Art History College Essays Samples For Students

The sixteenth-century Inca Empire was one of the largest states in the worldat that time. It included most parts of modern Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, and northern Chile and reached into contemporary Argentina. The Inca called their empire the Land of the Four Quarters, which began as a state of many small rival kingdoms. To hold this linguistically and ethnically diverse state together, they depended on religion, a well-organised bureaucracy, and different forms of labor taxation.

Inca’s one of the expressive forms was their religion, which rituals were aimed at winning the favor of the gods, who were often equaled to ...

The title of the article is, “Flagler College has issued the following news release.” It is written by the academic advisory commits of the Flagler institution. While searching for the article, I searched the word “Art”. The article was published in the LexisNexis Academic database. There are no details on the publication date and the work is not published in any periodical.
The article describes the requirements for a degree programme in Art history from Flagler. It explains what skills and knowledge it offers to its students for the period the student study in the institution. In addition, the ...

17 Month Year

The Technical Approach to Art History

The art historian, Henri Focillon made a statement concerning the reason for having technical knowledge to establish the place in history for objects and other art works. In his discussions, he asserted that the reason for this is that it assists with the control of ones own objectivity. This would lead to a universal “observation of technical phenomena” that presents “the same terms, and the same point of view, as it is presented to the artist.” The art historian needs to have technical knowledge in order for him, or her, to correctly establish a chronology, in ...

17 Month Year

Archeology and Art History

It is vital to note that Max Loehr was a distinguished art historian, especially of Chinese art. His 1953 paper was specifically focused on the historical study of Chinese bronzes. The study reflected on the fact that archeology pointed out the fact that the style of an object is not its property. What Robert Bagley set out to do in his book, Max Loehr and the Study of Chinese
Bronzes: Style and Classification in the History of Art, was to point out to all art historians, that style and classification is of great concern to all ...

I believe that the art history is important for every person, especially for the ones who deal with art to some extent. It is not important just because our ancestors made it, and we have to be familiar with our roots. It offers much more than that, and it is not just beneficial to us in terms of pleasant view – there is much more in it, which can be spotted if we look closer at the art history. In this paper, I will explain my view of the art history and understanding why it is important for me to ...

Introduction

The performance art is a unique genre of which the presentation focuses on the lively aspect than the elemental audio platforms. This has been the most valued element of arts since the Elizabethan times to the latest or postmodern world. The 20th century has been abuzz with stylistic enhancement in the performance arts, with archaic styles such as Futurism and Dada being upheld in this latest generation of art history. Moreover, the field of performance arts has replaced the old system of visual arts based on paintings and traditional sculptural works to a new aesthetics based on varying levels ...

Italy is a historical visual art hub. This history has been largely approached from a classic, "Renaissance" perspective. In contrast, modern art history has witnessed dramatic changes in paradigm and focus. Given evolving modern movements, particularly modernist approaches as in First Futurist Manifesto of 1909, Italian visual art has witnessed rising of new artists inspired by past not for emulation but for emphasizing new, modernist art statements. The "Italy in International Modernism: Modernism – 1909 to the Present" is case in point. Being a course offering focused on modernist schools and approaches to Italian visual art history, The "Italy in ...

Baroque Art Period (1600-1750)

The term Baroque originates from the Spanish word of baroco, which means one big pearl of irregular shape. It defines the art period from 1600 to 1750. This period was turbulent in Europe since the religious conflicts between the Protestant and Catholic Church’s Reformations were at their peak; the Catholic Church, for years prominent within the spiritual European population, now had to restructure their customs due to the intense criticism expressed by Martin Luther. This religious conflict was not bloodless; the Peasant’s revolution in Germany and the Thirty Year War are indicative of the disastrous results of ...

Part 1

Question 1
Bible from Paris ca 1250-1275
Illuminated manuscripts are some of the best known objects from the Middle Ages. Made and illustrated by hand, they are truly works of art. Monks and nuns were often the creators of these books as monasteries were centers of learning. Manuscripts were used by the monks or churches during liturgies (Department of Medieval Art and the Cloisters, 2001). Other manuscripts were commissioned and used by royals and aristocrats or by universities that started to emerge during that time. In a world where the printing press that made books widespread had not ...

