Certain works of art-Mona Lisa, the Statue of Liberty, Rodin's The Thinker, Grant Wood's American Gothic-are famous to everyone: those who love art and those who are generally indifferent to it. This volume considers 29 works of art and examines the ways in which they have transcended the art world and become facets of the popular imagination. These art biographies are collected in five sections: * Ancient Monuments * Monuments to the Modern World * Renaissance Art * 19th-Century Art * 20th-Century Art Bibliographic entries and a subject index are included, making this the ideal resource for researchers seeking to find valuable analyses that enlighten both these famous works and the cultural traditions from which they have emerged as classics.