Does what it says on the tin! This book is a broad overview organized chronologically and by school of design (including a short preface on pre-20th century Chinese artistic and calligraphic traditions). Each section gets a couple pages' worth of text and plenty of pictorial examples (often in full color).
Being new to Chinese history, this book also serves to illustrate how artistic styles are an interesting lens through which to view China's social and political changes; in particular, the contrast between the Shanghai school of design from the 30s & 40s and the postwar revolution styles which succeeded it (sometimes by strict political mandate) was startling. All-in-all, an interesting and informative read, with lots of fantastic art.