The History of Modern Painting, Volume 2 (of 4) Revised edition continued by the author to the end of the XIX century

A lively survey of modern painting, this narrative follows the art world’s shift from the detached romanticism of the early nineteenth century to a bustling dialogue with everyday life. It begins with the draughtsmen and caricaturists—Gillray, Daumier, Busch and their peers—who first turned street scenes, politics and satire into fresh visual language, and then moves to England’s own evolution, highlighting portraitists, genre painters and animal specialists who kept the Hogarth‑Reynolds tradition alive while quietly embracing contemporary subjects.

The book expands its scope across Europe, exploring how military uniform became a new costume for artists, how exotic trips to Italy and the East sparked fresh imagination, and how humor and social commentary reshaped genre scenes from the Belgian countryside to German village life. By weaving together anecdotes, critical theory and vivid illustrations, it offers listeners a clear, engaging road map of the forces that propelled painting into the modern age, inviting both newcomers and seasoned art lovers to hear the colors of history come alive.