Orders to the USA.
  • Except Preorder products are shipped in 48 hours.
  • Delivery to the USA:
  1. Standard Shipping : 3-10 business days
  • If time is of the essence, please consider selecting expedited delivery for faster service.
Exchange/Return Notes
  • We offer a 30-day return/exchange service after receiving.
  • Final sale items are not eligible for returns or exchanges.
  • To process your return/exchange, please contact us at [email protected]
  • Please click here for more details>>> Return & Exchange Policy
SKU: 78470861850

Discover Niche Categories That Outsell

Top-Converting Item to Boost Your Average Order

4.6 ★★★★★
Based on 1399 reviews
Sort
Highest Rating
Newest First
Oldest First
Product Reviews
J
Verified Purchase
Jaspeter
Whiting, US
★★★★★ 3
Great read, bad book
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Ray Bradbury dragged me in with his style when I recently read Farenheit 451. He kept me hooked with Dandelion Wine. This book is full of imagery and nostalgic longing for a place and time that doesn't exist anymore. There are stories that stretch the limits of belief (particularly The Happiness Machine), yet somehow they still seem to fit comfortably within the world of Green Town. I don't often reread books, but this might fall into a rotation. The bad part of this was that the physical book, itself. The font is difficult to read. The binding is brittle. And chunks of pages separated from the spine. If there's another version besides this one, or the e-book, maybe you'll have a better experience.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2024
M
Verified Purchase
michael chad cleary
Chelsea, US
★★★★★ 5
The diversity of Bradbury
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Book one in the Green Town series is a colorful and poetic journey following the adventures of a 12 year old boy named Douglas over the course of a summer. Some readers may be wondering when something dark, scary, magical, or mythical will happen--but this isn't that type of book. In this work RB shows exactly why he had such a large fanbase by showcasing his ability to not be put in any particular genre. He can do horror, he can do sci-fi, he can do mystery, he can do adventure! This is a book for a writer to read in order to see how a good book is written. Many people are put off by Bradbury's sometimes semi-pretentious word usage, but I truly think the man saw things in a magical way. He works very hard in this novel to share that with the reader and he does it beautifully. As I explored the first few chapters I began to realize it isn't about trying to understand every word he writes, but rather let the town take shape in your mind with the words on the page. Bradbury seems to be more prone to use descriptive language as it relates to objects rather than people which allows the reader to create the characters appearances. The much like SWTWC is a must have addition to your Bradbury collection!
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on November 21, 2023
M
Verified Purchase
Mr Toad
Los Angeles, US
★★★★★ 4
Like drinking dandelion wine- it grows on you over time
Format: Hardcover
I was not terribly engaged with this book initially. The writing was beautiful. Poetic. But it was easy to put down and did not compel me to pick the book up again. Yet I had been warned of this and had been told to stick with it - and the advice was good. There is a slow poetic build as the reader comes to know the town and swim in its nostalgic melancholy. Ultimately, the book was a beautiful read. Never gripping but reflective and perfect for a contemplative read. It is about the passing of time. Youth and our mortality. Our eccentricities as our strengths. It is a picture of a small town in 1928, in summer, if you were white and middle class. It is a time and place and yet somehow captures something universal about the nature of memory and an awareness of inevitable death. About life in its truest sense.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2019
A
Verified Purchase
Amazon Customer
Whiting, US
★★★★★ 5
Great book!
Format: Paperback
This book was my first Alexandra Moody book and I didn’t know how I was going to like it, but it was amazing! It kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time it was a perfect read for 12 and up, after this I bought more of her books! Overall it was a clean and amazing read
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2026
W
Verified Purchase
woej3745
Port Orchard, US
★★★★★ 4
great book!
so cute and driving, definitely pretty predictable but it’s a fun, in between books, or if you just don’t have anything to read, book. definitely recommend. its a little cheesy at times but it’s good overall. i did not like the main character 😭 she’s a little bit annoying and overly blind socially, but i liked Chase and he kept me reading. i will say it one again; i think it was a really good read and it’s pretty light-hearted and a good idea with the enemies-to-lovers thing. loved it!
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2025

recommand products