"A History of Roman Art is an expansive survey of the painting, mosaic, sculpture, decorative arts, and architecture of ancient Rome. This acclaimed textbook provides a fully-illustrated narrative history of Roman art that spans a millennium, from the early origins of Rome to the era of Emperor Constantine. Interwoven throughout the text are themes of Rome's cultural inclusiveness and the importance of art in promoting Roman values, helping students understand how diverse cultures contributed to Roman life. Accessible, chronologically-organized chapters provide numerous examples of the arts, their cultural and historical context, descriptions of artistic techniques, and writings by ancient authors--enabling students to develop a rich appreciation of art's importance in the Roman world. Now in its second edition, this market-leading textbook features thoroughly revised content throughout. Additional images and excerpts from literary sources are complemented by new historical discussions of metalwork, carved gems, glass, and sarcophagi. This edition features more maps and illustrations, in-depth analysis of iconography, greater emphasis on the types of objects used to decorate the lives of ordinary Romans, expanded coverage of freedmen and women as artists, subjects, and patrons, and much more. A number of works that represent popular art have been added. That is, art in the everyday Roman world, rather than just the large scale works of sculpture and architecture of elite patrons. It also reveals patterns of artistic workshops, trade, and social and economic networks. Additionally, this edition takes into account new approaches in scholarship."--Publisher's website.

A fresh take on the history of art, using cultural timelines to reveal little-known connections and influences between artworks and artistic movements.--Amazon.com "A fresh take on the history of art, using cultural timelines to reveal little-known connections and influences between artworks and artistic movements. Most surveys of the history of art are divided into historic periods, artistic schools, and movements. In reality, movements and artists' careers overlap and intertwine, reacting to events in the world around them. By prioritizing a purely chronological approach, A Chronology of Art illuminates these relationships from a fresh perspective and places the developments of the art world into context with one another. Structured around a central timeline covering Ancient & Medieval, Renaissance & Baroque, Rococo & Neoclassicism, Romanticism & Beyond, and The Modern Era, the book features lavish illustrations of artworks, together with commentaries, and lively "In Focus" features with information about the social, stylistic, technical, political, and cultural events of each period. This approach reveals little- known connections: the most illustrious Neoclassical painting (David's Oath of the Horatii) was executed just a couple of years after one of the best-known Romantic scenes (Fuseli's The Nightmare); and American artist James Whistler, who had attended West Point Military Academy, was creating his finest work in Europe at the very time when his homeland was being torn apart by civil war."--

The artistic masterpieces of Chinese civilizations from the Neolithic period to the twentieth century -- encompassing sculpture, paintings, drawings, and pottery -- are detailed in this illuminating volume, illustrated with 105 magnificent museum-quality reproductions.

What is a masterpiece? At the most basic level, a masterpiece is a quintessential work by a great artist. This magnificent volume details the development of art from the beginning of recorded civilization into the twentieth century, presenting essential works of art from across the world, both East and West, in more then 110 full-color reproductions.

"Among the creative achievements of pharaonic Egypt we discover a set of constant forms: archetypes in art and architecture that state clearly and concisely contemporary views of authority, divinity, beauty and meaning. Whether adapted to delicate jewelry or colossal statues, these forms maintain a human face - with human ideas and emotions as their stated inspiration. There were refined and reinvented through dozens of centuries, until scenes created for the earliest kings, around 3000 BCE, had been used to represent Roman emperors and the last officials of pre-Christian Egypt. Bill Manley's account draws on the finest artworks of a uniquely successful and compelling civilization through more than 3000 years, including celebrated masterpieces from the Narmer palette to Tutankhamun's gold mask and the enigmatic "Faiyum portraits," as well as their original contexts in the tombs, temples, and palaces of the pharaohs and their people."--Back cover.

"John Boardman, one of the best known and acknowledged scholars of the classical Greek world, has updated his definitive survey of its arts, the most influential and widely known historic artistic tradition of the Old World. In the twenty years since the last edition was released, valuable evidence has come to light which has dramatically enhanced our understanding of the arts of ancient Greece and their influence. We now know that Greek artists in fact completed their stone sculptures with realistic color, as well as working with a wealth of other materials, including wood and precious metals, on a major scale. This proves that our romantic notion of an age of "classic," pure white marble is a Renaissance construction which has persisted to the present day. We can identify the work of individual artists, and schools of artists,and have a clearer picture than ever before of how art and artistic traditions traveled throughout the Greek world and beyond it. Boardman encourages the reader to consider the masterpieces that have been preserved in their original context, and not just the isolated installations of our modern galleries. He weaves into his discussion of the arts insights into the society that produced them. Illustrated in full color throughout for the first time, this fifth edition demonstrates yet more vividly the artistic aims and achievements of ancient Greece."--Back cover.