Europe 101 Slideshows
Europe 101: History & Art for the Traveler — just released in an all-new, full-color edition — is written for smart people who slept through their art and history classes before they knew they'd travel someday. Here are some painless little slideshows to help bring your Travel I.Q. up to speed. To get the most out of your next trip to Europe, get the book first!
Egypt 101
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The bedrock of Western civilization, Egypt continues to fascinate. Even if you're not going to Egypt, its art is everywhere in Europe. Pointy Egyptian obelisks dot busy squares in Europe's major capitals. Museums house statues of pharaohs, mummies of dead nobles, and the tombs they were buried in, including pieces of the greatest of the tombs — the pyramids. Egypt dominated for 2,000 years, and its sturdy art seems to have also been built for eternity.
Greece 101
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Ancient Greece gave us democracy, mathematics, philosophy, and the Olympic Games. Their art reflects an optimism that the world is orderly and rational. Statues show their gods in human form and humans as godlike — realistic, balanced, and beautiful. Besides the famous Golden Age of Athens, earlier Greek civilizations also flourished and produced sightworthy art. Whether you're traveling to Greece, Italy — or even London — you'll encounter the Greek legacy.
Ancient Rome 101
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Born when two orphans were taken in by a mother wolf, ancient Rome expanded to eventually conquer most of Europe, ruling for a thousand years. The pragmatic Romans used their concrete-and-arch technology to build huge public buildings — stadiums, aqueducts, temples, and triumphal arches. As it declined, Rome adopted the Christian faith, and when Rome was overrun by barbarians, its grandeur lived on in the Catholic Church.
Middle Ages 101
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The thousand "middle" years — between the Fall of Rome and the Renaissance — were a time of poverty, plagues, ignorance, and crude art. The flickering torch of ancient Roman learning was carried through this dark time by Christian monks, Venetian merchants, and the enlightened Muslim civilization situated on Europe's fringes. Fueled by their Christian faith, Europeans erected soaring cathedrals and launched vicious Crusades. After the year 1000, Europe's economy began to rebound, led by a handful of prosperous Italian cities.
The Renaissance 101
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The "rebirth" of the knowledge and art of the ancient world began in Florence, spread to Rome, and eventually moved north like a warm front across all of Europe. Architects built ingenious domes and painters discovered how to paint realistic works with the illusion of 3-D. Sculptors revived the pagan gods, creating realistic, heroic statues in the Greek style. Some of Europe's most iconic images — David, Mona Lisa, Botticelli's Venus — are products of this 150-year-long cultural boom.
The Reformation and Age of Discovery 101
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The Renaissance had sparked the exploration of new lands and of new ideas. Spanish and Portuguese sailors brought home the riches of Asia, Africa, and the newly-discovered Americas. At home, Martin Luther challenged the authority of the popes in Rome, creating the Protestant faith and igniting wars that rippled across Europe. As religious authority waned, modern secular nation-states were born, ruled by powerful kings.
Absolutism and the Divine Monarchs
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Strong kings and bishops kept their subjects in line, wowing them with lavish palaces and churches decorated in the flamboyant art style called Baroque. Louis XIV's palace at Versailles set the standard that was mimicked by lesser nobles across Europe. They hired artists like Bernini and Rubens to create statues and paintings that were big, colorful, dynamic, and charged with extreme emotions. But while nobles in palaces sipped their tea with pinkies raised, trouble was brewing among the masses...
The Age of Enlightenment
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In France, a Revolution exploded. They lopped off the king's head and introduced bold ideas of liberty, equality, and brotherhood. Napoleon Bonaparte spread these values across the Continent as his armies toppled kings and nobles (before he too proved to be a tyrant). While Napoleon was defeated and the old order was temporarily reinstated, Europe's political landscape had been changed forever.
The 19th Century: A Europe 101 Slideshow
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The Industrial Revolution's iron-and-steam technology changed every aspect of people's lives. Trains and instant communication laced Europe together, factories belched smoke, and mass-produced machines replaced human beings. Romantics rebelled against this overly-rational society, creating colorful art that celebrated Nature and powerful human emotions. As the century waned, Europe reached its peak of wealth and world dominance. Impressionists captured snapshots of this placid society, pioneering a new painting style that rendered everyday scenes with a mosaic of bright colors.
The 20th Century: A Europe 101 Slideshow
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Shattered by two World Wars, accelerated by technology, and pressurized by great cultural changes — it was a turbulent and exciting time. The art of the period reflected that turmoil, as artists abandoned reality to paint the jumbled chaos around them. As the century progressed, the Berlin Wall came down, and suddenly "Europe" doubled in size. Though America has come to dominate the world, Europe thrives, and appears to be on the leading edge as we steam into the future.
Art Appreciation : A Europe 101 Slideshow
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The best artists are maestros at techniques that communicate mood. Learn about composition and perspective, as well as some common subjects depicted in art. Load up on this information, along with specific tips on museum-going, and you'll increase your understanding of the magnificent art you'll see in Europe.