In a very short time, Marilyn Stokstad’s ART HISTORY has become the gold standard of introductions to the history of art. It has transformed the way the field of art history is perceived and experienced. Engaging, accessible, and just as important, fun, ART HISTORY gives today’s readers cultural and social context for art along with eloquent visual explanations of art’s special qualities and particular vocabularies. Its animated and clear narrative tells the many-sided story of art, starting with the earliest prehistoric paintings and sculpture through today’s wildly varying works in new mediums.

In addition to offering an outstanding collection of color illustrations, ART HISTORY features glorious maps, chronologies, and scores of labeled line drawings and architectural plans. Special essays called “The Object Speaks” offer tantalizing insights on topics such as authenticity, patronage, and artistic intention.