Ernst Hans Josef Gombrich (1909–2001) was a British art historian of Austrian birth whose work transformed the public’s understanding of art history. His book, The Story of Ar, was first published in 1950 and is now in its 16th edition, having been translated into more than 30 languages.
Ernst Gombrich was born in Vienna into a cultured Jewish family and spent his early years in an environment characterised by music and intellectual engagement. He studied art history at the University of Vienna, where he completed a PhD on the architecture of Giulio Romano.
Following the rise of Nazism, he moved to Britain in 1936 and became a naturalised British citizen in 1947. He spent most of his professional life at the Warburg Institute in London, ultimately serving as its director from 1959 to 1976.
Gombrich’s writing bridged the gap between academic and popular audiences. His works combined rigorous scholarship with a clarity and charm that made complex ideas accessible and understandable. He is perhaps best known for The Story of Art (1950), a book that remains one of the most widely read introductions to art history.
The Story of Art is a landmark in the history of popular art writing. Its opening line—"There is no such thing as art. There are only artists” — epitomises Gombrich’s approach: human-centred, historical and sceptical of grand abstractions.
Initially intended for younger readers, it traces the development of Western art from prehistoric cave paintings to the modern era, highlighting individual artists and the cultural contexts that shaped their work. Gombrich’s prose is renowned for its conversational style and avoidance of academic jargon, making the book uniquely accessible without compromising depth.
Though widely praised for its pedagogical value and readability, The Story of Art has also been criticised for its lack of depth.
His other notable works include "Art and Illusion" (1960), which explores the psychology of pictorial representation, and "The Sense of Order" (1979), which examines decorative art through the lens of perception and information theory.
