Art

The Whole Story

By: Stephen Farthing

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16 August 2026

At a Glance

Dimensions(cm)
24.9 x 4.4 x 183.6

RRP $64.99

$48.99

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An accessible and hugely popular history of art explained through many of the world's most famous masterpieces.

Written by an international team of artists, art historians and curators, this absorbing and beautiful book gives readers unparalleled insights into the world's most iconic artworks. Art: The Whole Story traces the development of art period by period, with the illustrated text covering every genre, from painting and sculpture to conceptual art and performance art. Cultural timelines are there too, to help to the reader with historical context.

Masterpieces that epitomize each period or movement are highlighted and analysed in detail. Everything from use of colour and visual metaphors to technical innovations is explained, enabling you to interpret the meanings of world-famous masterpieces - Mughal miniatures; Japanese prints in the 19th century; the colour theories behind Seurat's remarkable La Grande Jatte; and why Picasso's Les Demoiselles d'Avignon was so shocking in its day.

About the Author

Stephen Farthing is a painter and the Rootstein Hopkins Research Professor of Drawing at the University of the Arts, London.

Industry Reviews

The perfect present for someone preparing for an art-history course at university. It's a bargain, too

Sunday Times

Stephen Farthing has done an amazing job of packing a comprehensive, if concise, history of world art into a hefty but manageable tome

RA Magazine

Perfectly designed as a one-stop reference guide: one to dip in and out of, rather than read from cover to cover ... indispensable

Artists & Illustrators

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