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Recommendations based on Leonardo's Notebooksby Leonardo da Vinci
* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans
Gustav Klimt: 1862-1918
by Gilles Néret
A comprehensive overview of Klimt's life, work, and influence on the art world.
Cult of pleasure: Feminine sensuality by the Vienna Secession's greatest proponent Gustav Klimt's ornate, sensual, and decadent style made him not only the most prominent of the Vienna Secessionists ... (Goodreads)
Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo
by Hayden Herrera
The story of a passionate, revolutionary and pioneering Mexican artist, Frida Kahlo.
Hailed by readers and critics across the country, this engrossing biography of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo reveals a woman of extreme magnetism and originality, an artist whose sensual vibrancy came ... (Goodreads)
M.C. Escher: The Graphic Work
by M.C. Escher
An exploration of the art of M.C. Escher, differing perspectives in visual illusions.
Presenting the structurally unthinkable as though it were a law of nature M.C. Escher was born in 1898 in Leeuwarden (Netherlands). He received his first drawing lessons during secondary school from ... (Goodreads)
Meditations
by Marcus Aurelius
Reflections on Stoic philosophy, exploring the nature of existence and how to live life.
Written in Greek by the only Roman emperor who was also a philosopher, without any intention of publication, the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius offer a remarkable series of challenging spiritual ... (Goodreads)
Color: A Natural History of the Palette
by Victoria Finlay
Exploration of the history, science, and cultural significance of color.
Discover the tantalizing true stories behind your favorite colors. For example: Cleopatra used saffron—a source of the color yellow—for seduction. Extracted from an Afghan mine, the blue ... (Goodreads)
The Power of Art
by Simon Schama
Exploration of the ways in which art has shaped the world, from antiquity to the present.
"Great art has dreadful manners," Simon Schama observes wryly at the start of his epic and explosive exploration of the power, and whole point, of art. "The hushed reverence of the gallery can fool ... (Goodreads)
Vincent Van Gogh: The Complete Paintings
by Rainer Metzger
A comprehensive collection of Vincent Van Gogh's paintings, showcasing his unique style and artistic evolution.
Van Gogh, who took up a variety of professions before becoming an artist, was a solitary, despairing and self-destructive man. This richly illustrated and expert study follows the artist from the ... (Goodreads)
Concerning the Spiritual in Art
by Wassily Kandinsky
A philosophical examination of the spiritual and creative power of art.
A pioneering work in the movement to free art from its traditional bonds to material reality, this book is one of the most important documents in the history of modern art. Written by the famous ... (Goodreads)
Art in Theory, 1900–2000: An Anthology of Changing Ideas
by Charles Harrison
A comprehensive collection of writings on art theory and criticism from the 20th century, exploring the evolution of artistic ideas and movements.
This popular anthology of twentieth-century art theoretical texts has now been expanded to take account of new research, and to include significant contributions to art theory from the 1990s. New ... (Goodreads)
Dear Theo
by Vincent van Gogh
Autobiographical letters from the artist to his brother, chronicling his struggles with poverty and mental illness.
Each night, Vincent van Gogh put pen to paper and poured out his heart through letters to his brother Theo. Van Gogh's letters lay bare his deepest feelings, as well as his everyday concerns and his ... (Goodreads)
The Prince
by Niccolò Machiavelli
A timeless political treatise on the art of acquiring and maintaining power.
Machiavelli needs to be looked at as he really was. Hence: Can Machiavelli, who makes the following observations, be Machiavellian as we understand the disparaging term? 1. So it is that to know the ... (Goodreads)
Ways of Seeing
by John Berger
A critical analysis of visual culture and how it shapes our perception of the world. It challenges traditional ways of seeing and encourages a new perspective.
John Berger’s Classic Text on Art John Berger's Ways of Seeing is one of the most stimulating and the most influential books on art in any language. First published in 1972, it was based on the BBC ... (Goodreads)
The Story of Art
by E.H. Gombrich
Comprehensive overview of art history, from prehistoric to modern times.
The Story of Art, one of the most famous and popular books on art ever written, has been a world bestseller for over four decades. Attracted by the simplicity and clarity of his writing, readers of ... (Goodreads)
The Diary of Frida Kahlo: An Intimate Self-Portrait
by Frida Kahlo
A collection of personal diary entries and sketches by the iconic Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, providing insight into her life and art.
Published here in its entirety, Frida Kahlo's amazing illustrated journal documents the last ten years of her turbulent life. This passionate, often surprising, intimate record, kept under lock and ... (Goodreads)
Andy Goldsworthy: A Collaboration with Nature
by Andy Goldsworthy
Exploring nature through art, and the beauty of the environment.
