---
title: Modern Art (19th-20th)
description: This topic traces the major movements of modern art from Impressionism to Abstract Expressionism. Learners will understand how industrialization, war, and philosophical shifts prompted artists to reject traditional representation and pioneer new visual languages.
category: arts-design
subcategory: art-history-and-criticism
difficulty: beginner, intermediate, advanced
url: /subject/modern-art-(19th-20th)
---

# Modern Art (19th-20th)

This topic traces the major movements of modern art from Impressionism to Abstract Expressionism. Learners will understand how industrialization, war, and philosophical shifts prompted artists to reject traditional representation and pioneer new visual languages.

## Available Resources

1 Books • 2 Courses • 2 Websites

## Courses

### 1. Modern and Contemporary Art and Design specialization (MoMA / Coursera)

Three-course Museum of Modern Art specialization: Modern Art & Ideas, What Is Contemporary Art?, and Seeing Through Photographs. It uses works from MoMA's collection and artist studio visits so learners can analyse modern and contemporary artworks and the social contexts behind them.

**Difficulty:** Beginner | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free

**Link:** https://www.coursera.org/specializations/modern-contemporary-art-design

**Tags:** modern-art, contemporary-art, art-history, photography, visual-analysis

### 2. Modern Art

Museum of Modern Art course that uses works from MoMA's collection to trace how artists from the late 1800s onward responded to industrialization, war and new technologies, teaching learners to connect artworks with the ideas that shaped them.

**Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free

**Link:** https://www.coursera.org/learn/modern-art-ideas

**Tags:** courses, arts-design, art-history

## Books

### 1. The Shock of the New

**Author:** Robert Hughes

Critic Robert Hughes's history of modern art from Impressionism to the late twentieth century, based on his BBC series. Readers come away understanding how movements such as Cubism, Surrealism and Abstract Expressionism reflected hopes and anxieties about modern life.

**Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Paid

**Link:** https://www.amazon.com/dp/0500275823?tag=edmonddante07-20

**Tags:** books, arts-design, art-history

## Websites

### 1. moma.org/modern

MoMA’s Modern section provides authoritative overviews of 19th–20th‑century modern art, with artist profiles, major movements, and featured works. It also offers essays, educational resources, and online exhibitions drawn from MoMA’s collection.

**Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free

**Link:** https://moma.org/modern

**Tags:** websites, arts-design, art-history

### 2. whitney.org

Whitney.org is the online home of the Whitney Museum of American Art, highlighting American modern and contemporary art through artist profiles, a searchable collection, online exhibitions, and educational resources. It also provides visitor information and programs related to the museum.

**Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free

**Link:** https://whitney.org

**Tags:** websites, arts-design, art-history

---

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