Civilisation

Kenneth Clark's sweeping narrative looks at how Western Europe evolved in the wake of the collapse of the Roman Empire, to produce the ideas, books, buildings, works of art and great individuals that make up our civilisation.

The author takes us from Iona in the ninth century to France in the twelfth, from Florence to Urbino, from Germany to Rome, England, Holland and America. Against these historical backgrounds he sketches an extraordinary cast of characters -- the men and women who gave new energy to civilisation and expanded our understanding of the world and of ourselves. He also highlights the works of genius they produced -- in architecture, sculpture and painting, in philosophy, poetry and music, and in science and engineering, from Raphael's School of Athens to the bridges of Brunel.

“Kenneth Clark has used his masterly knowledge and understanding of the arts of Western Civilisation to describe and appraise its creative achievements. - Times Literary Supplement He convincingly makes the case for the development of European art and architecture since the end of the Roman Empire as the foundations on which modern Western society rests - Lloyd's List Combines great learning with a shrewd mind, a wonderful eye and an admirable generosity of taste ... again and again he compels us to look at some more or less familiar work of art and see it afresh. - Observer He is without equal - The Listener One of the too few living authors who tempt me to use superlatives, and also the best for making his profound feeling for the arts contagious. The book glows with excitement for us general readers. - Sunday Times The most famous art historian of his generation - The Herald magazine Civilisation is an improving text, even after 35 years - Paul Lay, BBC History”

Kenneth Clark has used his masterly knowledge and understanding of the arts of Western Civilisation to describe and appraise its creative achievements. - Times Literary Supplement

He convincingly makes the case for the development of European art and architecture since the end of the Roman Empire as the foundations on which modern Western society rests - Lloyd's List

Combines great learning with a shrewd mind, a wonderful eye and an admirable generosity of taste ... again and again he compels us to look at some more or less familiar work of art and see it afresh. - Observer

He is without equal - The Listener

One of the too few living authors who tempt me to use superlatives, and also the best for making his profound feeling for the arts contagious. The book glows with excitement for us general readers. - Sunday Times

The most famous art historian of his generation - The Herald magazine

Civilisation is an improving text, even after 35 years - Paul Lay, BBC History

Kenneth Clark was born in 1903 and was educated at the University of Oxford. Aged 30, he was appointed Director of the National Gallery - he remained there until 1945. He has been Slade Professor of Fine Art at Oxford, Chairman of the Arts Council and Chairman of the Independent Television Authority. He was knighted in 1938 and made a Life Peer in 1969. In 1976 he was awarded the Order of Merit. He is widely known for his television programmes on art, as well as for his writing.

Kenneth Clark's sweeping narrative looks at how Western Europe evolved in the wake of the collapse of the Roman Empire, to produce the ideas, books, buildings, works of art and great individuals that make up our civilisation.The author takes us from Iona in the ninth century to France in the twelfth, from Florence to Urbino, from Germany to Rome, England, Holland and America. Against these historical backgrounds he sketches an extraordinary cast of characters -- the men and women who gave new energy to civilisation and expanded our understanding of the world and of ourselves. He also highlights the works of genius they produced -- in architecture, sculpture and painting, in philosophy, poetry and music, and in science and engineering, from Raphael's School of Athens to the bridges of Brunel.

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