This is a breathtaking and superbly designed volume on the influential Baroque and Rococo art movements. It is magnificently illustrated, with fascinating expert analysis. It is a beautiful gift-book. An era of exuberant creativity is the focus of this magnificently illustrated art book. The Baroque art of the 17th century was characterised by unbridled emotion, intricate decorative flourishes and a dramatic use of light, reaching its summit in works such as Bernini's magnificent altarpiece, "The Ecstasy of St. Theresa". Over time, starting in France, this robust genre evolved into the more ornate and sensuously playful Rococo, a style epitomised by the opulent paintings of Watteau. This beautifully produced in-depth exploration of both movements guides the reader through more than a century of art history, exploring the lives and works of sculptors such as Bernini, painters such as Watteau, Boucher, Rubens and Hogarth, architects such as Christopher Wren and many other major figures in both the decorative and the fine arts.