Art history is more than just a collection of dates and foreign-sounding names, obscure movements and arcane isms. Every age, for the last 50,000 years has left its unique imprint on the world, and from the first cave paintings to the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, from the Byzantine mosaics of the Hagia Sophia, to the graffiti-inspired paintings of Jean-Michel Basquiat, art history tells the story of our evolving notions of who and what we are and our place in the universe.

Whether you’re an art enthusiast who’d like to know more about the history behind your favorite works and artists, or somebody who couldn’t tell a Titian and a De Kooning—but would like to—Art History For Dummies is for you. It takes you on a tour of thirty millennia of artistic expression, covering the artistic movements, major artists, and indispensable masterworks, and the world events and cultural trends that helped spawn them. With the help of stunning black-and-white photos throughout, and a sixteen-page gallery of color images, it covers:

• The rise and fall of classical art in Greece and Rome
• The differences between Renaissance art and Mannerism
• How the industrial revolution spawned Romanticism
• How and why Post-Impression branched off from Impressionism
• Constructivism, Dadaism, Surrealism and other 20^th century isms
• What’s up with today’s eclectic art scene

Art History For Dummies is an unbeatable reference for anyone who wants to understand art in its historical context.