The author was faced with the task of creating such an art history that could serve as an introduction to the study of art. The pedagogical experience of the author convinced him that the study of art history is fruitful only when acquaintance with monuments and masters, memorization of names and dates is accompanied by successes in understanding art, the development of artistic taste. This confidence of the author determined the construction of his book. She turns not only to the reader's mental abilities and to his memory, but also to his aesthetic feeling, to his critical instinct. It should be read not only in order to assimilate the general provisions expressed in it and memorize the information it provides, but primarily in order to understand the main ways of the historical development of the artistic culture of mankind and learn to understand and appreciate old and modern art.