By placing the material firmly in its social and cultural context, Malek is able to explain many of the subtleties and complexities of the relationship between life and art in the pharaonic period. No other book on Egyptian art gives quite so strong a sense of the painting and statuary as almost inevitable products of the culture of ancient Egypt.-Ian Shaw, Department of Archaeology, Liverpool University
A fascinating survey of how Egypt's own history influenced its art forms and genres over three thousand years.-Betsy Bryan, Department of Near Eastern Studies, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore
On the Art & Ideas series
Art & Ideas has broken new ground in making accessible authoritative views on periods, movements and concepts in art. As a series it represents a real advance in publishing.-Sir Nicholas Serota, Director, Tate London
The format is wonderful and offers what had long been missing in academic studies: usable manuals for specific themes or periods... I am definitely not alone in welcoming Art & Ideas as a precious set of teaching tools.-Joachim Pissarro, Yale University
Phaidon's series may prove to be the pick of the crop. It boasts expert but undogmatic texts and a wealth of illustrations.-The Sunday Telegraph
