A radical re-examination of 2,500 years of European art, deconstructing and demystifying its long history from antiquity to the present. How has art evolved from the quest for the 'ideal' human form to a black square on a white canvas? Why is a banana taped to a wall worth more in the art market than a beautiful seventeenth-century landscape? Through a lively and accessible narrative, this volume demonstrates how seemingly useless objects can be transformed into recognized works of art. Breaking down conventional notions of artistic talent, Koenraad Jonckheere explores how stories and emotions give meaning to objects, and why changes in historical contexts cause shifting viewpoints over time. Tracing its history from antiquity to the present, A New History of Western Art reintroduces the evolution of European art and radically reshapes our understanding of art history.