A Little History of Art

by Charlotte Mullins

Overview

A thrilling journey through 100,000 years of art, from the first artworks ever made to art’s central role in culture today 

Art can help us see the world differently or understand our place in it a little more clearly. It can move us emotionally, even if sometimes we cannot explain why. It is powerful stuff.
 
Roaming from Japan and India to South America and the Middle East, Charlotte Mullins showcases a host of overlooked artists, and celebrates art’s crucial place in our collective culture. This Little History introduces us to extraordinary anonymous creations such as the Terracotta Army, Renaissance masters like Donatello and Michelangelo, and modern trailblazers like Frida Kahlo, Barbara Hepworth and Yayoi Kusama.
 
Little Histories – Inspiring Guides for Curious Minds

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780300278354
Publisher:	Yale University Press
Publication date:	05/13/2025
Series:	Little Histories
Pages:	336
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 7.70(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Charlotte Mullins is an art critic, writer and broadcaster. Currently art critic at Country Life, she was formerly editor of Art Review, V&A Magazine and Art Quarterly. She has published over a dozen books on visual art.

Table of Contents

1 First Marks 1

2 The Story Unfolds 9

3 The Illusion of Life 17

4 Copycats 25

5 Paths to the Afterlife 33

6 Art Embraces Religion 41

7 Storm Clouds Gather 48

8 The Art of Propaganda 56

9 Masons, Moai and Materials 63

10 The Renaissance Begins 70

11 Northern Lights 77

12 A Matter of Perspective 85

13 East Meets West 92

14 The Return of Rome 100

15 Fire and Brimstone 108

16 Here Come the Barbarians 115

17 The Reign in Spain 123

18 The Theatre of Life 131

19 New Ways of Seeing 139

20 The Lie of the Land 146

21 Still Life and Life Stilled 153

22 Rococo Escapism and London Life 161

23 The Royal Academy: Home and Away 169

24 Liberty, Equality, Fraternity? 177

25 Romanticism to Orientalism 185

26 Reality Bites 193

27 The Impressionists 201

28 Artists Take a Stand 209

29 The Post-Impressionists 217

30 Standing on the Shoulders of Giants 225

31 Ripping up the Rule Book 233

32 Art Becomes Political 241

33 Land of the Free? 249

34 The Aftermath of War 257

35 American Art Comes of Age 265

36 Sculpture Breaks the Mould 273

37 We Don't Need Another Hero 281

38 A Postmodern World 289

39 Go Large or Go Home 297

40 Art as Resistance 305

Illustration Credits 312

Index 318

Editorial Reviews

This lively volume is ideal for the precocious high-schooler, the lazy collegian . . . and any adult who wishes for greater mastery of the subject. . . . Mullins leav[es] readers with an expansive, no-regrets appreciation of art and the human story.”—Meghan Cox Gurdon, Wall Street Journal

“Author and art historian Charlotte Mullins aims to challenge the ‘myopic prioritisation of male Western art’ in earlier art history publications.”—Gareth Harris, Art Newspaper

“While this slim single volume, the size of a paperback, is necessarily a distillation of art’s story, it is a story that now includes many different artists from around the world. I hope it highlights the ongoing power of art to move us, to speak beyond words, to talk to our emotions directly, to have an impact.”—History News Network

“An energetic, illuminating and wonderful book.”—Edmund de Waal

“Brilliantly insightful. A fresh take on art history as we know it.”—Katy Hessel, host of The Great Women Artists Podcast

“Charlotte Mullins’ A Little History of Art is a wonderfully refreshing, inclusive and readable romp through global art history. At once erudite and accessible, I can’t recommend it enough—I wish it had been available when I was an art student!”—Jennifer Higgie, author of The Mirror and the Palette

“Charlotte Mullins tells the story of art with a wonderfully vivid style, taking the reader on an exhilarating time-travelling journey, covering thousands of years and hundreds of artworks.”—Will Gompertz, author of What Are You Looking At?

“A remarkable achievement. Charlotte Mullins tells a story of human creativity that takes us around the world and across vast panoramas of time. She introduces each of her chosen topics with lucid prose, guiding us deftly through changing artistic landscapes and bringing us face to face with artists as they work: we step with her into prehistoric French caves, Florentine squares and New York lofts. A Little History of Art will not only be an inspiring introduction to young readers—its pages contain much to intrigue and entertain anyone interested in human culture.”—Susan Owens, author of Spirit of Place
 
“Ambitious in scope and beguilingly written, this is a ‘little’ history with great soul.” —Jacqueline Riding, author of Hogarth: Life in Progress
 
“Charlotte Mullins brings art history to life in this compact and exciting retelling of the story of art. Inclusive and expansive, it is the perfect book for art students and those who want to understand, explore and enjoy the important impact art is continuing to have on the world.”—Axel Rüger, secretary and chief executive of the Royal Academy of Arts
 

From the Publisher