Metropolis - Ten Cities, Ten Centuries

In tracing the evolution of the metropolis, architectural illustrator Albert Lorenz dazzles readers with his extraordinary visual depictions of some of the greatest defining moments in human history. Ranging from the pinnacles of human achievement in art, technology, and architecture to wars and plagues, we see how these forces have shaped our urban centers. Nineteenth-century London, for example, depicts the Industrial Revolution-age city, while 16th-century Florence is a center of refinement and enlightenment.

We are led, ultimately, to the emergence of the modern mega-metropolis, 20th-century New York. Lorenz employs such illustrative techniques as aerial perspectives and cut-away views into buildings in order to capture as many details as possible. Each of the 10 mini-chapters is a visual realm unto itself; a completely illustrated timeline unites them. One of the most memorable illustrations is Lorenz's imagining of the countless artists and craftsmen building the glorious Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. The full-color illustrations throughout effectively educate both kids and adults about art, culture, and architecture.