What Art Is

"Danto is an elegant and erudite writer, and his sentences go down smoothly."—Deborah Solomon, New York Times Book Review

"Danto was and remains the high priest of pluralism, and arch-critic of the view that art has a distinctive essence."—A. C. Grayling, Financial Times

". . . arguably the most inspired interpreter of the increasingly abstruse art world that emerged during the past half century. In What Art Is, Danto's freewheeling erudition and knack for unpacking complex subjects is on display."—Eric Been, Chicago Tribune (“Favorite Books of 2013”)

"Danto’s writing is elegant and his insights acute."—Publishers Weekly

"The conclusion [Danto] reaches . . . is elegant in its clearheaded take on an endlessly difficult question. . . . As a critical memoir . . . tracing the particulars of a gifted mind’s lasting focus, Danto’s latest is a useful addition to a long career."—Publishers Weekly

"The brilliant, eminently entertaining philosopher-critic Arthur C. Danto lays bare an oft-pondered question in What Art Is."—Interior Design

"This rich, filling little book should be savored slowly, one chapter at a time . . . the art critic and philosopher has managed to corral a remarkable breadth of art history and critical thought to the service of his own observations. . . . a persuasive book."—Edith Newhall, ARTnews

"Provocative yet accessible."—Art Business News

“Readers will be delighted when they encounter Danto’s disarming clarity, his avoidance of ugly and impenetrable jargon, and his skill in unraveling complex matters without skirting or trivializing ambiguities.”—Leon Botstein, Chronicle of Higher Education

Named by the Chronicle of Higher Education as one of the most influential books of the past 20 years

"Elaborating important themes of Danto’s influential aesthetics, What Art Is develops them in fascinating new ways, offering luminous interpretations of past masters ranging from Michelangelo and Poussin to Duchamp and Warhol. Written in Danto’s engagingly personal voice, the book’s essays sparkle with wit, erudition, sensitivity, and a profound love of art whose power is captivatingly contagious."—Richard Shusterman, author of Thinking through the Body: Essays in Somaesthetics

"This miraculously economical book summarizes many decades of reflection and provides an ideal entry into the philosophical system of the most important American-born writer who has discussed visual art."—David Carrier, author of Proust/Warhol: Analytical Philosophy of Art