MASTERPIECES OF WESTERN ART

Masterpieces of Western Art traces the history of painting from medievaltimes to the present day. But unlike conventional publications, thatmerely illustrate a few essentials, this work places 900 paintings takenfrom every era squarely in the foreground. The ten chapters each feature an introductory essay profiling the age andthe achievements of the major artists, and then present selected worksaccompanied by searching commentaries. The reader is guided through thetechniques and motifs of the artists, and familiarised with the spirit andbackground concerns of the age. Artist to artist, era to era, century tocentury, Masterpieces of Western Art adds up to an authoritative history -it is for browsing, too, where the reader can make new discoveries or meetold friends on every page. This imaginary museum of eight centuries of masterpieces by over 500artists is a place to explore, to acquire a richer understanding of art -a reliable history, a handbook, as entertaining as it is instructive.