Along the same lines as 50 Modern Artists You Should Know, authors Kristina Lowis and Tamsin Pickeral have chosen 50 powerful paintings from renaissance to pop/contemporary and everything in between in this very comprehensive book from Prestel Publishing which is a most have for any art student or fan.

For the most part, each painting has a comprehensive biography listing the important factors in the creators career. There is a detailed timeline on the top of the page highlight important dates in history within a century timeframe. This helps show the influences of the artists.

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Anyone with even a passing interesting in modern art needs to own, at the very least, have access to this informational book by Prestel Publishing.

While I originally debated some of the artists (Whistler and Cezanne), it is fascinating to read a fact cheat sheets on each of the 50 artists. The book is designed so you don’t have to read front to back, however, it does make for an incredibly interesting read when you do.

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The British Museum iconic architecture has a fascinating historical story that is brought to life with this incredibly detailed biography.

The introduction is provided by both of the modern architects who were the geniuses behind the building as we see it today: the light courtyard that is now the heart of the museum. Read the rest of this entry »

Prestel Books are renowned for their quality and detailed art books and this one doesn’t disappoint.

Edward Hooper is the notorious realist painter that painted Nighthwawk (1942) the famous scene depicting big city loneliness in a diner.

Straight away, Wieland Schmied starts with provocative and thought provoking questions:

‘Is he a true Regionalist? Is his art great on account of its local color, or despite it? Or is his work not regionalist at all, and those who seek its origins in the American Scene are mistaken?’

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Did you know Jan van Eyck was the first person (known) to do a self-portrait?  Or the Master Wenceslas created the first ‘weather in art’ painting?

13 Art Inventions Children Should Know is 45 pages of griping, fun, quirky and oh so interesting facts on inventions that we take for granted but were so important to today’s artists. Although the book is geared towards kids, best for 8+, I could see this book being used for college art courses for beginners.

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Was Jaan Vermeer a Photographer?  Who is Banksy?

These are a couple of the mysteries author Angela Wenzel poses in this intriguing book by Prestel Books.

13 Art Mysteries  Children Should Know is 45 pages of unsolved mysteries that date back thousands of years.  This book is more geared to Children (as opposed to 13 Art Inventions Children Should Know) but still best for 7+.  The mysteries themselves are interesting regardless that they are related to art!

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This book starts with a powerful question:

 What is a sculpture?

Then it goes on to state:

‘The word ‘sculpture’ comes from the Latin word ‘sculpere,’ which means ‘to chisel’ or ‘to carve’. Read the rest of this entry »