Painting a vivid portrait of art throughout history, showing how it has changed the world, one artistic movement at a time, this book illustrates how artists bring their ideas to life, explores various techniques and shows how art can affect the way we think and feel.

At head of title: DK. Includes index.

What's the point of art? -- What's the point of looking at ancient art? -- What's the point of looking at medieval and renaissance art? -- What's the point of looking at 17th and 18th century art? -- What's the point of looking at 19th century art? -- What's the point of looking at modern art? -- What's the point of looking at contemporary art?