Victor Ambrus

The paintings of Victor Ambrus are beloved by several generations. During his life he illustrated over 300 books on classical and historical subjects in his own instantly recognisable style, amassing what amounts to a visual record of the entire history of warfare, brought together here. With a concise text explaining the background to each battle scene, Battlefield Panoramas is a joy to browse through and will win a place on the shelves of all those with an interest in conflict — or simply a love of illustration. Beginning with the siege of Troy, the many scenes chart the history of human warfare, from Caesar’s invasion of Britain and the Viking raid on Lindisfarne, to the battles of Hastings, Agincourt and Sedgemoor and the siege of Athlone; from the storming of the Bastille and the Franco-Prussian War to the First World War and the 1956 Hungarian uprising – an illustration made all the more powerful when you know that Victor was there.

This book tells the story of Somerset’s archaeology and history, from the earliest times up to the twentieth century. Generously illustrated with drawings by the internationally renowned artist Victor Ambrus, best known for his appearances on Channel 4’s Time Team, this graphic recreation of places and events offers a visually exciting history of Somerset sure to be enjoyed by all who know and love the county. The illustrations, many of which were done on site and have never been published before, are accompanied by photographs of locations and archaeological objects, bringing Somerset’s past to life.

Since 1994, when the first Time Team programme was broadcast, archaeology has been brought to life for millions of people. This book combines the talents of two of the programme's key players in an exciting series of reconstructions. Victor Ambrus has produced hundreds of sketches and drawings of archaeological sites and the lives of those who would have inhabited them. For the first time his drawings of individual excavations have been brought together to provide a dramatic chronological survey of British History. Add to this Mick Aston's lively explanations and photographs and you have an archaeological collaboration which is guaranteed to delight. Mick Aston has contributed a passion and enthusiasm for archaeology which is infectious, so let Victor and Mick take you on a visual journey through history...

How does excavation enable the archaeologist to reconstruct the past? Victor Ambrus, who has been the Channel 4 Time Team artist since the programme's inception in 1994, has selected some of the key excavations from the many series to show how it has been possible to recreate snapshots of the past.