Overview

Daring in concept and astonishing in scope, The Oxford Guide to Classical Mythology in the Arts is a unique reference work: a topically classified chronology of more than 30,000 artworks from circa 1300 to the present day that take as their theme the subjects of Greek and Roman mythology. In more than three hundred major entries, alphabetically arranged by subject, artworks are listed in chronological order, delineating the history of artistic interest in the subject, including painting, sculpture, music, dance, opera, drama, and literature over the last seven centuries. By bringing together information heretofore segregated by discipline, time period, or other constraint, Jane Davidson Reid has created an invaluable tool for the study of the history of the arts in the Western world. Ranging from Achilles to Zeus, entries cover all the important mythic beings of the classical world, from gods, goddesses, and heroes to nymphs, shepherds, and satyrs. A headnote to each entry identifies the subject, briefly describes relevant events and episodes recounted in Greek and Roman myths, and explains thematic cross-currents represented in the list of artworks that follows. A list of classical literary sources follows the headnote. Each listing of an artwork includes the artist's name, the title of the work, and the date of its creation, publication, or first performance, as appropriate. Also noted are the medium or genre of the work, the present location of works in the fine arts, and other pertinent information. Sources of data on each artwork appear in each listing. Enhanced by a comprehensive system of cross-references, a complete list of the sources of data cited in the listings, and an extensive artist index, which will enable readers to locate works by a given artist across numerous entries, this work presents its vast body of data in a way that is easily accessible to specialist and nonspecialist alike. No other work equals its interdisciplinary scope; no other work matches its usefulness to historians of the arts; and no other work possesses its appeal to scholars, students, and general readers interested in classical mythology and its enduring popularity in Western traditions of artistic expression.

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9780195049985

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Reviews

'This impressive two-volume set is unique in its coverage of the uses made of Roman and Greek mythology in music, fine arts, drama and literature from the Middle Ages to present times ... Researchers of classical figures and\or themes and their depiction in the arts in the European tradition will find this an invaluable guide. List of sources and index of artists. Highly recommended.' Reference Book Review 'A phenomenal and monumental work of reference for the continuing afterlife of classical Greek and Roman myth in Western art (chiefly painting, sculpture, music, dance, and literature), these volumes constitute a book of the year by any measure, as well as offering superb value ... This is a lifetime's work of richness and vision, much more accessible and extensive in range and inclusiveness than any other publication on the topic ... The typefaces and two-column layout are clear, clean, and easy to use. Absolutely essential for any humanities reference collection.' Jack Perry Brown, Art Institute of Chicago Library, Library Journal 'Scholars and students can find no better guide to that imagination's manifold manifestations than Reid's scholarly tour de force.' Wilson Library Bulletin, October 1993 'The Oxford Guide to Classical Mythology in the Arts will become an indispensable source for tracking classical influence in all fields of artistic endeavor. Its interdisciplinary approach makes it valuable for scholars in many fields. It is an essential purchase for academic and larger public libraries.' Booklist, November 1993 'The Oxford Guide to Classical Mythology in the Arts, 1300-1990s carries on a worthy, if not sufficiently appreciated tradition of scholarship ... it may well become a staple of the Anglo-Saxon scholar's bookshelf ... the forty-five page list of sources cited in the second volume of her work indicates that she has profited from much of the existing literature on mythology and the arts.' Thomas DaCosta Kaufmann, Princeton University, Dance Research Journal 26/1 (Spring 1994) 'It is essentially an index, but an index to the greatest network of storytelling in human history ... outstanding reference work.' Christopher Allen, Sydney Morning Herald an invaluable compilation...these two volumes are beautifully organised and presented for clear and easy reference, and they are indeed a pleasure to use. Their scope is massive...The Guide will obviously be invaluable to anyone interested in any way in the Classical tradition, but it also makes fascinating reading in its own right. CA News

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