Introduction. THE ANCIENTS TO POST-RENAISSANCE: Prehistoric art; Ancient Egyptian art; Classical Greek art; Buddhist art; Byzantine art; Gothic art; Early Renaissance; High Renaissance; Mannerism. THE SPREAD OF NEW LEARNING: Baroque; Dutch Golden Age; Rococo; Neoclassicism; Romanticism; Academic art; Ukiyo-e. THE EMERGENCE OF MODERNISM: Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood; Realism; Impressionism; Symbolism and Aestheticism; Post-Impressionism; Neo-Impressionism; Art Nouveau and Secessionism; Fauvism; Expressionism; Cubism; Futurism; Shin Hanga. CHALLENGE AND CHANGE: Dada; Suprematism; Constructivism; Neo-plasticism; Bauhaus; Metaphysical painting; Harlem Renaissance; Mexican Muralism; New Objectivity; Surrealism; Social Realism; Abstract Expressionism; Colour Field painting. NEW DIRECTIONS: Pop art; Op art; Minimalism; Conceptualism; Performance art; Land art; Neo-Expressionism: Hyperrealism; New media. Glossary. Index.

Today's art world can be a baffling place. For all those who don't know their Degas from Dali or Monet from Mondrian, this informative and insightful guide breaks down 50 of the most important and influential trends in western art, to provide a fascinating account of art from the Ancient Greeks to the present day. Taking in the defining artistic moments in history, including the Baroque, the Renaissance and the ever-changing Modern, this book also explores influential movements such as Romanticism, Cubism, and Minimalism. Susie Hodge's concise and insightful text is accompanied by a glossary explaining key terms and concepts, as well as brief mini-essays and informative biographies on artists of the period. With images to illustrate each key concept, and comprehensive timelines to place each movement in its context, this book provides a comprehensive key to the most significant developments in western art.