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Art: The Whole Story

By Stephen Farthing
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Brief Description
An accessible and hugely popular history of art explained through many of the world's most famous masterpieces. Written by an international team of artists, art historians and curators, this absorbing and beautiful book gives readers unparalleled insights into the world's most iconic artworks. Art: The Whole... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$6999
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Featuring more than 1,000 full color illustrations, the most accessible history of world art ever assembled.

An accessible and hugely popular history of art explained through many of the world's most famous masterpieces

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

An accessible and hugely popular history of art explained through many of the world's most famous masterpieces.

Written by an international team of artists, art historians and curators, this absorbing and beautiful book gives readers unparalleled insights into the world's most iconic artworks. Art: The Whole Story traces the development of art period by period, with the illustrated text covering every genre, from painting and sculpture to conceptual art and performance art. Cultural timelines are there too, to help the reader with historical context.

Masterpieces that epitomise each period or movement are highlighted and analysed in detail. Everything from the use of colour and visual metaphors to technical innovations is explained, enabling you to interpret the meanings of world-famous masterpieces. Discover Mughal miniatures, Japanese prints in the 19th century, the colour theories behind Seurat's remarkable La Grande Jatte, and why Picasso's Les Demoiselles d'Avignon was so shocking in its day.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780500031186

Publisher: Thames & Hudson Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 16 April 2026

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Thames & Hudson Ltd

Illustration: 1405 Illustrations, color

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 172.0mm

Height: 245.0mm

Weight: 1880g

Pages: 576

Collections

Arts & Culture Non-Fiction Stephen Farthing

About the Author

Stephen Farthing is a painter and the Rootstein Hopkins Research Professor of Drawing at the University of the Arts, London.

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