Art Firsts The Story of Art in 30 Pioneering Works

The story of art is not always the story of art-historical 'isms' and complex academic debate. The real history is often the story of some very simple firsts - the first time an artist painted themselves, the first time someone painted a smile, the first actual place to be depicted, the first feminist artwork, the first anti-war work.

Art evolves and revolutionises itself through these simple - but ground-breaking - creative leaps. Art Firsts brings together 30 of these pioneering firsts to piece together an original approach to looking at and appreciating art, as well as understanding where it has come from and how it relates to you. Each first is approachable and engaging, while each work is simply and satisfyingly explained. Every work is also fully illustrated, and its significance is shown through images of the subsequent artists directly inspired by them. Art Firsts offers a refreshing and fascinating narrative for those curious about why so-called 'masterpieces' are so important and how the story of art can be boiled down to flashes of fascinating brilliance.

Nick Trend is a journalist and art historian. As Chief Culture Editor for the travel desk of the Daily Telegraph, he has spent nearly three decades writing about the world's art treasures and has produced guides to many of the greatest museums and art collections. He has also worked on the curatorial staff at the National Gallery in London and has a degree in English Literature from Cambridge and a PhD in Art History from the University of East Anglia.