Leading authorities from both scholarly and museum backgrounds elucidate the evolution of style, form, materials and techiniques, and address concepts of gender, race, patronage, cultural appropriation, continuity versus innovation, and high versus low culture. This landmark publication contributes a definitive classic to existing scholarship while introducing new readers to a rich and rewarding field. Pat Kirkham is a professor at the Bard Graduate Center, where Susan Weber is founder and director."--Back cover.