While in college, my family gave me the hefty, gargantuan, 900+ page, extensive, "A History of Art" by Gowing. Nearly a decade later, and after it has been beaten up because of so many moves, I am now reading it. So far it is has been a great read, as it provides the historical background to the objects of art. The chapters between Egyptian to Roman art give a sense of the type of world Jews during the time of the Bible and first century Christians were living in. I only wish I had read it sooner.

Link: http://pakws.blogspot.com/2008/07/inf... ( )

If any book deserves to be called a tome, this is it. If you own only one volume concerning art history, this is it. Not only do the contributors explore the nuances of each historical art period, they also tie in socioeconomic, political, and psychological impact of each era to provide a fuller view of the art and its times. A necessity for any library.