The Annotated Mona Lisa, Third Edition: A Crash Course in Art History from Prehistoric to the Present (Annotated Series)

by Carol Strickland

An illustrated tutorial of prehistoric to contemporary world art, from cave paintings to video art installations to digital and Internet media in an easy-to-understand format.

This heavily illustrated crash course in art history is revised and updated from the second edition published in 2007, including a new chapter about recent artists and movements. Featuring succinct page-length essays, instructive sidebars, and more than 300 photographs, The Annotated Mona A Crash Course in Art History from Prehistoric to the Present takes art education out of the realm of dreary textbooks, demystifies jargon and theory, and makes the history of art movements accessible to beginning art museum-goers—even at a cursory reading.

From Stonehenge to the Guggenheim and from African art to Warhol, more than 25,000 years of art is distilled into five sections (prehistoric and medieval, renaissance and baroque, the nineteenth century, modern art, and contemporary art) covering a little more than 230 pages.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Art History, History, Reference, Education, School

1119 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 1992

About the author

Carol Strickland's interactive eBook is "Masterpieces of Art: Impressionism, A Legacy of Light (available from Erudition Digital). She is author of a historical novel "The Eagle and the Swan," an eBook available from amazon for kindle and in print from Echo Point Books and Media (See the book's website: http://www.theeagleandtheswan.com.) She has written many non-fiction books and is an art critic/journalist.
Her two books on the history of art and architecture (The Annotated Mona Lisa: A Crash Course in the History of Art from Prehistoric to the Present, 3rd, updated edition, and The Annotated Arch: A Crash Course in the History of Architecture) have sold more than 400,000 copies in multiple editions and translations. Strickland has also published The Illustrated Timeline of Art History: A Crash Course in Words and Pictures and The Illustrated Timeline of Western Literature: A Crash Course in Words and Pictures. Her essays have appeared in monographs on the artists Paul Waldman and Aris Kalaizis.
As a writer on cultural topics, she has contributed to publications like The New York Times, Christian Science Monitor, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, Art in America, The Nation, Commonweal, Civilization, American Theater, Garden Design, and Art & Antiques. She has a homes in Massachusetts and New York.
Strickland has a Ph.D. in American literature from the University of Michigan and has taught at Stony Brook University, Rutgers University, Southampton College, Stevens Institute of Technology, and La Guardia Community College. She’s won accolades for her screenplays in prestigious competitions.
Links to some of her feature stories are under “Events” on her website: http://www.carolcstrickland.com. She contributes reflections on current culture to Bluesky @carolartbeat.bsky.social.
Her new historical novel, "Sparks Fly Up: The Lost Story of Margaret Fuller," will be published January 22, 2026. Set in 1850 Concord, the novel shows how Fuller's famous friends like Emerson, Thoreau, Hawthorne, Whitman, and Melville squabble over how to remember her life and legacy.

Reviews

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really did love this book. I am not on artist, never did much with art growing up, but have learned to really appreciate art in my travels as an adult. I've been yearning to learn more about art--a little history, a little interconnectedness, a little about major themes, etc. This book was perfect for all of that. There was enough information to be informative and interesting, but not so much to feel overwhelmed. When I was curious about an artist or piece of art in the book, it was easy to google for more information. This book has increased my understanding of art and will help me enjoy art even more.

[Lena Nguyen · Rating 4 out of 5]

My AP Art History teacher distributed this to my high school AP art history class as a textbook, and as a friendlier companion to our monstrously bulky 1000+ paged art history textbook. The Annotated Mona Lisa really is a crash course on art history, covering much of the materials needed in about 200 pages. I literally had a cram study session with my friend the day before our AP Art History exam by reading through this entire book. I'm really glad i did too, because I felt I did really well on the writing portion of the test. Had I not read over this book, I would have still been confused and mixed around the Renaissance artists to the Baroque artists. Reading this book in its entirety and also looking over a bit of my notes really made me understand and do well on my exam, even though it really was last minute studying and cramming. I did, however, have some problems with the book. There are some pictures of artwork in the book that was supposed to be in color, like Gericault's "Raft of the Medusa". The Annotated Mona Lisa DID NOT provide color images of some of the artworks in the book, and that was very frustrating. Not only that, but several times when a remarkably interesting or famous piece of art is mentioned, you would think that the author would provide a picture of the work so the reader can see what they are talking about. Well, they didn't. And that kind of pissed me off because I really wanted to see what they were talking about and compare and contrast the artwork they were talking about with the artwork that was shown. I'd really like the author to please try and release another edition of the book, one with corrections to my two complaints stated. Other than that, this was a very educational and enjoyable read. I just gave the book back today to the school since school's almost out, and I'm actually pretty sad that I had to part with the most amazing textbook ever(: we've been through sweat and blood and tears together, trying to learn art history. I will DEFINITELY go out later to buy myself a copy. A really great book.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

The subtitle of this book states it is 'A Crash Course in Art History from Prehistoric to Post-Modern'.