Illustrates outdoor sculptures created with a range of natural materials, including snow, ice, leaves, rock, clay, stones, feathers, and twigs. ... (Goodreads)
Thus Spoke Zarathustra
by Friedrich Nietzsche
A philosophical treatise exploring morality, religion, and the meaning of life.
Art and Fear: Observations on the Perils
by David Bayles
A guide for artists on how to overcome the fears and doubts that come with creating art and how to persevere through the creative process.
"This is a book about making art. Ordinary art. Ordinary art means something like: all art not made by Mozart. After all, art is rarely made by Mozart-like people; essentially-statistically ... (Goodreads)
The Trial and Death of Socrates
by Plato
A philosophical dialogue into the life and death of the philosopher Socrates.
Plato is among the most influential philosophers of all time. Along with his teacher Socrates and his pupil Aristotle, he can be said to have laid the foundations for Western philosophy, science and ... (Goodreads)
Frida Kahlo: 1907-1954 Pain and Passion
by Andrea Kettenmann
A comprehensive biography of the iconic Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, exploring her life, art, and enduring legacy.
Suffering and the female experience, The Mexican artist, Frida Kahlo, (1907-1954) is one of the most important 20th century painters, and one of the few Latin American artists to have achieved a ... (Barnes & Noble)
Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative
by Austin Kleon
A guide to unlocking creativity by embracing influence, stealing ideas, and making something new.
You don’t need to be a genius, you just need to be yourself. That’s the message from Austin Kleon, a young writer and artist who knows that creativity is everywhere, creativity is for everyone. A ... (Goodreads)
The Magic Mirror of M.C. Escher
by Bruno Ernst
A comprehensive exploration of the life and work of M.C. Escher, the Dutch graphic artist known for his mind-bending optical illusions.
"A woman once rang me up and said, 'Mr. Escher, I am absolutely crazy about your work. In your print Reptiles you have given such a striking illustration of reincarnation.' I replied, 'Madame, if ... (Goodreads)
History of Art
by H.W. Janson
Comprehensive overview of art history, from prehistoric times to modern day. Includes analysis of major works and movements.
For 1000s of art lovers both amateur & professional, esthetic life began with Janson, as his History of Art is often called. In the 1st edition, published in 1962, he spoke to that perennial reader ... (Goodreads)
The Autobiography of Malcolm X
by Malcolm X
A gripping account of one man's transformation from criminal to civil rights leader.
Alternate cover for ISBN 9780345350688 Through a life of passion and struggle, Malcolm X became one of the most influential figures of the 20th Century. In this riveting account, he tells of his ... (Goodreads)
Chronicles: Volume One
by Bob Dylan
A memoir tracking Bob Dylan's musical journey from humble beginnings to iconic status.
WINNER OF THE NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE The celebrated first memoir from arguably the most influential singer-songwriter in the country, Bob Dylan. “I’d come from a long ways off and had started a ... (Barnes & Noble)
Seven Days in the Art World
by Sarah Thornton
An inside look at the contemporary art world, exploring its various facets and players.
A fly-on-the-wall account of the smart and strange subcultures that make, trade, curate, collect, and hype contemporary art., The art market has been booming. Museum attendance is surging. More ... (Barnes & Noble)
The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain
by Betty Edwards
Exploring creativity through the science of art, unlocking the power of the right side of the brain.
When Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain was first published in 1979, it hit the New York Times bestseller list within two weeks and stayed there for more than a year. In 1989, when Dr. Betty ... (Goodreads)
History of Beauty
by Umberto Eco
An exploration of the concept of beauty throughout time, from antiquity to the present day.
Umberto Eco’s groundbreaking and much-acclaimed first illustrated book has been a critical success since its first publication in 2004. What is beauty? Umberto Eco, among Italy’s finest and most ... (Goodreads)
The Letters of Vincent van Gogh
by Vincent van Gogh
Collection of letters written by Vincent van Gogh, revealing his artistic struggles, personal life, and mental health battles.
A new selection of post-impressionist painter Vincent Van Gough's letters, The Letters of Vincent van Gogh put a human face on one of the most haunting figures in modern Western culture. In this ... (Goodreads)
The Creative License: Giving Yourself Permission to Be The Artist You Truly Are
by Danny Gregory
A guide to unlocking creativity, encouraging personal expression and artistic exploration.
When Danny Gregory's life was turned upside down by tragedy, he learned to cope by teaching himself to draw. The result was a complete transformation of his life, his priorities, his career, and the ... (Barnes & Noble)
Plato: Complete Works
by Plato
Collection of ancient Greek philosopher Plato's dialogues, discussing morality, knowledge and truth.
Outstanding translations by leading contemporary scholars–many commissioned especially for this volume--are presented here in the first single edition to include the entire surviving corpus of works ... (Barnes & Noble)
