The texts of the book are interventions in a discussion, sometimes explicit with named interlocutors, sometimes silent with unknown colleagues and writers, who have nonetheless shaped some of the current or prevailing views on a subject.

The volume includes, among other things, articles on El Greco, the work of Bernini, Frederik Antal as a critic of 18th-century painting, the painting of Louis David, an overview of trends in contemporary art, criticism of the work of Dimitris Pikionis, an analysis of the relationship between artistic centers and the periphery, as well as a perspective on what is referred to as 'social art history.'

The edition is accompanied by 320 color and black-and-white photographs, as well as detailed annotations.

[Excerpt from a publisher's or edition's presentation text]