This is a fun, easy to read book that covers a wide spectrum of art throughout history.

While an obvious choice for art lovers it is also a good choice for aspiring artist in order to learn and recognize technique/style/etc.

Notes
A good alternative to dry, academic textbooks.

Learning Curve
Low: Good for new readers.

[Joshua · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ✨️

"Art both reflects and foreshadows our culture..."

😪 Four months, it took me four extremely busy months to get through this book cover to cover, word for word, all in preparation for the art praxis. The Annotated Mona Lisa is a perfect and nonconvoluted yet still detail specific enough 218 pages of the need-to-know tell all of the art history canon. The canon itself is problematic but the author does a decent job of including non western art for the reader to have a slightly larger grasp on art in the world, though as someone with studies in art history I would have loved to see a little more emphasis on African and Asian art as well as ceramics. The book doesn't take itself too seriously and understands historical bias within the context of art and works amazingly as a resource to connect the reader with names and resources for further research including that of contemporary artists. This book was a great review for me and would be a great introduction to those who are more art illiterate and feel like learning about art history is rather daunting. I read the 3rd edition which did have a few outdated dates and terms but largely was extremely successful in claiming itself as a "crash course in art history," especially with its fun facts, comparative charts, relation to history outside of art, epitome of contemporary information and fun demeanor which kept it from being just a boring textbook.

[Gabe Forrest · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book covers art history pretty well. For me anyways, it gave me a great jumping off point to get into art more, and it provided me with a mental timeline of how movements came and went over time. It goes from prehistoric to contemporary in about 200 pages or so, which is made even more incredible by the fact that I actually understood it in such a short time. I found its best feature to be the portions on modern art, as I have an affinity for that as is and to see it explained well was very helpful. Overall, I very much liked it, and anyone else who wants to get into art probably will too.

[Trish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perfect for a crash course in art history. All the classics and major players through the ages are mentioned here.

[Amy in the Desert · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic cliff notes version of the history of western art.

[Carol Stephens · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book, and felt that it was extremely helpful. I used this book (along with a few others) to help me study for my Praxis exam. I passed! Woohoo! Very helpful read!

[i go vroom · Rating 4 out of 5]

i don’t think i’ve ever read such a detail-oriented art book, this was so easy to understand and easy to follow i really enjoyed it! first art class woohooo ☝🏼

[Miranda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great explanation of the various art movements in the western world (though I thought it was odd that so much of the book focuses on the last 150 years, including highlighting so many artists).

This might be fixed in later editions but I knocked it down to three stars because some of the paintings were in grey scale and many of the pieces she discussed weren’t even included in the photos. I also wished she had focused a bit more on the art outside of the western canon. There were a lot of references to how artists were “influenced” by African or Japanese but very little explanation or examples of that art.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my high-school art history class, we read Janson, Schneider-Adams and this. It is really great for someone who doesn't want to go through the trouble of studying art but still wants to understand it or talk about it. It is also really good for people like me who have a degree in he subject but have not actively studied since receiving said degree.

[Krystal Booth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for a quick overview of Art History that can lead to a ridiculous amount of research topics of interest for anyone interested in art. It does not go into extensive detail about any of the artists or movements, but provides a great base for anyone interested in learning more about art history in general. Quick, easy read.

[Patty Barnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great overview of art and artists. I use it as a reference when I need a bit of knowledge or as a quick refresher. Not a book to read from beginning to end but a book to read in pieces. And a book to keep.
I will never be finished

[Jake Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Art History 101. How paint tech allowed impressionism. Why romanticism followed neoclassicism. What cubism even is.
Best: side-by-side comparisons
Be aware: like all good intros, it sacrifices richness for linearity

[Emily Snyder · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is one of the biggest reasons why I ever enjoyed art history in high school. It absolutely does what it claims: it breaks down lofty concepts and critiques, presenting the world's most famous artworks in an accessible, understandable, and engaging way.

[Kelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best book by far to have. Just put it in your collection. Good for a quick reference guide and lots of detail.

[Donna Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really love this book, it is often my go to book to get me started if I am looking into an artist or period of Art History.

[Zoe Collin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hope this helps me pass my test lol

[Nick Carraway LLC · Rating 3 out of 5]

1) "Art was born around 25,000 years ago, when the subhuman Neanderthal evolved into our human ancestor, Cro-Magnon man. With greater intelligence came imagination and the ability to create images in both painting and sculpture." [yeesh.]

