As Hippocrates said, "Art is long and life is short." Through an
inexhaustible variety of media, in forms as diverse and surprising as
history itself, artists and craftspeople have always expressed the
common needs and yearnings of humankind. From ancient works in wood,
clay and precious metals to Modern painting, metalwork, sculpture and
video, the varied collections of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston,
provide an unrivaled telling of the story of art. This new, fully
updated and redesigned edition of the definitive guide to the MFA's most
enduring masterpieces provides a window on works that have surprised,
delighted and inspired visitors since the museum opened in 1876.
Featuring more than 500 objects, from Native American ceramics to
European shoes, Egyptian funerary arts and Warhol silk screens, The MFA
Handbook reproduces these works in vibrant color, accompanied by brief,
incisive commentaries.