In spite of all the changes in our values and beliefs, the art of the Middle Ages still speaks to us across the centuries. Not only do the great cathedrals remain, many with their spectacular decorations and stained glass, but also a rich treasure trove of paintings, manuscript illuminations, tapestries, sculpture and jewelry.

This study encompasses the whole period from Early Christian to late Gothic, the whole of Europe from Ireland to Byzantium, and the whole range of art and architecture. The connections between art and society are particularly stressed, as are the ways in which artistic techniques – such as those used in metalwork and textiles – determined what was produced.

Comprehensive and accessible, as well as lavishly illustrated, this is the ideal introduction to a subject that is both visually exciting and profoundly significant to Western culture.