The illustrations in this book were incredible and very informing. This is a wonderful book for cat and art lovers that are just dipping their toes. It is easy to understand and is very informing to the appropriate audience.

A fun book depicting the cat portraiture through the ages in painted form. The book states off with Egyptian times, meanders through Byzantine, Renaissance, Rocco, Impressionism, Fauvism, Cubism, Art Decor, Pop Art, to names just a few, and ending with Graffiti.
There are lots of tidbits of information along the way, I absolutely love the art decor cat. A fun way to travel through art periods for all ages.

Cat lovers will be over the moon and anyone with a desire or need to have a quick summary and history of various art movements and styles will find it and have fun here. Pages are beautifully done and worth buying for just the art. Luckily there is move to this book than just pretty pictures and techniques and common used styles are highlighted and discussed as well.

L'intera storia dell'arte, dagli egizi alla contemporanea, spiegata con i felini:  un raffinato gatto bizantino, un frivolo micio rococò, un concertante felino simbolista introducono ventuno stili o movimenti, spiegati poi con brevi note e agilmente riassunti con brevi paragrafi legati alla rappresentazione peloso.

Il mio nuovo libro di storia dell'arte preferito, prontamente acquisito per l'Infanta dalla Nonna.

In inglese, anche se spero dal cuore che ne pubblichino una versione italiana. <3

Did anyone mention cats?

I just couldn't escape this delightful book, the illustrations are too cute and I did actually learn something new on the way. Honestly I don't know much about art but thanks to the sweet little guidelines of how to spot which period of art a piece belongs to...soon my newly acquired skills in art will work like a charm for sure! (People will be surprised how well read I am ;))

Thanks Netgalley and Nia Gould to give me a chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you have no idea about the different art movements then this book is for you.
Through gorgeously illustrated cat pictures, Gould introduces and explains 21 different art movements from Ancient Egypt to modern times. It is a great introduction to art history and theory. The illustrations often combine different styles and characteristics of the most prominent artists of that movement which I found really cool.
I honestly wish I had this book when I was in middle school and had to go through art class which was not one of my favorites despite being an amateur painter and art lover in general.
Even if you’re not an art newbie, the cat illustrations and puns are worth giving this book a try.

I have a big grin on my face after reading this book. Such a fun way to approach art history for kids! Having one fun theme (cats!) that varies according to the style exemplified makes the differences in visually and conceptually approachable for a wide audience. I loved it!

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely adored this book and it is one which is fun, engaging and captivating for children and adults alike. The author expertly guides us through art history in relation to 21 key art movements, and the feline friends that have been there alongside! A really fabulous book that I would highly recommend for anyone interested in cats, art, history, creativity, pets, working with children and young people, working in the creative sector, or working with animals.

This is a cute little book that would be excellent in touching upon forms of painting throughout history.. While far from complete it shows some of the prominent movements utilizing cats as the central image with an explanation of each along with various artists of the movements and their methods, color and light and basic thoughts they presented on how they tried to portray forms and color to evoke feelings. Would be perfect to teach basics to kids as it is that simple while entertaining and amusing to leaf through as adults

A History of Art in 21 Cats sweeps through periods of art with feline grace, from ancient Egyptian and Byzantine to Surrealism and Graffiti—using cats to demonstrate techniques and to recreate some of the world’s most well known art.

Nia Gould has developed an intriguing way of making art more accessible, and definitely less dry than a cat-less, yet otherwise identical, book of art history would be. She covers the history of different eras in art, and also features movements in the art scene taking over and being replaced. Reasons for the significance of materials utilized during different times help to accentuate what was important to the artists and what they wanted their audience to see.

Gould’s own art demonstrates methods used in art and why they vary widely: Egyptians used hieroglyphs, eyes, jewels, gold, and color to cast importance onto the things they valued; Byzantine art made use of glazed ceramic tiles and gold leaf to shine brilliantly in candlelight; Degas and Monet were simply obsessed with their impressions of ballerinas and water lilies, respectively; pop art took advantage of new technologies; wild colors, shapes, lines, splatters of paint and photo montages deviated from the traditional ideas or concepts.

The cats of Nia Gould help to show how some artists and movements even challenged the very essence of art, what art was, and what art could be. I’d recommend this book to anyone, though it would make a wonderful gift for cat lovers or those with an interest in art. It’s vibrant, full of pictures, doesn’t go overboard with the amount of information, and is quite memorable.


Thanks to Andrews McMeel Publishing, Nia Gould, and NetGalley for the provided e-ARC and the opportunity to read this book. My review is honest, unbiased, and voluntary. #NetGalley #AHistoryOfArtIn21Cats

(Some of my favorites: Vermeer’s “Cat” with a Pearl Earring, pointillism Cat with Umbrella, the Frida Kahlo felines, the Dali-Magritte-Miró LobsterHatCat.)