TEXTILE DESIGN

The Mysterious Cycle: Fashion Repeats Itself
The fashion cycle has been happening since people started wearing clothes. A basic fashion continues eto repeat thougou history. Trends and fashions seem unique to customers who buy and wear the fashion during a particular decade. In clothing skirt lengths change over the years. The hem of a dress or skirt cycles from shorter to longer over decades. This essay discusses the theory of fashion cycles and some examples in fashion and fabric. Fabrics of many varieties and compostions are used for fashion and interior design. There are new styles that are affecting fashion, ...

Art, architecture, and design are very important clues for historians to figure out what exactly a civilization, culture and society valued. Architecture, in particular, is a very important part of a larger material culture which may be used by historians as clues to figure out what impact these decisions had on the larger culture and the way each society organizes itself. In this sense, it is almost nearly inescapable that each piece of art or building will not in some way or another influence our thinking regarding how each of these societies is organized. This is true everywhere around ...

The Cave Paintings at Lascaux

A Detailed Summary
Discovered on September 12, 1940, the cave paintings at Lascaux are generally thought to have been created by the Magdalenian culture at some time between 15,000 and 13,000 B.C.E. at an age that was noted for fine art and tool making. There are other cave sites in France that date back to this era, notably the caves at Les Trois-Freres, Niaux, Altamira, Font-de-Gaume and Les Combarelles. However, Lascaux is larger, and the art is the best preserved. The artist or artists used minerals found in the area of the limestone caves, which were ...

Introduction

The end of the nineteenth century is the period of the final partition of Africa between the European powers. European states demanded the immediate "salvation" of “savages” and bringing the noble atmosphere of the church Sunday schools to Africa. One of the latest British acquisitions was the State of Benin, the remains of the once mighty forest empire.
The art of Benin was developed under the direct influence of the more ancient culture of Ife. In the XV-XVII centuries this art has reached its zenith. At this time (1400) Benin kingdom (which previously recognized the authority of the supreme ...

Introduction

As quoted by Lord Byron, when the Colosseum stands, Rome stands, and when the Colosseum falls, Rome falls and when Rome falls the world falls. This shows how the Colosseum was of great importance and iconic in nature of the people in Rome. It has remained to be the largest and the best-preserved amphitheaters in the history of Rome. Though other amphitheaters are well preserved, are currently used for purposes of modern entertainment, for example art galleries, sports and holding concerts. Games and entertainment activities were of great importance to the people and were used as a way of ...

Introduction

The Ottoman Empire was one of the world’s largest empires with history dates back to the Islamic medieval period from the 10th to 11th centuries. The main religion of the Ottoman Empire was Islam and most of their architecture and art was based on the religion as well. The beautiful buildings that exist today were the relics of the old Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Empire was originally founded in 1299 by the tribe who distinguished themselves as Oghus Turks under the rule of King Osman I. Ottoman empire stretched from the mainland Turkey and controlled various countries in ...

The World Art history knows a number of masterpieces that are significant for some particular period of art. This can be a “Mona Lisa” by Leonardo Da Vinci and even the cave art by the first people. All of them are carrying their own significance in this world and the history of the whole humanity in general. Taking to the consideration the fact that the originals of the art should be lead since the dawn of times, the art of the first people, who lived hundreds of centuries ago, is the fundament and the basis for all the following ...

Introduction

The art world recognizes timeless works of art that immortalized the famous great masters of all time such as Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, and among others. However, in a world of art dominated by men, few women made their mark until the modern arts movement paved the way for the emergence of women in art. The discussion will critique an exhibit featuring the works of female artists in the National Museum of Women in the Arts entitled “Salon Style”. In addition, the discussion will also determine the objectives behind the exhibition including identification of the issues revolving around the ...

Introduction

Photography is an important aspect used to represent an idea or history of a certain event. Photographs are currently used as a store of history for people and communities in the world. In the society, technological revolution has led to the invention of smart phones with powerful cameras used in photography. Photographs help in the remembrance of past events by keeping memories that cannot be altered. For instance, photography is used in the current society to understand past events such as World War I, World War II, and the American Revolution among many other past historic events in the ...

Baroque art has long been known for its lush and ornate style. It draws from the realism of the Renaissance and pushes the limits of art, sculpture, and architecture further than it had been pushed in the past. Perhaps another one of the defining aspects of Baroque art is the application of classical and even pagan themes into Christian art and iconography; although Christianity had long been borrowing from other cultures and religions for its iconography and symbolism, the adoption of symbolism in Baroque art surpassed what had been done in the past. The art of the Baroque period ...

