This clear and concise new introduction examines all the major debates and issues in the field of art history, using a wide range of well-known examples. Dana Arnold also examines the many different ways of writing about art, and the changing boundaries of the subject of art history.

Other topics covered include the canon of art history, the role of the gallery, "blockbuster" exhibitions, the emergence of social histories of art (such as feminist art history or queer art history), and the impact of photography. The development of art history using artifacts such as the altarpiece, the portrait, or pornography to explore social and cultural issues such as consumption, taste, religion, and politics is discussed. And the book also explains how the traditional emphasis on periods and styles originated in western art production and can obscure other approaches.

这本清晰简明的新介绍利用大量知名的例子，研究了艺术史领域的所有主要争论和问题。达纳-阿诺德还研究了关于艺术的许多不同的写作方式，以及艺术史主题的变化边界。

涵盖的其他主题包括艺术史的典范、画廊的作用、"大片 "展览、艺术的社会历史的出现（如女权主义艺术史或同性恋艺术史）以及摄影的影响。书中讨论了艺术史的发展，利用祭坛画、肖像画或色情制品等人工制品来探讨社会和文化问题，如消费、品味、宗教和政治。书中还解释了传统上对时期和风格的强调是如何起源于西方艺术生产，并可能掩盖其他方法。