2) "For Western civilization the nineteenth century was an age of upheaval. The church lost its grip, monarchies toppled, and new democracies suffered growing pains. In short, tradition lost its luster and the future was up for grabs. Unfamiliar forces like industrialization and urbanization made cities bulge with masses of dissatisfied poor. The fast pace of scientific progress and the ills of unrestrained capitalism caused more confusion."

3) "American midwestern architect Louis Sullivan's credo of 'form follows function' became the rallying cry of the day. The new designs were to express a building's commercial purpose, without any overlay of historical ornament. It was somehow fitting that the first new school of architecture to emerge in centuries was born in Chicago, 'Stormy, husky, brawling, /City of the Big Shoulders,' as poet Carl Sandburg would later call it. Chicago was a city without a past, a city of new immigrants that seemed to be making itself up as it went along."

[Quentin Paleo · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent overview of western art history including painting, photography, sculpture and architecture over thousands of years.

Biggest problem with the book is that non-western art is only ever brought up in how it influenced later western artists.

More than half of the pictures of the pre-Colombian Native American art section are from after 1492 or from non-indigenous artists. Most of the section is devoted to how tribal art influenced later European artists.

The section on African art is placed in the prehistoric to medieval section of the book, but none of the shown examples of African art are from that time period, and half of the examples African art are from 20th century western artists.

Asian art is only mentioned in short blurbs throughout the book, primarily to discuss how they influenced western artists.

There is no mention of Islamic art or Pacific Islander art in the book.

[Mark Staff Brandl · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are several editions of this book. All great, only minor changes. So, I am reviewing on the oldest one (here) and the newest. This is the first one I bought on a whim, then bought several others through the years. I love it. This is a truly wonderful art history book and quite an achievement. I even wrote the publisher and author a “fan” letter. I am an art historian and artist, and had students buy this when I was a professor (now retired from the teaching part), although my classes were in Switzerland and in German and the book has not unfortunately been translated into German. The book covers prehistoric through now, with short, concise explanations, color photos, and pleasing design. I can greatly recommend it to everyone. The best art history intro book in the whole world! No kidding.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very good short course that hits with broad strokes the canon of Western art, with plenty of small examples that help one visualize many of the styles, as well as important works that many people will be familiar with, as well as anecdotal information that is fun as well. Of course, some artists are slighted, and even overlooked, but what this book serves to do, I think, is give an overview and if you like a certain style(s), as I did, you can do further research, as I did (and will continue to do).

[Marlen Hueramo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished reading this because it was recommended to me by my professor as I am studying for my K-12 art education licensure exam. As someone who struggles with understanding history in general, this book did a fantastic job highlighting, summarizing and cohesively addressing art movements and artists in chronological order. Its type was also large and bold making the information easier to visually digest. My understanding of art history has grown immensely just reading this book, giving me the confidence to pass my exam!

HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author's views on several periods/artists was very obvious at times, which I had a bit of a problem with. It was also dryer than my college texts were. I think it was a great 'crash course' type of thing for people who don't have/don't want to seek those bigger books out, but I'll probably just dig out my old Art History books from college and read them the next time I want to review this stuff.

[Maya · Rating 4 out of 5]

A useful overview of art over time. The backstories of artists were entertaining, and the chronological ordering helped me understand why certain artists are hailed for making breakthroughs in technique, perspective, or message. If anything, this made me want to delve deeper into certain periods and artists. I was frequently googling artists to see more examples of their work beyond the few images reprinted in this book.

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

While this is a good book for anyone interested in art history it should have been subtitled as a course in Westernized art history. There is so much left out from other world cultures that it spoils the lessons of the book for me. I'm still enjoying the reading but only within the limitations of the author's view point which is not a world view of art history.

[Susan Liston · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. I've had this book for a long time and just realized I'd never read it. For a book that covers so much territory it was quite quick and easy. A good review, and for anyone just beginning to study art it would be an excellent book to start with. It even has charts to help keep tract of artists that you might get confused at first.

[Kari · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wanted more photographs of the art. When you explain a painting or piece of art in-depth, you should provide the image of that piece. Also, photographs of art shouldn’t be in black-and-white, especially if you are expounding on the wonderful color contrasts. Disappointing for this newbie to art history.

[Valerie Blackburn · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent synopsis of all art ages. May require fact checking, as some side notes seemed to contradict what I learned in art history classes or have read elsewhere. Much can be learned for each period of art. Some of my favorite art periods are Egyptian, Impressionism and Photography.

[Courtney Mosier Warren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite being a textbook, I found this book to be deeply interesting. I read it over the course of a few days and feel like I have a much better overview of art history. It gives context and vocabulary to art with clear and easy to read text.