This is a history of one of the central organizing principles in all schools and periods of art. It traces the evolution of the conception and the depiction of space in European and American painting and the ways in which this evolution reflects ideological changes in society over 2000 years.

In this, the first practical guide for the serious artist, William V. Dunning demonstrates how to make the successful transition from art student to independent artist. Filled with personal anecdotes and stories from and about luminaries in the art world -- from DaVinci to Albers -- the book is a standard reference for all art students.