The author provides a complete history of ancient Greek painting, from the earliest examples in Crete, Thera, and Mycenae to those of the Classical Greek and Roman periods. Through a variety of examples, he shows how these ancient works shaped later ones. Among the works reproduced here are wall paintings from Knossos, Thera, Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Oplontis; vases from the Mycenaean through to the Classical period; reliefs from the Parthenon; and mosaics from Pompeii and Delos. The book also features paintings inspired by antique models in later centuries, by such artists as Mantegna, Titian, Durer, Raphael, Rembrandt, and Rubens.

Author Biography

Stelios Lydakis Professor of history of Art, former director of the Museum of the City of Athens, Vouros-Eutaxias Foundation