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Recommendations based on The Power of Artby Simon Schama
* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans
Wall and Piece
by Banksy
An introduction to the subversive street art of Banksy, with visual commentary on modern life.
Banksy, Britain's now-legendary "guerilla" street artist, has painted the walls, streets, and bridges of towns and cities throughout the world. Not only did he smuggle his pieces into four of New ... (Goodreads)
On Ugliness
by Umberto Eco
A philosophical exploration of the concept of ugliness in art, culture, and society, challenging our perceptions and prejudices.
In the mold of his acclaimed "History of Beauty," renowned cultural critic Umberto Eco's "On Ugliness" is an exploration of the monstrous and the repellant in visual culture and the arts. What is the ... (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)
Leonardo's Notebooks
by Leonardo da Vinci
A collection of writings and drawings exploring the mind of a genius inventor.
Leonardo's Notebooks, is a biography of the genius in his own words, connecting moments of his life to artistic accomplishments through his writings, drawings, and intimate thoughts. Leonardo da ... (Barnes & Noble)
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)
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)
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)
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)
Graffiti World: Street Art from Five Continents
by Nicholas Ganz
A comprehensive look at the global street art movement, featuring stunning photographs and interviews with prominent graffiti artists.
"Graffiti World is the ultimate graffiti book. Offering a unique insight into the very essence of graffiti and its creative explosion over the past thirty-five years, it takes us on an adventure ... (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)
The Lives of the Artists
by Giorgio Vasari
A collection of biographies of Italian Renaissance artists, revealing their lives, works, and techniques.
Packed with facts, attributions, and entertaining anecdotes about his contemporaries, Giorgio Vasari's collection of biographical accounts also presents a highly influential theory of the development ... (Goodreads)
Diane Arbus: Monograph
by Diane Arbus
A collection of photographs by Diane Arbus, showcasing her unique and controversial style of capturing the marginalized and unconventional.
New technology has made possible this lustrous new printing from all new film. These landmark images now have a clarity and depth not achievable in earlier editions. ... (Goodreads)
The Secret Art of Dr. Seuss
by Dr. Seuss
An exploration of the imaginative works of Dr. Seuss, from sketches to paintings.
These fabulous, whimsical paintings, created for his own pleasure and never shown to the public, show Geisel (a.k.a. Dr. Seuss ) in a whole new light. Depicting outlandish creatures in otherworldly ... (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)
Drawing from Memory
by Allen Say
A memoir of Allen Say's childhood in Japan and his journey to become an artist in America.
DRAWING FROM MEMORY is Allen Say's own story of his path to becoming the renowned artist he is today. Shunned by his father, who didn't understand his son's artistic leanings, Allen was embraced by ... (Barnes & Noble)
A Tale of Love and Darkness
by Amos Oz
A tale of love, loss, and identity set against the backdrop of the tumultuous history of Israel.
Tragic, comic, and utterly honest, A Tale of Love and Darkness is at once a family saga and a magical self-portrait of a writer who witnessed the birth of a nation and lived through its turbulent ... (Goodreads)
Anatomy for the Artist
by Jenő Barcsay
Detailed illustrations and explanations of human anatomy for artists to improve their understanding and depiction of the human form.
It’s the classic in its field—a reference work of unparalleled importance for all professionals and students of art. This superb art manual is the best guide available on a subject that has ... (Goodreads)
The 20th Century Art Book
by Phaidon Press
A comprehensive guide to the most influential artists of the 20th century, featuring their most iconic works and biographical information.
Covering the international nature of the modern art scene, this title encompasses established, iconic works of art and the classics of the future. It presents 500 artists in an alphabetical order, ... (Goodreads)
The Judgment of Paris: The Revolutionary Decade That Gave the World Impressionism
by Ross King
The story of the rise of Impressionism in Paris during the 1860s and 1870s, focusing on the Salon des Refusés and the works of Manet, Monet, and Renoir.
With a novelist's skill and the insight of an historian, bestselling author Ross King recalls a seminal period when Paris was the artistic center of the world, and the rivalry between Meissonier and ... (Goodreads)
The Woman Warrior
by Maxine Hong Kingston
A personal memoir of identity and culture, told through Chinese mythology and folklore.
The book is divided into five interconnected chapters, which read like short stories. In the first part of this chapter, the narrator is recounting how her mother once told her the story of the ... (Wikipedia)
Art Through the Ages
by Helen Gardner
Comprehensive survey of art history, from prehistoric times to modern day. Includes analysis of major works and movements.
The market-leading text for the art history survey course, GARDNER'S ART THROUGH THE AGES has served as a comprehensive and thoughtfully crafted guide to the defining phases of the world's artistic ... (Goodreads)
Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling
by Ross King
An exploration of the artistic genius of Michelangelo, and the turbulent politics behind the Sistine Chapel.
In 1508, despite strong advice to the contrary, the powerful Pope Julius II commissioned Michelangelo to paint the ceiling of the newly restored Sistine Chapel. With little experience as a painter ... (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 Philosophy of Andy Warhol
by Andy Warhol
An exploration of the life, works, and philosophy of the iconic Pop-Art figure.
A loosely formed autobiography by Andy Warhol, told with his trademark blend of irony and detachment In The Philosophy of Andy Warhol —which, with the subtitle "(From A to B and Back Again)," is less ... (Goodreads)
FRUiTS
by Shoichi Aoki
A photographic exploration of youth fashion in Japan, capturing the spirit of street style.
This extensive collection of portraits represents a unique documentation of the changing face of street fashion throughout the last decade. Colourful, fascinating and funny, this is the first time ... (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 Complete Essays
by Michel de Montaigne
Collection of essays exploring diverse topics, from philosophy to morality.
Michel de Montaigne was one of the most influential figures of the Renaissance, singlehandedly responsible for popularising the essay as a literary form. This Penguin Classics edition of The Complete ... (Goodreads)
Van Gogh: The Life
by Steven Naifeh
A comprehensive biography of the renowned painter, exploring his life and legacy.
Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith, who galvanized readers with their Pulitzer Prize–winning biography of Jackson Pollock, have written another tour de force—an exquisitely detailed, compellingly ... (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)
The Work of Art in the Age of Its Technological Reproducibility, and Other Writings on Media
by Walter Benjamin
Reflection on the impact of technology on art, culture and society.
Benjamin’s famous 'Work of Art' essay sets out his boldest thoughts–on media and on culture in general--in their most realized form, while retaining an edge that gets under the skin of everyone who ... (Goodreads)
