“Art creates great archetypes of which all that exists is but an unfinished copy” - Oscar Wilde. This book is not only about art, but also about how to understand it. The history of art is a fascinating science that allows you to penetrate the mysteries and learn the secrets of the main works created by man. This book contains the main ideas and the most important authors who thought about art, its role in culture, its capabilities and purposes, as well as how to understand this art. The names under the cover of this book are key figures in Russian and foreign art history, from Aristotle to D. Sarabyanov, from Vasari to Heidegger. Carefully selected works in a succinct retelling will allow you to learn the most important things about the history of art, understand basic theories and concepts, form your own ideas and learn to analyze art.