This is your A to Z guide to art! From cave paintings to pop art and modern masterpieces, this absorbing and beautiful art encyclopedia explores the development of art in spectacular detail. Here's what you'll find inside the pages of this visually stunning art book: - Covers every major movement in art from prehistory to the present day - Each movement is tracked in a visual timeline that showcases its key paintings and notable artists and explains its context - the major events in its evolution - Each section ends with a stunning image of a masterwork and a curator's analysis that encapsulates its values, style, composition, and subject matter - Glossary of technical terms and a comprehensive index Get ready to embark on a unique guided tour throughout the history of art. Get to know more than 700 of the greatest artists, from Michelangelo and Monet to Damien Hirst and Picasso. Discover 2500 of the world's most iconic artworks, paintings and sculptures that have shaken the art world through centuries and across continents. Truly comprehensive in scope, The Illustrated Story of Art presents the most remarkable art movements throughout history in chronological order and explains the social and cultural background of each period. Turning-point paintings that triggered or epitomised each artistic movement are identified and explained, against a backdrop of influences - from admired techniques of an earlier artist to the changes in society that enabled new directions in art. A must-have for your bookshelf, this is an indispensable art reference book for art-lovers everywhere!