"The plan for this survey was initiated by the General federation of women's clubs under the auspices of the American federation of arts, with the coöperation of the Art institute of Chicago, the Metropolitan museum of art, the Museum of modern art, the National advisory council on radio in education [and] the National broadcasting company."--p. [iv]

A revision of two previous publications; pt. 1, Art in America to the Civil war, is a revision of "Art in America from 1600 to 1865, " published in 1934; pt. 2, Art in America since the Civil war, was published in 1934 under title: Art in America in modern times.