Visual arts

In arts, one of the oldest forms is visual arts. These forms of art convey their meaning though what they depict. These forms of art can be described as the arts that communicate though any form which makes use of eyes and sometimes touch. In this paper, we will explore two forms of visual arts names the sculptures and painting (Metropolitan history, n,d).

Sculptures are one of the most common forms of visual arts. It appears to be rooted in every society and is still in use till today. A sculpture is a two or three dimensional projection which ...

The article, named “Lessons from the History of Art Crime “Saving Artifacts from Terrorists” is an adaptation of the talk, given at The Courtauld Institute at the combined Courtauld/ARCA event, "Art and Terrorism" by Noah Charney on the 26th of February. The speaker brings up one of the most actual questions, terrifying, dreadful and barbarian, regarding the art’s safety – the demolishing of art because of the terrorists’ attacks. The fact that it has been caused by humans brings even more importance to this issue, placing it on the international arena. However, the main reason to all of these ...

Introduction

Etruscan is an ancient italic culture that was developed from a prehistoric civilization referred to as Villanova. The Etruscans mainly settled within the central region of Italy specifically between Tiber and Arno rivers. The Etruscan civilization was once a brilliant culture that has disappeared over time but represents the foundation for ancient development of Roman art and culture as well as the Italian Renaissance. The Etruscans were considered as the first “superpowers” in the entire peninsula currently referred to as Italy. In fact the Etruscans established most cities in Western Mediterranean by working alongside Greeks. Cities such as Pisa, ...

An Assignment Submitted by

The groundbreaking period of the Harlem Renaissance marked a luxuriant phase in the U.S history. The development of African American arts and culture from 1920 to 1930 was caused by the set of several socio-economic and cultural processes that affected the entire country and concentrated in one place, Harlem. The tremendous amount of literature, music, and visual arts celebrating the African American culture contributed significantly to the country’s art history. During the early 1920s, Harlem became the destination of migrants, growing African American middle class, and highly educated individuals. At the same time, despite the growing evolvement of ...

Many scholars and theorists have been critical about the social concepts and elements of postmodernism. Some individuals such as Noam Chomsky say that postmodernism does not add analytical knowledge; hence, it is meaningless (Mansfield, 44). Timothy Bewes, on the other hand, calls the approach a cynical reaction (Lee, 16). To develop a better understanding of the criticism of modernity, this essay will sieve through different articles and publications. Through this, the paper will develop two sides to the argument, that is, the artists, architects, and thinkers who support the theory and those who do not, to assist in the ...

the history of art as a contest
between seeing and knowing

Is seeing a straightforward activity?

Using the example of Egyptian art, that was made for special audience who knows how to read it, as ‘we cannot really know what this art looked like to the audience it was made for’ (Bagley 176). The process of seeing is directly connected to the object under consideration as well as the person who is performing it, that is why the activity is way more complex than it seems. The seeing of writing, which we often call «reading», is very distinct from the seeing of picture or ...

Describe one student’s behavior from either scenario, including relevant examples of how this behavior affects the learning environment.

Liz is unable to follow the class for longer period. She has problem with paying attention to teacher’s instructions and finishing projects. She is very active and often leaves her seat and wander around the classroom. This distracts other students and prods some of them to follow her example. It also disrupts the lesson’s flow and prevents some students from following the class.
Describe a possible trigger (i.e. antecedent) of student’s behavior, including relevant examples from the scenario to justify your claim.
Liza might have attention deficit disorder. She is not able to focus during the ...

Use of Language in the Contemporary Arts

In contemporary art, the ways and methods of artists in expressing their thought go beyond the mere replica of objects made as subjects for their art works. There are modern artists that explore various modes of expressionism. There are those who use the combination of words and letters in their works to give a message to their audience. Various artists practice the distinct combination of letters and figures and employment of words as part of the features of their practices in art. The use of words and letters in their artworks is also associated with the sense of authorship, ...

