Numerous literary sources testify to how beloved ancient Greek painting was in its time. Of all the masterpieces mentioned, nothing has survived. However, various archaeological findings, the countless unpublished works about Greek painters, and the expressions of admiration from the Roman imperial period do not completely dispel our hopes of forming an image of ancient Greek painting.

Therefore, we could liken the multitude of lost masterpieces to a extinguished distant star whose light reaches us only through the light it once emitted in the distant past. Ingeborg Seibler collects and processes the information provided by various sources. She thus explores ancient Greek painting from different perspectives, shedding light on the influence exerted by its greatest works, the thematic message, and the original significance of the paintings in their surroundings, as well as their appearance, style, colors, expressive means, and the changes in the function and content of the representations.

Her book reveals the value, high quality, and timeless allure of an art lost in the flow of historical time.