On Quality in Art

An acclaimed art historian explains how to identify excellence in artIn this book, Jakob Rosenberg takes up the timeless problem of how to make a valid judgment about artistic quality. In his search for criteria of excellence in art, Rosenberg examines both the achievements and failures of other critics from the Renaissance to modern times, including Giorgio Vasari, Roger de Piles, Sir Joshua Reynolds, Théophile Thoré, and Roger Fry. Drawing vital lessons from these critics’ writings, Rosenberg charts an effective approach to the challenges of judging quality in works of art by analyzing master drawings from the fifteenth to twentieth centuries and comparing them with examples of followers or minor contemporaries. The result is a set of practical criteria that are applicable across diverse periods and styles. Brimming with insights from a legendary art critic and historian, On Quality in Art sheds invaluable light on drawings by artists ranging from Dürer, Raphael, Leonardo, Rubens, Rembrandt, Watteau, Degas, and van Gogh to Matisse, Picasso, and Marin.

"Thirty-six pairs of drawings are juxtaposed in this volume in order to extract standards (e.g. of quality) from them. The author proceeds cautiously and compares only examples from the same period and the same sphere of influence. The examples are chosen marvellously well and show in their selection Rosenberg’s superior experience and knowledge."---Alfred Neumeyer, Art Journal, "In reading him we learn how a sensitive and experienced connoisseur argues cases of this kind; no teacher of art history will neglect this lucid demonstration."---E. H. Gombrich, New York Review of Books, "Mr. Rosenberg’s language is clear and untechnical, the reproductions are superb . . . the thoughtful reader can follow the analysis of line, form, space, composition, and design in each of the examples given and can grasp the variations among artists and periods. He cannot help but be rewarded by a sharpening of his eye and a deepened capacity for judgment."

Jakob Rosenberg (1893–1980) was a leading authority on Dutch and German art and the author of several books, including Rembrandt: Life and Work, Great Draughtsmen from Pisanello to Picasso, and Dutch Art and Architecture, 1600–1800.