A world history of art

Abstract

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 self-knowledge, sharpen our awareness of our own and other religious beliefs and enlarge our understanding of alternative ways of life." "The insight, elegance and fluency that the authors bring to their text and complemented by over 1400 superb illustrations, including maps and architectural plans, which have been chosen to represent the most significant chronological, regional and individual styles of artistic expression. In this new Sixth Edition, coverage of the art of Africa has been completely revised and that of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries substantially expanded to take in the most recent developments in video and installation art.