This groundbreaking volume examines the extraordinary artistic and cultural traditions of the African region known as the Sahel ("shore" in Arabic), a vast area on the southern edge of the Sahara Desert that includes present-day Senegal, Mauritania,...

The Diamond Mountains, known in Korea as Mount Geumgang, are perhaps the most famous and emotionally resonant site on the Korean Peninsula, a breathtaking range of rocky peaks, waterfalls, lagoons, and manmade pavilions. For centuries the range has i...

This engaging book offers an introduction to and overview of armor in Europe from the Middle Ages through the 17th century, focusing in particular on the 16th century when plate armor reached its peak of stylistic beauty and functional perfection. Cr...

The first comprehensive English monograph on an outstanding 17th-century artist In the years following Caravaggio's death, the French-born painter Valentin de Boulogne (1591-1632) emerged as one of the greatest masters of naturalistic painting, demon...

Artists from the kingdom of Kongo – a vast swath of Central Africa that today encompasses the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Angola-were responsible for outstanding creative achievements. With the influx of Portuguese, Dutch...

Chinese ceramics are among the most significant and widely collected decorative arts produced anywhere in the world, with a history that spans millennia. Despite the saturation of Chinese ceramics in global culture – in English, the word "china" has...

Among glass craftsmen active in the first century A.D., the most famous and gifted was Ennion, who came from the coastal city of Sidon in modern Lebanon. Ennion's glass stood out for its quality and popularity, and his products are distinguished by t...

A pictorial survey of Egyptian art and history from Paleolithic times to the present, with cross-cultural references.