This sumptuously illustrated book of 400 pages of visual art and its history is an attempt to show the development of pictorial representation from the earliest daubes and scratches on the walls of caves all the way through to the more modern daubes and splashes that can apparently be counted as art. In between are the many stages through which the development of images has undergone significant changes in both treatment and subject matter. That’s quite a task to squeeze between two covers.

The contributing authors appear to know their stuff. The layout is helpful, and the definite chronological order is more or less exactly what I was seeking from this book bought for research for my current novel.

Clearly, such a wide-ranging subject can only be presented in a relatively basic manner in a single volume. Fortunately, the Index of Artists, General Index and Acknowledgements combine to provide enough information for further reading should that be needed.

It served me for the purpose of general information on the topic, a subject relevant to a major player in my book. But I guess it would be very useful both for those with a general interest in the work of the painter and those considering studying the extensive history of art as an academic subject. It also introduced me to a number of painters new to me, which was a bonus.

The book is divided into five sections, Ancient and Medieval, Renaissance and Mannerism, Baroque to Neoclassism, The 19^th Century, and The Modern Age. And each of these sections is further divided into the appropriate subsections needed to cover the relevant period in some detail.

So, an introduction rather than an in-depth study, but such an examination would clearly require many volumes, especially as the nature of the subject requires reproduction of colourful works of art if it is to perform such a service. In this case, the many illustrations served that aspect well.

[Any review is a personal opinion. No reviewer can represent the view of anyone else. The best we can manage is an honest reaction to any given book.]