Surfaces in visual arts evolve according to the technology present in a particular time. Surface in art is defined by the sense of touch which is either rough or smooth. Materials also contribute to the visual texture of the arts; for instance, the medieval paintings are done using variety of materials such as mosaics, vellum, and regular wall paintings or frescoes. The surfaces of a mosaic artwork is rough due to the raised pebbles making the texture rough, vellum was an animal based material used for scrolls and books, an animal skin is rough, therefore, vellum paintings also tend ...

Giotto's “Madonna Enthroned” is considered an important milestone in art history as it painted for the Florentine Church of Ognissanti. Painting was still under the influence of the Byzantine style where the figures were two-dimensional, stiff and evoked no emotional involvement. Without Giotto, the philosophical and artistic movements of Renaissance would never have surfaced. For the first time, Madonna and the Child are placed in a well-defined space, with Mary sitting on a throne that shows a perspective, thus moving towards realism. She holds the Child as a real mother would do. The folds of the garments drape and ...

Exploring the Art of Indigenous Culture

Central American Artifacts
Caudle Cup by John Coney, a London-trained goldsmith (Around 1690)
The cup was designed by the 17th century Goldsmith known as John Coney. It is a gourd shaped cup with two embellished beaded handles and there is a picture of a small child appears from the flower. The motif is the European floral imagery. The cup was probably designed for the marriage ceremony of John and Mary in around 1689. The Caudle cups were famous in England during second half of the 17th century in England. It was typically made of silver metal.
Tankard made by ...

It is evident from the effects in the music industry that revolutionary changes have occurred over time. Over the past years, technology has contributed a lot to the main changes in most industries. Moreover, technological changes globally have led to the major changes in the music industry. Innovations in the industrial revolution have brought about vast improvements in the music industry from 1800’s (Smith). Actually, changes in the industrial revolution lead to improvements in musical instruments, therefore, helped composers to improve on music production (Andrews). For instance, if one listens to past records that were produced before and ...

The eighth and ninth Byzantium was one of the most unfortunate in the history of art and architecture. The growth of art and architecture was partially stunted due to the desire to attain political correctness. In that period, political correctness meant following the edicts issued by the emperor. During that time, the emperor issued an edict banning the use of icons. One of the icons that would have drawn a lot of controversy in the eighth and ninth-century Byzantium is the icon of the Virgin and Child Enthroned between Saints and Angels. The Icon is found in the Monastery ...

Mary Stevenson Cassatt was a prominent American Impressionist and the first female to launch her own exhibit in the Paris Salon. In her time, there few women who managed to succeed in the field of art, especially for a colonial. She was educated by famous French masters such as Degas and spent most of her time copying the artworks of the previous masters. Cassatt first studied arts in the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts between 1860 up to 1862. As a woman, her determination is quite remarkable as she managed to successfully persuade her parents to let her ...

When Jacques Louis David created The Oath of the Horatii, in 1784-1785, France was on the verge of the Revolution that would come just a few years later in 1789. David would play a role in it and was its ardent supporter (Tansey and Kleiner, 917). Enlightenment rose as a philosophical ideal that had an impact in art. It suggested that art should have a moral dimension and serve as a lesson to the viewer. At the same ...

Hellenistic Civilizations

a. Art form or medium
b. Purpose of the piece
c. Individual or group responsible for the piece
d. Meaning of the work
e. The culture and the artist
f. Influence by art and culture from previous civilizations
g. Relation to artwork within the same civilization or era
h. Meaning and value of the piece in modern-day cultures
The different art forms and media whether architecture, music, visual art, or literature from different past civilization offer the modern civilization spectacular cultures and pieces that continue to greatly influence and act as a ...

Artemisia Gentileschi is one of the few female artists whose name and work have survived in modern times. She lived during a period when women were considered inferior to men and thus not capable of creating serious art. The daughter of a painter, she managed to establish herself as an artist, one of the first women to do so and was rediscovered by feminist art historians in the 20th century. In fact Chadwick (2007, 100) says that Artemisia ‘is the first woman artist in the history of Western art whose historical significance is unquestionable’. Her life was not easy and establishing ...

OUTLINE AND RESOURCES REPORT
OUTLINE

Introductory paragraph

Artemisia Gentileschi is one of the few female artists whose name and work have survived in modern times. She lived during a period when women were considered inferior to men and thus not capable of creating serious art. The daughter of a painter, she managed to establish herself as an artist, one of the first women to do so, and was rediscovered by feminist art historians in the 20th century.
Thesis statement: Gentileschi’s experiences in life, as a woman in a male-dominated world, are clearly shown in her art, and particularly through the robust and strong ...

