This anthology contains twenty articles on American art from colonial times to 1940. The selections are mainly from academic journals and aim to provide the student and teacher with different critical approaches and methodologies for the analysis and interpretation of American art and artists. Mary Ann Calo has written an extended general introduction to the anthology explaining its purpose and organization, and each article will have a brief introduction about its main focus and scholarly approach.

There is clearly a need in American art history studies for an anthology of essays on critical approaches and methodologies for the analysis and interpretation of American art and artists that emphasizes "teachability" and usefulness in courses. This is such an anthology.