The image of Europe

"This is a major new study of visual representations of Europe, from the classical world to the present day, in maps, icons, the arts and graphic images of all kinds. Europe has been variously represented as the demi-goddess Europa, a bull, a horse, a son of Noah, a Magus, a queen, and the Empress of the World. This richly illustrated book charts how these visualizations of the continent have altered over time; how they interact with changing ideas of the extent and nature of Europe in relation to the other continents; and how these images have influenced and been influenced by the 'reality' of Europe. Spanning the ages from the Ancient Greeks to the European Union, this history of three millennia of Europe and its representations is an important contribution to ongoing debates about the nature of European identity."--BOOK JACKET.