This book explores the historiography of ancient Near Eastern and Classical art by examining the social, intellectual and institutional contexts that have influenced the way that the history of ancient art is written. It demonstrates how the study and interpretation of ancient art reflect contemporary ideas and practices from the Renaissance to the present. Among the subjects considered are the classical tradition in the post-antique West; the emergence of academic disciplines; the role of museums in the evaluation of ancient art; and issues of race, gender and cultural authority in the interpretation of ancient civilizations.