History of Art is the first survey to recognize that the modernization and expansion of museum exhibition space over the past thirty years has increased the subject matter available to general students of Western art. How can one make sense of this rich history without being daunted by innumerable dates, places, and names? French scholar Thullier has created an equal balance of copious illustration with his superb critical text. He explores the art of each historical period by medium: painting, sculpture, and architecture. Filled with exquisite reproductions of unparalleled quality, this is the ultimate art reference book for readers.

Jacques Thuillier is a professor at the Collège de France, the Sorbonne, and Dijon University, and has served for nearly 20 years on an international committee for instruction in the history of art. A world-renowned specialist of seventeenth century art, he has published numerous works and organized many exhibitions on French painting.