The beating heart

The heart has been portrayed in art and texts from Ancient Egypt, China and India. In Western religious and secular art, images of the heart denoting all manner of passions were abundant from the Middle Ages on. Even in the modern era, in which its function is fully understood, the heart's place in the language, idiom and art of popular culture remains undiminished. In 'The Beating Heart', Robin Choudhury explores how the heart has been represented over time and across cultures.