Well into the 21st century, paintings have lost none of their ability to engage our emotions and our imaginations. From Roman mummy portraits to Vermeer's serene interiors, and from the masterpieces of Impressionism to Rothko's lofty abstraction, this gloriously illustrated book reveals how materials, techniques, and ideas have evolved over the centuries, inspiring painters and giving them the means to create their most celebrated works. Covering such topics as the first pigments, linear perspective in Renaissance paintings, the influence of photography, and the birth of modern art, this tome surveys 25,000 years of vital art history.