Overview

The art and architecture of Greece and Rome lie at the heart of the classical tradition of the western world and their legacy is so familiar as to have become commonplace. In this beautifully illustrated volume, with over 400 colour and black and white pictures, the story of classical art is attractively told by five leading scholars. Their aim has been to demonstrate how the arts served very different societies and patrons - tyrannies, democracies, empires; the roles and objectives of the artists; the way in which the classical style was disseminated far beyond the borders of the Greek and Roman world; but especially the splendour and quality of the arts themselves. This book is intended for students of the art and archaeology of ancient Greece and Rome; those with an interest in the civilization of the classical world.

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9780192853370

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Reviews

The text moves along briskly, with never a word wasted....The Oxford History goes straight to the point and sticks to it all the way.--The New York Times Book Review Most impressive....It functions as both a definitive history and a reference to all the major artworks produced by classical civilization.--The Philadelphia Inquirer The changing forms of classical art, the differing societies and patrons for whom artifacts were produced, the roles and objectives of the artists, and the manner in which classical art was disseminated throughout the ancient world are all well analyzed and well presented.--Library Journal

The text moves along briskly, with never a word wasted....The Oxford History goes straight to the point and sticks to it all the way. --The New York Times Book Review<br> Most impressive....It functions as both a definitive history and a reference to all the major artworks produced by classical civilization. --The Philadelphia Inquirer<br> The changing forms of classical art, the differing societies and patrons for whom artifacts were produced, the roles and objectives of the artists, and the manner in which classical art was disseminated throughout the ancient world are all well analyzed and well presented. --Library Journal<br>

The text moves along briskly, with never a word wasted....The Oxford History goes straight to the point and sticks to it all the way. --The New York Times Book Review Most impressive....It functions as both a definitive history and a reference to all the major artworks produced by classical civilization. --The Philadelphia Inquirer The changing forms of classical art, the differing societies and patrons for whom artifacts were produced, the roles and objectives of the artists, and the manner in which classical art was disseminated throughout the ancient world are all well analyzed and well presented. --Library Journal

"""The text moves along briskly, with never a word wasted....The Oxford History goes straight to the point and sticks to it all the way.""--The New York Times Book Review ""Most impressive....It functions as both a definitive history and a reference to all the major artworks produced by classical civilization.""--The Philadelphia Inquirer ""The changing forms of classical art, the differing societies and patrons for whom artifacts were produced, the roles and objectives of the artists, and the manner in which classical art was disseminated throughout the ancient world are all well analyzed and well presented.""--Library Journal"

Given the importance of Greek and Roman art to the development of Western civilization, this new book is essential to all those interested in art. And, considering the eminence of the writers involved the result is guaranteed to be an impeccable account. Add the high levels of design and production, and the result is both immensely authoritative and attractive, an ideal companion to The Oxford History of the Classical World. Telling a story that spans some 1500 years, the book provides an accessible guide to the development of visual art in ancient Greece and Rome. Carefully selecting its rich illustrations and integrating them with a detailed text, it draws the reader's attention to the meaning and relevance of individual works of art and to the legacy of classical art in general. As they follow their chronological path from the 8th century BC to the Christianization of Rome, the chapters reveal how the arts served very different societies and patrons - tyrannies, democracies, empires - and how the classical style was disseminated far beyond the borders of the Greek and Roman worlds. Above all, however, what emerges from these pages is the splendour and quality of the arts themselves. (Kirkus UK)

Author Information

About the Editor: John Boardman is Lincoln Professor of Classical Archaelogy and Art at Oxford University, and editor of the acclaimed Oxford History of The Classical World, which The New York Times Book Review called ""the finest one-volume survey available.""

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