The story of painting

About this book

Art history and artists
The story of painting

• The Story of Painting from the first cave paintings to modern masterpieces, this book follows the story of painting from the dawn of time to the present day.
• Shows how the ancient Greeks made waterproof paints, who the iconoclasts were and why they smashed paintings, puzzles over Mona Lisa’s mysterious smile, and lots more.
• Filled with fascinating facts, intriguing tales and tricks of the trade.
• With internet links to explore masterpieces from each era, and online art activities.

Press Reviews

Books purporting to give a 'story of painting' or 'history of Art' are very common. Can there really be a market for another? Yes, when it's a charming as this one. It does not go into any particular depth. It's clearly designed for KS2 and the lower-ability KS3 pupil. But it's concise, easy to read, visually appealing and arranged in a logical sequence that is both chronological and thematic. The book is illustrated with a combination of full-colour reproductions of famous paintings, and lively drawings. It's a smaller-format book, not A4, which does cramp the paintings slightly but this size is ideal for smaller hands to cope with.

This book's main strength is the addition of many little snippets of extra information. It is not a dry and dull recital of the timeline of Western art; it's got that human touch which appeals to all, young and old. It gives little hints on the symbolism of painting, for example, which is a whole term's work in itself if you pursue it. Little cartoons show you about lapis lazuli, or monks sewing books together, or paint tied up in pigs' bladders.
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