In the mid 1920's a teacher at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago had a vision to provide students and instructors with a textbook that would introduce them to the artistic legacy of not only Europe, but of the entire globe. In 1926, Harcourt Brace and Company published that vision - ART THROUGH THE AGES. Since that time, Helen Gardner's vision has been the leader in educating students about the artistic legacy of the world. For the past 75 years, ART THROUGH THE AGES has defined the introductory art history course. The intention of this classic, in Helen Gardner's words, has been to introduce the reader to certain phases of art, architecture, painting, sculpture, and the minor arts from the remote days of the glacial age in Europe, through successive civilizations of the Near East, Europe, America, and the Orient, to the twentieth century. Now, as we begin a new millennium, we do so with the eleventh edition. This text is more accessible and easier to read for students, but does not compromise the richness of the Gardner tradition.