This volume offers a celebration of 50 contemporary artists from around the world who have chosen to create the human form in clay. The text includes a detailed account of each artist's work, along with biographical details and descriptions of working methods. Each artist has been asked to nominate a major source of inspiration - whether another artist or key work, in any medium and from any culture - giving the reasons for their choice. The resulting illustrations - ranging from the Willendorf Venus to a Michelangelo Pieta - combine with photographs of the artists' work to make this a book that should inform and inspire.