Visuality before and beyond the Renaissance examines the phenomenon of "seeing" through a study of art works from Ancient Mesopotamia, China, Africa, and European works ranging from Antiquity to the early modern period. It demonstrates that in ancient and distant societies, the act of seeing has been and is understood in diverse ways with consequences for the production of art, the practice of religion, and the individual's perception of one's world and oneself. Treating diverse cultures and using a variety of methods, this book exposes the cultural contexts in which visual perception develops.