The most visually appealing of all eight volumes of the Oxford Illustrated Encyclopedia, this extensively illustrated volume offers a wealth of color photographs and drawings to match the exceptional breadth of its subject. With over 3,000 entries, it covers art, architecture, dance, decorative art, music, musical instruments, theatre, and literature from pre-history to the present. Including art from every continent, familiar and unfamiliar masterpieces, and descriptions of the world's greatest literary, artistic, and musical figures–ranging from Aeschylus to Louis Armstrong and Fred Astaire to Diane Arbus–this extensive reference is an indispensable introduction to the engaging world of the arts.