National Gallery of Art - Washington: World of Art

This major new addition to the Scala Books list is both a popular guide to the National Gallery of Art and an introduction to the principal themes in Western art history from the 12th century to the present, using examples from the Gallery's permanent collection.

With over 300 color illustrations, this work presents the full scope of the NGA's collections, ranging from paintings and sculpture to prints, drawings and decorative arts. The book is given a unique literary dimension through its use of quotes from artists and writers which accompany the illustrations and main text.

The modern period is given special emphasis: the last six of eleven chapters are devoted to the 19th and 20th centuries, bringing the reader up-to-date, with a straight-forward discussion of contemporary art.