This work investigates the complex relationship between the development of American visual arts and the broader social, political, and economic evolution of the United States. Oliver W. Larkin, a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, utilizes a comprehensive chronological framework to analyze how American artists have reflected, shaped, and responded to the changing national identity from the colonial period through the mid-twentieth century. By situating artistic production within its specific historical context, the text argues that American art is an inseparable component of the nation's cultural history.

Experts frequently cite this work as a foundational, comprehensive survey that successfully bridges the gap between art history and general American history. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which provides a thorough and scholarly examination of the subject matter.