E.H. Gombrich

Sir Ernst Hans Josef Gombrich was an Austrian-born art historian who spent the majority of his career in the United Kingdom. Renowned for his contributions to art criticism and history, Gombrich authored numerous influential works that explored the evolution and interpretation of artistic traditions. His scholarship earned him widespread recognition, including appointments as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) and a member of the Order of Merit (OM).

Gombrich's writing style combined scholarly rigor with accessibility, making complex art historical concepts approachable for a broad audience. His works often examined the psychological and cultural dimensions of art, bridging the gap between academic analysis and public appreciation. Throughout his career, he maintained a commitment to clarity and precision, establishing himself as a leading authority in his field. Gombrich passed away in 2001, leaving behind a legacy of significant contributions to art historical discourse.
Studies in the Art of the Renaissance Books
# Title Year
1 Norm and Form: On the Renaissance 1 1966
2 Gombrich on the Renaissance, Volume II: Symbolic Images 1972
3 The Heritage of Apelles 1976
4 New Light On Old Masters 1986
Non-Fiction Books
# Title Year
1 The Story of Art 1950
2 Meditations on a Hobby Horse: And Other Essays on the Theory of Art 1963
3 In Search of Cultural History 1969
4 Myth & Reality in German War-time Broadcasts 1970
5 Art, Perception, and Reality (With: Max Black, Julian E. Hochberg) 1972
6 Art History And The Social Sciences 1975
7 Means and Ends: Reflections on the History of Fresco Painting 1976
8 The Sense of Order 1979
9 Nature and Art as Needs of the Mind 1981
10 The Image and the Eye: Further Studies in the Psychology of Pictorial 1982
11 Aby Warburg (With: Fritz Saxl) 1983
12 Reflections on the History of Art: Views and Reviews (With: Richard Woodfield) 1987
13 A Games: Sixty Years of Design. 1990
14 A Lifelong Interest (With: Didier Eribon) 1991
15 Topics of our Time: Twentieth-century issues in learning and in art 1991
16 Critical Thinking Skills 1995
17 Shadows: The Depiction of Cast Shadows in Western Art 1995
18 The Uses of Images: Studies in the Social Function of Art and Visual Communication 1999
19 The Preference for the Primitive: Episodes in the History of Western Taste & Art 2002
The A. W. Mellon Lectures in the Fine Arts Books
# Title Year
1 The Art Of Sculpture (By: Herbert Read) 1956
2 Art and Illusion: A Study in the Psychology of Pictorial Representation 1960
3 Mnemosyne: The Parallel Between Literature And The Visual Arts (By: Mario Praz) 1970
4 The Use And Abuse Of Art (By: Jacques Barzun) 1974
5 Imago Dei (By: Jaroslav Pelikan) 1990
6 The Mediation Of Ornament (By: Oleg Grabar) 1992
7 Pictures Of Nothing: Abstract Art Since Pollock (By: Kirk Varnedoe) 2006
8 Last Looks, Last Books: Stevens, Plath, Lowell, Bishop, Merrill (By: Helen Vendler) 2010
9 The Moment Of Caravaggio (By: Michael Fried) 2010
10 Picasso And Truth: From Cubism To Guernica (By: T.J. Clark) 2013
11 Bosch And Bruegel: From Enemy Painting To Everyday Life (By: Joseph Leo Koerner) 2016
12 Chinese Painting And Its Audiences (By: Craig Clunas) 2017
13 Restoration: The Fall Of Napoleon In The Course Of European Art, 1812-1820 (By: Thomas Crow) 2018
14 Brutal Aesthetics: Dubuffet, Bataille, Jorn, Paolozzi, Oldenburg (By: Hal Foster) 2020
15 The Thief Who Stole My Heart: The Material Life Of Sacred Bronzes From Chola India, 855–1280 (By: Vidya Dehejia) 2021
16 Twelve Caesars: Images Of Power From The Ancient World To The Modern (By: Mary Beard) 2021
17 Chinese Art And Dynastic Time (By: Hung Wu) 2022
18 On Quality In Art: Criteria Of Excellence, Past And Present (By: Jakob Rosenberg) 2023
19 The Villa: Form And Ideology Of Country Houses (By: James S. Ackerman) 2023
20 Visionary And Dreamer: Two Poetic Painters: Samuel Palmer And Edward Burne-jones (By: David Cecil) 2023
21 The Eternal Present, Volume Ii: The Beginnings Of Architecture (By: Sigfried Giedion) 2023
22 Of Divers Arts (By: Naum Gabo) 2023
23 Horace Walpole (By: Wilmarth Sheldon Lewis) 2023
24 Giorgio Vasari: The Man And The Book (By: Thomas Sherrer Ross Boase) 2023
25 Cézanne And America: Dealers, Collectors, Artists, And Critics, 1891-1921 (By: John Rewald) 2023
26 Painting As An Art (By: Richard Wollheim) 2023
27 Only Connect: Art And The Spectator In The Italian Renaissance (By: John K.G. Shearman) 2023
28 Gold, Silver, And Bronze: Metal Sculpture Of The Roman Baroque (By: Jennifer Montagu) 2023
Little Histories Books
# Title Year
1 A Little History of the World 1936
2 A Little History of Philosophy (By: Nigel Warburton) 2011
3 A Little Book of Language (By: David Crystal) 2012
4 A Little History of Science (By: William F. Bynum) 2012
5 A Little History of Literature (By: John Sutherland) 2013
6 A Little History of the United States (By: James West Davidson) 2015
7 A Little History of Religion (By: Richard Holloway) 2016
8 A Little History of Economics (By: Niall Kishtainy) 2017
9 A Little History of Archaeology (By: Brian M. Fagan) 2018
10 A Little History of Poetry (By: John Carey) 2020
11 A Little History of Art (By: Charlotte Mullins) 2022
12 A Little History of Music (By: Robert Philip) 2023
E.H. Gombrich Anthologies
# Title Year
1 Art of Laughter 1992
2 The Essential Gombrich 1996