Below are links to each section of the site. The name
of each era is clickable. Each section includes an
overview and a list and explanation of terms
for the era.

An overview of Pre-history and the cultures of the ancient word including Egypt, Mesopotamia, & the Aegean
An introduction to the beginnings of Greek culture.
A view of the height of Greek culture with concentration on art & history
Rome rises and conquers the world. An view of Roman culture and the rise and fall of Roman politics.
The religion that emerged out of Judaism under the Roman Empire. An explanation of basic beliefs, and a perspective on Christianity's survival & influence.
The heir of the Roman Empire. A look at the remains of Roman power. 
The struggle for survival in the West.  A look at the philosophy & ingenuity of the "dark ages." 
The West rises, using practicality and faith. An overview emphasizing philosophy, literature, and the Gothic Cathedral.
Crisis strikes, sparking change and ushering in the Renaissance.
The Eastern scolars flee Westward, carrying with them the knowledge of 500 years.  The West rediscovers the knowledge of the Greeks, and begins a rebirth of culture.
The explosion of  culture continues, moving its center from Florence to Rome.  A look at the art and individuals of the era.
The Renaissance was different in the North of Europe.  Always unique, Northern Europe broke from its Southern relatives, embracing Protestantism and pushing art in new directions.
The elaborate & emotional heir of the Renaissance, Baroque filled the South with Catholic zeal and the North with scientific discovery.
Frilly & frivolous, Rococo expressed the lack of reality in the lives of Europe's nobility in its heyday.
Tired of the abuses of governments based on heredity rather than ability or money, the rest of society revolted.
A world filled with revolution & science inspired artists to turn to the world within, and art turned to the fantastic and introspective.
Culture returned to its Medieval home -- Paris.  Free communication among a community of artists, coupled with new discoveries in science created a new perspective on art.
Made cynical by the horrors of war, artists struggled to make sense of a world that seemed insane.  How can art reflect a reality more bizarre than the imagination can conceive?
Art continues to provide commentary on a shrinking, but increasingly isolated globe.

 

The beautiful artwork on this page is courtesy of: