Art Firsts

The story of art is not always the story of art-historical 'isms' and complex
academic debate. The real history is often the story of some very simple
firsts - the first time an artist painted themselves, the first time someone
painted a smile, the first actual place to be depicted, the first feminist
artwork, the first anti-war work.

Art evolves and revolutionises itself through these simple - but ground-
breaking - creative leaps. Art Firsts brings together 30 of these pioneering
firsts to piece together an original approach to looking at and appreciating
art, as well as understanding where it has come from and how it relates to
you. Each first is approachable and engaging, while each work is simply and
satisfyingly explained. Every work is also fully illustrated, and its
significance is shown through images of the subsequent artists directly
inspired by them. Art Firsts offers a refreshing and fascinating narrative for
those curious about why so-called 'masterpieces' are so important and how the
story of art can be boiled down to flashes of fascinating brilliance.