Introduction:

Bronze vessels of the Shang period have been preserved largely due to the fact that, they were buried in the tombs of the great of both female and male figures. Their primary use at the time of their manufacture was in banquets and temples at which the sacrifice of food was offered to their royal ancestors. They were buried with their owners so that they could continue to sacrifice to the higher powers even after they had died and become ancestors in their turn. As such, the vessels were evidence of power, an aspect that became even more sharply ...

Antonello da Messina created the Portrait of a Young Gentleman in 1474. This is the picture of a man, as the title denotes, and we can presume that this is the actual likeness of an individual, as the characteristics of the face seem to be particularly telling even to the point of depicting unflattering details, like the big nose. Dressed primarily in black, with a grey undershirt, the man is presented in a three-quarter view staring directly at the viewer, confronting him/ her with what art historians call a ‘steady gaze’ (‘Portrait of a young gentleman’). The clothes of the man, although simple, seem to ...

Even if people refuse to acknowledge it, death is something that most fear. Despite being part of human’s natural existence, and something that is certain to happen to eveyone and everything that has life, some culture are not comfortable talking about death and has considered it a taboo topic. When it comes to this issue, people try to detach themselves and with this distancing, terminologies commonly uses to refer to it have grown in number through the years. Euphemistic language referring to death include “no longer with us,” “gone to meet their Creator,” “have passed on,” and others (Patricelli). ...

The history of photography in China dates back to the nineteenth century in early times. European photographers had arrived in China at this time and were at a place called Macao. These Western photographers decided to set up studios in the coastal cities of China, and this was during the 1850’s. The western photographers were later exposed to competition and their Chinese assistants associated with the local competitors and spread to all regions of China. It is by the end of the nineteenth century that all the major cities had photographic studios with the spread of photography (Hammond et ...

Introduction

The Venus of Willendorf has endured as one of the most recognizable artifacts of ancient art. Discovered along the bank of the Danube River in Austria, the Venus of Willendorf is proof that people at the time of its creation are capable of expressing themselves at an artistic sense. Yet, more than just a work of art, the Venus of Willendorf says much about the era within which it was made. This essay seeks to provide a brief yet concise account explaining the significance of the Venus of Willendorf, which owes much to the era of its creation.

Explaining the Significance of the Venus of Willendorf

An initial look ...

Asian art history

In Asia, creativity sprang up from artists and merchants and not just on leaders. The Asian Art history borrows a lot from the religious and the cultural practices of the Asians, and it analyzes the Asian Art sector and its historiography and future changes. It encompasses the influence of the Asian artistic pieces of work on the cultural practices of individuals from this region. This paper seeks to analyzeMeditating Buddha and Shakyamuni Buddha statues, from Asia in the formal, historical and cultural contexts and their similarities and differences. The Art behind Meditating Buddha is more appealing and creative.
The ...

Art history is characterized by amalgam of magnificent pieces of art that different artists have conventionally produced. New developments have been created because of rubble of ancient cities and artwork found in the caves walls. Through culture behaviors and values are shared by group of people. Better way of survival and living as come up as a result of culture which has been expressed in terms of artwork. The lives of people, their religious beliefs and their talents were expressed in terms of culture. Through these discoveries there were many political, economical and social changes.
Paintings are historical records ...

Fred M. Lauderdale

Creatine College
France is something like a Mecca to the art world, yet it would be fair to say the “god” of this sacred city has changed seats more times than a game of duck-duck-goose. I plan on comparing and contrasting two periods of art: the mid-19th century versus the early 20th century. One may be tempted to think that Realists and Cubists were light-years apart. After all, Realism depicted the world from an empirical perspective, focusing on veracity, while Cubism is considered by many to be the first abstract art style. Both art periods were a reaction to, a rebellion against, ...

The exterior of the Metropolitan along 5th Avenue is a wide plaza with small areas with greenery, fountain and places to sit and relax. The plaza is being renovated so the usual effect of the large plaza leading into the well lit and airy lobby was not one hundred percent but it could still be felt. The two areas, internal and external seemed connected and moving for one space to the other seemed perfectly natural. The lobby/front hallway of the interior of the museum was so open and airy I felt very small and that the design was made to ...