If you love arts and cats this is a must read.
Wonderful illustrations, interesting texts. A book I strongly recommend!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

A wonderful guide to art history, this takes the simple subject of a cat and asks how styles of visual art since prehistoric times would have pictured it. Starting with ancient Egyptian and Byzantine techniques, we're soon through the Renaissance and on. I loved this book for the way it gave us a perfectly representational image for every style, but then revealed that each was the sum of several peoples' constituent parts – so, for example the Art Deco moggy had legs because of this, a background because of that, and a framing due to that creator. Any book that is designed for a school audience that can still teach me something (without sounding too big-headed) earns a bonus point, and I'd never heard of the Cobra group of painters – mind, that was not as great an incentive to rate this highly as the namecheck for a certain Radziwill painting I didn't know. It pointedly gives the renaissance as much time as action painting, so this very clever, visually savvy and non-judgemental book must be a prime purchase for school libraries and other interested audiences. The YBA cat is worth the price of admission in itself ("just be grateful it has not been sliced in half"). Too many cat quips in the text is as near as I can see to a fault. Superb.

As soon as I saw the cover, I knew I wanted to see more. This is a clever way to combine two things I love -- cats and art. It gives an overview of different art styles, so you may not learn as much as you would with a more academic text. I was familiar with a lot of what I saw, but I did learn a few new things I missed in my art history class!

As an introduction to art, I think this book is fun. For those already familiar with art history, it's still a lot of fun. The illustrations are great, and the concepts are explained clearly. I will happily recommend this to cat fans and art lovers.

This adorable book teaches art in a fun accessible way that kids, teens, and adults will love. I read a copy in pdf on my computer, but I think this would be best read as an actual book. Super fun and adorable for the littlest cat lovers in your life too!

This is a very fun and light art history book, tracing the characteristics of the major current, from Egyptian art to present day. The text is easy to read and is accompanied by images of cats drawn in the style under discussion. I This book would be great to teach kids about the history art, in a manner that will be easy for them to grasp and entertaining.

From ancient Egyptian tomb art to modern day graffiti and YBAs, A History of Art in 21 Cats describes and illustrates the principles of 21 different art movements.

Each movement includes a cat illustrating the different characteristics of the art. Many of the cats replicate a particular painting. Though the Warhol soup cans selling “Kitty” that frame the pop art movement cat are rather ironic. Each chapter also includes a one-page summary setting the time and place plus two pages explaining how each kitty represents famous artists’ work.

Using cats to show the differences between art styles is a painless way to learn some art history. You might also get some ideas for your own art project. A History of Art in 21 Cats would make a perfect gift to the budding school-age artist. It would also spark some conversation as a coffee table book. 5 stars!

Thanks to Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this book! It's a quirky primer on art history that's good for any interested amateur or perhaps a beginning student (I'll certainly recommend it to a couple high school art teachers I know). The cat illustrations in the styles of all the different art movements manage to be both recognizable and fun, and the author's breakdown of the different elements at work in each picture is very informative. It gives a good rundown of how the intentions of art and what is considered to be art have changed over time. I'm nor really an expert, but I felt like it covered the most relevant art movements, and I had fun reading it.

This book is very clever, funny and yet full of art history. It is a wonderful way to learn about or review art movements. The facts are well researched while the art reflects each period. Covering everything from Ancient Egypt, the Renaissance, Fauvism, De Stijl to Abstract Impressionism and more, the book provides a thorough introduction to art movements. I even learned about several art periods that I did not know including CoBrA and the Young British Artists.

For each era, there is one large and other smaller illustrations. There are sections of the painting techniques and the artists of each movement. For example, the Fauves use of bright colors and collage are noted. For this section the illustration is of a cat that could have been painted by Matisse. For on Pop Art there are cat food cans that are recognizable as being in Warhol's style. At the end of the book there is a timeline which provides a helpful additional reference.

I will enjoy going back to this book time and again. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the fun and informative read.

Here is the publisher's description for readers' additional a-mews-ment:

Become litter-ate in the basics of important art movements through a host of beautifully illustrated cats, each one inspired by a specific period in art hiss-tory: Surrealism, Cubism, Abstract Expressionism, Ancient Egyptian (of course), and many more. From Claude Meow-net to Jackson Paw-llock, these creative cats will introduce you to key themes and artists you won't soon fur-get. Purr-haps even inspiring you to make your own version!

If all educational books could be so entertaining! The illustrations are fabulous. The content is short and succinct – yet powerful in its punch. The combination of illustrations and content will likely lead to vivid recall for the reader. A little knowledge goes a long way towards being able to enjoy art. The book is a fantastic introduction for anyone seeking the basics for each of the 21 art movements included here. For the average person (regardless of age), I imagine it will greatly enhance your future visit to any art museum. The book is truly a delight to devour.

I picked up this book because I own two cats. I quickly shared it with my daughter because she rocks her roll on the high school academic team, and I feel like the format of this book will allow her to enhance her art knowledge quickly. I blog about life – including my daughter and my two cats – at www.Patch405.com.

I received an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. The thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.

An art history book told through 21 cats shows art movements beginning with Egypt and ending with modern. Some of the art movements I had never heard of. It was very educational and held my attention because of the cats!