Synopsis From the first cave paintings to modern masterpieces, this book follows the story of painting from the dawn of time right up to the present day. Along the way, you’ll come across all sorts of fascinating facts, intriguing tales and tricks of the trade.

Review: Books purporting to give a ‘story of painting’ or ‘history of Art’ are very common. Can there really be a market for another? Yes, when it’s a charming as this one. It does not go into any particular depth. It’s clearly designed for KS2 and the lower-ability KS3 pupil. But it’s concise, easy to read, visually appealing and arranged in a logical sequence that is both chronological and thematic. The book is illustrated with a combination of full-colour reproductions of famous paintings, and lively drawings. It’s a smaller-format book, not A4, which does cramp the paintings slightly but this size is ideal for smaller hands to cope with.

This book’s main strength is the addition of many little snippets of extra information. It is not a dry and dull recital of the timeline of Western art; it’s got that human touch which appeals to all, young and old. It gives little hints on the symbolism of painting, for example, which is a whole term’s work in itself if you pursue it. Little cartoons show you about lapis lazuli, or monks sewing books together, or paint tied up in pigs’ bladders.

.The book would be a great addition to a primary  aschool library, and useful for a teacher who is looking for some inspiration for a lesson or series of lessons. It’s not a complete reference in itself, but it is a lovely starting point, especially if you feel you’ve ‘done’ the history of painting too many times before, and want a fresh way of looking at it.

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2008-06-24