Composition Unlock the ideas and decisions behind art's greatest masterpieces

A comprehensive and contemporary guide to every decision an artist or creative make

The rules of composition have changed. Discover the new ideas that shape the art we make today.

The art world has changed almost beyond recognition since the first principles of composition were invented in classical times with the aim of achieving harmonious design. Today, artists have different concerns. Scientific, technological and social advances have changed the way we see reality; the way we view our subjects and tell their stories. Artists and art lovers need a new set of tools and ideas to navigate this world.

For the first time, in this book, composition is comprehensively explored for the modern world, taking in the full diversity of approach and experience that makes art so exciting today. Goldsmiths, University of London, professor and art writer Michael Archer outlines all the key developments in composition from the optical revolution of the nineteenth century to the contemporary concerns of the twenty-first century.

Michael Archer is a Professor of Art at Goldsmiths, teaching critical studies and art and design history and theory, as well as a widely published critic and art writer. His work has appeared in newspapers and journals including Artforum, Art Monthly, Frieze, Parkett and the Guardian and in numerous catalogues. He is the author of Art Since 1960 (Thames & Hudson 1997/2002, new edition forthcoming), and contributed chapters on modern and contemporary art to Hugh Honour and John Fleming's A World History of Art. He holds a BA in History of Art from the University of Cambridge and an MA in Aesthetic Education from Manchester University.