‘Campbell offers both a lively narrative and a corrective to the “genius” model of art history. Readers will come away with fresh insights into how art gets made.’
– Publishers Weekly

From ancient Babylon to contemporary Pyongyang, the Director of the National Gallery of Ireland illuminates the histories of the cities, artists, and moments in time that have produced some of the world’s most thought-provoking and enduring artworks.

With the ability to transcend the boundaries of time and space, great art is a force for sparking conversation, transforming minds, and invigorating its viewers. In The Power of Art, Caroline Campbell looks beyond the great artists’ personalities to discover the cities and moments in history that inspired and nurtured such widespread creativity and led to the creation of such enduring legacies.

Dr Caroline Campbell is Director of the National Gallery of Ireland. She was previously Director of Collections and Research at the National Gallery in London, a curator at the Ashmolean Museum, Curator of Paintings at the Courtauld Gallery and The Jacob Rothschild Head of the Curatorial Department at the National Gallery.