Cultural Ideology and Art - Framing a Cultural Ideology Based on Societal Practices

Introduction
Cultural ideology and art based on societal practices looks at social production, cultural autonomy, theories, as well as late capitalism. The underpinnings of the academic exploration of this subject take into consideration art and culture as part of a dominant ideology as well as aesthetic autonomy. In this academic exercise answering these and other structured inquiry presented in this discourse, engage further considerations of the course texts of Halley, Halley, Halley, Valdez, and Nava as well as others in this field of cultural studies. In addition, this academic exploration and discourse offers examples from the texts of specific ...

For the vast majority of the history of art, protest has been limited to the written forms. Whether it is the ancient story of Antigone, calling the codes of honor of ancient Greece into question, or Boccaccio’s Decameron, ridiculing the high horse atop which the Catholic Church attempted to perch during the Black Plague, or the portrait of infinite government surveillance in Orwell’s 1984 that still chills readers today, the tradition of protest is much older in writing than in visual arts. This should not be taken to suggest that artists in other genres did not have ...

The world of Marcel Duchamp’s artwork and influence on the modern art.

e-mail

Art180- Modern Art History

2519 words
There have been many famous and excellent artists in the twentieth century. Their art works are famous until now not only in their country but also all over the world and a lot of current artists follow them.Even though they do not exist now any more and their art works are pretty antique, they influence on current artists a lot.Some of artists are very famous so people,who are even not related to art, know their name at least. Marcel Duchamp is one of them. Many people say “There is no innovate art after Marcel Duchamp.” This ...

Romanticism and Realism are both highly influential art periods, however, they depict their subject matter in vastly different ways. Political, social, and ecological understanding changed how society viewed art. Romanticism and Realism had different objectives. Romanticism to produce emotion and Realism to document reality by looking at these periods in depth one can gain a better understanding of the importance of these periods on the world of art.

Early Romanticism

Romanticism is usually considered a spinoff of Neo-classicism. The Romantic period begins with the turn of the 19th century, from those who did not find inspiration of the seriousness of Neo-classicism and its ...

- What kinds of benefits and burdens do artists receive by being patronized? Why might someone prefer an open and free art market?
Most artists receive a high degree of prestige through their artworks. The effects of art on its audience is so profound that viewers, readers, listeners and virtually any recipient of the work could be moved and feel a deep sense of admiration for the author of such. It almost seems intrinsic that prestige and patronage to a certain artist will always be present. However, there are benefits and at the same time, burdens to being patronized. Among the ...

The first painting is that of the first couple (Adam and Eve) in the Garden of Eden just before the fall of man into sin. This painting was done in the 16th century by an Italian painter by the name Albrecht Durer. This painting has some characteristics of the northern renaissance painting style which appears to be part of baroque period of art history.
Looking closely at the characteristics of northern renaissance painting style and the painting itself, it appears that the painting perfectly fits in the baroque period of art history. The first element that makes this ...

The paper entitled “Reading the Indian in Benjamin West’s ‘Death of General Wolfe” was written by Vivien Fryde in the year 1995. The study is a critique of a painting, meant to portray the Battle of Quebec in the time of the French Indian War. 1 This was a work of art, oil on canvass, by the painter Benjamin West. The author believes that the painting is more of a commemoration to General Wolfe and the Indian within the painting symbolizes more. The history of the war and events leading to it are crucial in order to understand the painting fully. Fryde ...

The instrument in constructing the gender values in supporting the general patriarch particularly to define the concept of gaze was proposed by Laura Mulvey. It relates to the Freudian principles of psychoanalysis. This term is also evident in art history defied as the strange sense on how the world looks back at us. It does not really refer to someone but instead something that imagined by us in other’s field. It serves as a disturbance on the visual field of the unconscious mind; it is generally a partial perception that always there to tell us that something is beyond our ...

Summary of articles

William Cronon, the author of the journal ‘Nature history narrative’ has been a scholar of the American history on environment and that of west America. His research revolves around an understanding of the history of human interactions with nature around them. The interaction mainly involves modification of the landscape to suite human existence, dependence on the ecosystem and the effects of human ideas on the world around him. In the past, he has served as the president of American Society for environmental History and is currently the general editor of Weyerhaeuser Environmental Book series for the University of Washington Press. ...