The Silk Road: Art and History

A celebration of the cultural heritage of the countries along the Silk Route, this book explores the ancient trade route between Europe and the Far East, more specifically between Rome and the old Chinese capital of Xian. It examines the beautiful works of art discovered in each country, and sets them in their historical and geographical context. The author provides a comprehensive history of the Silk Road. Drawing freely on anecdotes, and literary and historical sources, he examines the lives of the merchants and other travellers who used this route and the way in which their activities related to the works of art that were created. Vignettes and poems from the heyday of the great trading route punctuate a lively and colourful book, which also benefits from Antonia Tozer's exceptionally evocative photographs of landscapes and people.Chapters range from Precursors and The Manufacture of Silk, through China and Central Asia to Rediscovery in the Twentieth Century and Lost Art of the Silk Road. There is a glossary of foreign and technical terms, as well as chronologies for each period of history for the main sections of the Silk Road, and a bibliography and index.Jonathan Tucker and Antonia Tozer are partners in both business and marriage. They operate a gallery in St James, London, and are both former employees of Spink and Son, where Jonathan ran the Indian and Souhtheast Asian department and Antonia was a specialist in the Chinese department. They both share a passion for the culture and history of Asia and much of their recent travel has been to research The Silk Rood: Art and History.Jonathan Tucker is the author of 'The Silk Road: Art and History', published 2003 under ISBN 9781588860224 and ISBN 1588860221.