Art and Civilization

Plot

"Art and Civilization" is an exciting, lucid survey of the arts and ideas of Western civilization from Paleolithic times to the present. It examines many aspects of the concept of civilization, including ways of thinking, building, painting, sculpting, writing, and making music. These topics are skillfully interrelated to form a single, fast-moving narrative that makes the reader part of the age-old quest for creative achievment and self-fulfillment. "Art and Civilization" is also an invaluable reference book that concentrates on specific works of art, both visual and literary. Each section begins with a general introduction outlining the historical background of the period under discussion, followed by explorations of a range of themes: Ideas, Architecture, Painting, Sculpture, Literature, Drama, and Music. Many chapters include focus boxes that provide stimulating insights into the lives of influential men and women or offer deeper examinations of important developments that have affected civilization as a whole. Every work of art or architecture discussed is illustrated, and literary works are represented in both lengthy extracts and numerous short quotations. With 160 colorplates and 365 black-and-white illustrations, maps, plans, and timecharts, together with a detailed glossary and carefully chosen suggestions for further reading, "Art and Civilization" offers a stimulating introduction to the history of the arts and to the development of even newer and more complex ways of perceiving the world.