Presenting art history as an essential part of the development of humankind, this book offers an authoritative, balanced and enlightening account, ranging from a statuette carved in central Europe some 30,000 years ago to the video art of the 1990s. The volume covers painting, mosaic, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, architecture and photography. Textiles, coins, pottery, enamels, gold and silver are also included. The scope is international, encompassing the arts of Asia, Africa and Oceania as well as Europe and the Americas.
A World History of Art explores the purpose and meaning of art, at times challenging conventional ideas about 'progress' and aesthetic enjoyment. It shows how art can give pleasure, but also deepen our self-knowledge, sharpen our awareness of our own and other religious beliefs and enlarge our understanding of alternative ways of life.