Master Narratives and their Discontents (Hardcover)

The first book to gather the principal authors and theories of twentieth-century art history, Master Narratives and their Discontents surveys the rival theories of modernism and postmodernism by leading art historians on art and art criticism. By examining the rival theories of modernism and postmodernism, and including a survey of ideas about the relation of modern art to skill and politics, James Elkins discusses key questions in the debate: * Was surrealism central as some postmodern theories imply? * To what degree was North American abstraction a turning point? * Does skill matter in modernism? * How is political meaning related to art making? These questions have barely been debated before, and this bracing engagement with the many versions of art history will prove an invaluable addition to the bookshelves of cultural studies and art history students.