A Brief History of Foreign Art and Craftsmanship

Author: Zhang Fuye
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2000-07-01
Features: This book is a planned teaching material for vocational schools by the Ministry of Education for practical art majors. It takes the development of foreign handicrafts from ancient times to the present, including stone, ceramics, glass, bamboo and wood, dyeing and weaving, metal, lacquer, ivory, and jade, as its main thread, and comprehensively and systematically discusses the various artistic styles and characteristics formed during their production and development. The content of the book spans a considerable period of time, covering the development and basic characteristics of handicrafts in various historical periods from primitive society to the 1990s. In terms of geographical scope, in addition to providing a detailed discussion of the relatively complete development process of handicrafts in Europe, the book also offers a comprehensive introduction to the development of handicrafts and artistic styles in ancient civilizations such as ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia (the Tigris-Euphrates region), and India. It conducts detailed research and elaboration on the handicrafts and their unique characteristics in ancient Persia, the Mediterranean region, the Islamic region, and ancient Japan. Furthermore, it provides a relatively thorough analysis and introduction to the handicrafts and artistic features in ancient Africa, the Americas, and Oceania. The book is divided into twenty chapters, with each chapter section providing an overview, briefly discussing aspects such as natural environment, ethnicity, religion, and history to help readers grasp the necessary cultural and historical background before studying the history of handicrafts. Starting from the second section, it systematically introduces the development of handicrafts and artistic styles, categorized by material or geographical region. To facilitate readers' learning and understanding, the book selects and includes over 340 illustrations with more than 80 color plates, allowing readers to refer to them at any time.