This volume investigates how diverse ancient civilizations conceptualized and represented the relationship between landscape and space within their respective artistic traditions. Edited by Jaś Elsner, the text compiles scholarly contributions that analyze the visual and spatial logic of Chinese, Mesoamerican, Ancient Greek, and Roman cultures. By examining these distinct geographic and temporal contexts, the contributors provide a framework for understanding how spatial perception is mediated through artistic production and cultural ideology.

Scholars and students of art history frequently cite this collection as a rigorous comparative resource for understanding cross-cultural spatial concepts. Experts highlight the academic density of the prose and the depth of the interdisciplinary research presented by the contributors.