In his introduction, Stelios Lydakis notes, "It would be impossible foran art historian to study the works of antiquity without extensivereference to their influence on the art of the centuries thatfollowed." Lydakis provides a complete history of ancient Greekpainting from the earliest examples in Crete, Thera, and Mycenae tothose of the classical and Roman epochs. Through a multitude ofexamples, he shows how these ancient works shaped modern ones. Theliterary references he considers include the works of Lucian,Philostratos, Pausanias, and Pliny the Elder. The works of artreproduced include wall paintings from the Palace of Knossos, Thera,Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Oplontis; vases from the Mycenaean throughthe Classical periods; reliefs from the Parthenon; and mosaics fromPompeii and Delos. The book also features paintings made in latercenturies by such artists as Mantegna, Titian, Durer, Raphael,Rembrandt, and Rubens that were inspired by antique models.