The Art of Childhood and Adolescence: The Construction of Meaning

The Art of Childhood and Adolescenceis composed of completely new research on the development of representational thinking from infancy to adolescence through art. It will make an important contribution to the theory of children's development and to practitioners' understanding of children's drawings, as well as suggesting new paths of inquiry that will be of interest for many years. The book draws on highly detailed longitudinal studies, conducted over 24 years (20 in London and 4 in Singapore). New line drawings and photographs are used to illustrate important concepts. Matthews, highly respected internationally, also sheds light on current debates, such as the opposition of culturally specific and universal development in children the world over.