Here is a beautiful and beautifully straightforward book about the essential principles of art and art history. In The Informed Eye, Bruce Cole introduces the reader to the properties, concepts, and meanings of Western art through a series of concise, specific explorations (one might call them case studies) of a single work of art or a group of related works. These paintings, sculptures, and buildings from widely varying cultures and times are all major representatives of the scope and diversity of Western culture, from the dawn of ancient civilization to our own time. Mr. Cole explains how art is made, how it functions in society, and how it embodies the ideas and ideals of the cultures in which it was produced. Profusely illustrated with full-color and black-and-white photographs and drawings, The Informed Eye will show the reader how Western art embodies timeless, universal meanings which ennoble those who view it with a critical understanding. And it will enhance the sheer pleasure of looking at and understanding art. The book includes 32 different artists and 128 illustrations, 73 in color.