The authors show how the idea of art has developed in the last 5,000 years and how we have reached the point we are at now. They provide a complete survey of all of the aesthetic, historical and practical questions that surround the idea of art. it's a concise and coherent overview/introduction to the main ideas that have shaped western art and culture from the ancient Greeks up to the present day. This is a unique introduction to the ideas of art and not only describes the theories of art but puts them in an historical context to give the reader a wider understanding. Clearly written in demystifies complex theories of art and shows the reader how to make sense of the history of art and of how theory has influenced artists. Illustrated by key images from art history it allows the reader to grasp both the ideas and the images, and how they relate. There are references to Eastern art and other art traditions and these are related to the development of Western art. Contemporary art and art theories are also dealt with, providing the most complete introduction to art theory in existence.