Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

• World Regions

  All regions

  Select a region

  • North America
  • Europe
  • Central and North Asia
  • East Asia
  • Central America
  • South America
  • Africa
  • West Asia
  • Oceania
  • South and Southeast Asia

  Select a time period

  • 8000–2000 B.C.
  • 2000–1000 B.C.
  • 1000 B.C.–1 A.D.
  • 1–500 A.D.
  • 500–1000 A.D.
  • 1000–1400 A.D.
  • 1400–1600 A.D.
  • 1600–1800 A.D.
  • 1800–1900 A.D.
  • 1900 A.D.–Present
• Timelines
  • 8,000–2,000 b.c.
  • 2,000–1,000 b.c.
  • 1,000 b.c.–1 a.d.
  • 1–500 a.d.
  • 500–1,000 a.d.
  • 1,000–1400 a.d.
  • 1400–1600 a.d.
  • 1600–1800 a.d.
  • 1800–1900 a.d.
  • 1900 a.d.–present
• Thematic Essays
  • Recent Additions  |  All Thematic Essays
  • 
    Select a Thematic Category African Art American Art Ancient Near Eastern Art Art of the Americas Asian Art Byzantine Art Egyptian Art European Art Greek and Roman Art Islamic Art Medieval Art Oceanic/Pacific Art Prehistory Select a Department American Decorative Arts American Paintings and Sculpture Ancient Near Eastern Art Arms and Armor Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas Asian Art The Costume Institute Drawings and Prints Education Egyptian Art European Paintings European Sculpture and Decorative Arts Greek and Roman Art Islamic Art The Libraries Medieval Art and The Cloisters Musical Instruments Nineteenth-Century, Modern, and Contemporary Art Objects Conservation Paintings Conservation Paper Conservation Photographs Robert Lehman Collection Scientific Research Textile Conservation

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  • Select a Geographical Region Africa Central America Central and North Asia East Asia Europe North America Oceania South America South and Southeast Asia West Asia All Geographical Regions Select a Time Period 20,000–8000 B.C. 8000–2000 B.C. 2000–1000 B.C. 1000 B.C.–1 A.D. 1–500 A.D. 500–1000 A.D. 1000–1400 A.D. 1400–1600 A.D. 1600–1800 A.D. 1800–1900 A.D. 1900 A.D.–Present All Time Periods
    
• Works of Art
  Recent Additions: A Selection
  
  

  Title Description
  Artist
  Material and Technique
  Credit Line
  Accession Number

• Index

  Subject Index (A–Z)

  • A
  • B
  • C
  • D
  • E
  • F
  • G
  • H
  • I
  • J
  • K
  • L
  • M
  • N
  • O
  • P
  • Q
  • R
  • S
  • T
  • U
  • V
  • W
  • X
  • Y
  • Z

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  Artist Index (A–Z)

  • A
  • B
  • C
  • D
  • E
  • F
  • G
  • H
  • I
  • J
  • K
  • L
  • M
  • N
  • O
  • P
  • Q
  • R
  • S
  • T
  • U
  • V
  • W
  • X
  • Y
  • Z

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  Lists of Rulers

About the Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History

Introduction

The Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History, funded by the Heilbrunn Foundation, New Tamarind Foundation, and Zodiac Fund, is a chronological, geographical, and thematic exploration of the history of art from around the world, as illustrated by the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection. The Metropolitan Museum's curatorial, conservation, and education staff research and write the Timeline, which is an invaluable reference and research tool for students, educators, scholars, and anyone interested in the study of art history and related subjects. First launched in 2000, the Timeline now extends from prehistory to the present day. It will continue to expand in scope and depth, and reflect the most up-to-date scholarship.

Timelines

Timelines provide a linear outline of art history, and allow visitors to compare and contrast art from around the globe at any time in history. Each timeline includes representative art from the Museum's collection, a chart of time periods, a historical overview, a list of key events, and related content.

Thematic Essays

Thematic essays focus on specific themes in art history, including artistic movements and periods, archaeological sites, empires and civilizations, recurrent themes and concepts, media, and artists. They include links to related themes and timelines, and often demonstrate the cross-fertilization of civilizations.

Works of Art

The works of art in the Metropolitan's collection celebrate human creativity from around the world and from all eras. The Timeline places 6000 works in a comprehensive chronological, geographical, and thematic context. Each image can be enlarged for closer scrutiny and is accompanied by supporting material, including when available, links to technical glossaries on CAMEO and artist biographies from Oxford Art Online.

Indexes

The Timeline is indexed by chronology, geography, theme, and subject. Links to world regions, timelines, thematic essays, works of art, and the general index provide methods for more directed research. The bibliography is comprised of the nearly 2,000 Metropolitan Museum of Art publications since 1964, and is further enriched by other publications whose primary focus is on Metropolitan Museum works of art.