If you've ever found yourself transfixed by a Renaissance painting, fascinated by an Inca textile, or filled with wonder by an exquisite piece of Ming porcelain, this is the book for you. Venture inside its pages and discover exactly what the great artistic periods and movements of the world were all about. Written by an experienced international team of artists, art historians and curators, this absorbing and beautiful book gives you priceless insights into the world's most iconic images. Organized chronologically, the book traces the evolution of artistic development period by period, with the illustrated, in-depth text covering every genre of art, from painting and sculpture to conceptual art and performance.