Creation: Art Since the Beginning

A fully illustrated, panoramic world history of art from ancient civilization to the present day, exploring the remarkable endurance of humankind's creative impulse. John-Paul Stonard's "Creation" is an ambitious, thrilling, and landmark work that leads us from Benin to Belgium, China to Constantinople, Mexico to Mesopotamia, and explores how and why we create.

\n Format: Hardback
\n Length: 464 pages
\n Publication date: 14 October 2021
\n Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
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"SELECTED AS A BEST ART BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE SUNDAY TIMES"

Stonard embarks on a sweeping exploration of human history, traversing cultures and hemispheres. His book is a tapestry of brilliance and inventiveness, showcasing myriad flashes of artistic brilliance.

LITERARY REVIEW

A worthy and richly illustrated successor to Ernst Gombrich's legendary The Story of Art, the Sunday Times praises this captivating book as a history of connections. Lucid and thoughtful, it offers a profound exploration of the enduring creative impulse of humankind.

COUNTRY LIFE

A fully illustrated, panoramic world history of art, spanning from ancient civilizations to the present day, this captivating book delves into the remarkable endurance of humankind's creative spirit.

Fifty thousand years ago, on an island in Indonesia, an early human employed red ochre pigment to depict the image of a pig on a limestone cave wall. Simultaneously, in Europe, another individual retrieved a lump of charcoal from a fire and sketched four galloping horses. It was a momentous revelation, akin to a light illuminating the human mind. Through our innate inclination to create images in response to nature, the earliest Homo sapiens were able to comprehend the world around them and flourish.

Now, art historian John-Paul Stonard has embarked on a remarkable journey, traversing continents to present us with a panoramic exploration of the history of art. From ancient Anatolian standing stones to a Qing Dynasty ink handscroll, from a drawing by a Kiowa artist on America's Great Plains to a post-independence Congolese painting, and finally to Rachel Whiteread's iconic House, Stonard's Creation is an ambitious, thrilling, and landmark work that transports us from Benin to Belgium, China to Constantinople, Mexico to Mesopotamia.

Journeying from the depths of pre-history to the present day, this captivating masterpiece delves into the remarkable endurance of human creativity. Each page is a testament to the profound impact of art on our lives, offering a glimpse into the rich tapestry of our shared cultural heritage.

In conclusion, John-Paul Stonard's Creation is a masterpiece that deserves to be celebrated and cherished. It is a testament to the power of art to transcend time and space, connecting us to our past and shaping our future. This book is a must-read for art enthusiasts, history lovers, and anyone seeking to explore the depths of human creativity.

\n Weight: 1568g\n
Dimension: 199 x 255 x 44 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9781408879689\n \n