Image: Vermeer. The Milkmaid, 1658-59, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.
Best art history books
1. Surrealists in New York
Surrealists in New York takes us into the studios, galleries and lives of the men and women who pioneered the movement in America. Step inside Stanley William Hayter’s legendary Atelier 17, learn how Max Ernst, André Masson and Louise Bourgeois influenced their American counterparts, and enjoy a fascinating new perspective on the history of twentieth century art.
Surrealists in New York is a fascinating group biography charting the rise of the movement in the US. The book explores how exiles from war-torn France escaped the gloom of Europe to find inspiration and collaboration in America, lighting the spark that ignited Abstract Expressionism in the process.
Add Surrealists in New York to your bookshelf.
2. The Art of Colour
The Art of Colour, examines how colour can link works of art made centuries apart and traces the origins of some of history’s most used pigments. For example, did you know that the ultramarine used in Vermeer’s Milkmaid can also be found in sixth-century Zoroastrian paintings in the cave temples of Bamiyan, Afghanistan? Or that the murky brown favoured by the Pre-Raphaelites was made using the powdered remains of ancient mummies? If not, this book will give you a new appreciation for the importance and power of colour.
Read The Art of Colour to learn more.
Best art reference books
3. Art Unpacked
For beginners, the complex rules and specialist language of art history can seem a little daunting. Even for seasoned art lovers, the question of how to think about art is one that’s hard to answer. Art Unpacked is the perfect resource for all audiences. The book aims to demystify art and give both the general reader and educators an engaging visual primer that will help them get even more enjoyment from the subject. Designed as an instruction manual, it looks at fifty key artworks from around the world. By deconstructing them, analysing them and putting them in context, the book reveals the elements that make a masterpiece and offers fresh insight into these well-known sculptures and images.
Art Unpacked is one of the best art books for beginners, as well as those who want to think more about art, its language and its history. In it, we get concise, easy-to-read explanations and expert insight. Each study contains multiple close-ups, details and facts, helping the reader really get to grips with the subject.
Read Art Unpacked for a fresh look at the art world.
4. The History of Western Art (Art Essentials)
Though the title may be ambitious, the contents of this book are concise, easy to read and easy to digest. This beautifully illustrated survey looks at Western art from prehistory to the present day. From architecture and painting to sculpture and the decorative arts, The History of Western Art (Art Essentials) examines how art and artists reflect the culture and society of their time.
This book puts a real focus on history, placing artworks in the context of their time. Each of the book’s twelve chapters opens with a question, followed by a summary of the major historical event that occurred during the period. Exploring these themes is a fantastic way to better understand the development of Western Art and how the art we make shapes the world around us.
Read The History of Western Art (Art Essentials) for an unbeatable overview.
5. Abstract Art: A Global History
At the heart of Abstract Art: A Global History is a desire to demonstrate new ways of looking at abstract art through the prism of a broader, more inclusive mix of artists. Though the book starts with the pioneers of abstraction, including Piet Mondrian, Kazimir Malevich and Jackson Pollock, it soon broadens its scope, taking in figures – and countries – not normally associated with the movement.
The book also looks at how abstract art relates to the lived experience. Author Pepe Karmel argues that ‘Abstract art is always rooted in experience of the real world.’ He explores how artists used abstract imagery to convey personal, political and social changes and how this enriched the works they created. By looking at the movement through a different, more inclusive lens, we can learn more about the artists and what drove them, giving us a fresh appreciation of the movement and the masterpieces it produced.
Gain a new perspective on abstract art with Abstract Art: A Global History.
6. Shaping the World
Feel the smooth surface of stone, the jagged edge of broken marble and the cold touch of bronze as you browse the powerful and evocative sculptures in this beautiful book. One of the oldest and most universal forms of art, sculpture has been practised by every culture that’s ever lived. Since humans first learned to use tools, we’ve shaped wood, clay, rock and other materials to reflect the creatures, plants and world we see around us.
In Shaping the World, renowned sculptor Antony Gormley and art critic Martin Gayford explore the central role sculpture has played in the development of human culture. By bringing together philosophy, history and art in a beautiful and thoughtful way, Shaping the World offers a new perspective on this ancient art form as well as a bit of inspiration for our own creative output.
Take a fascinating tour through the history of sculpture with Shaping the World.
7. The Story of Scottish Art
The The Story of Scottish Art takes in over five thousand years of history. By looking at the development of art in this rugged and beautiful country, artist and broadcaster Lachlan Goudie is able to show how creativity has defined a nation.
From the earliest Neolithic symbols etched onto the landscape of Kilmartin Glen to the contemporary art emerging from Glasgow’s creative community, this epic study looks at the triumphs and struggles of Scottish artists across the millennia. Exploring the work of craftspeople, painters and sculptors, this book explores how artists have recorded and influenced the events that transformed Scottish society.
Read The Story of Scottish Art to learn about the evolution of Scotland’s creative soul.
Best artist monographs
8. Vermeer: The Rijksmuseum's Major Exhibition Catalogue
Intensely quiet and enigmatic, Vermeer’s paintings have captured audiences’ imaginations for centuries. Offering the viewer a privileged glimpse into a long gone world, these masterpieces are just as evocative today as when they were first painted in the17th century.
This monograph brings together important aspects of the Dutch master’s private and professional worlds and asks key questions: who is being portrayed? Are his subjects real or imagined? And how did he create such an unrivalled sense of intimacy? Full of contextual illustrations, commentaries and up-to-date research by distinguished international Vermeer scholars, not to mention prints of the works themselves, Vermeer - The Rijksmuseum's major exhibition catalogue is a must for any fan of the artist.
9. Van Eyck
When looking at Van Eyck’s portraits, panels and group scenes, it’s hard to keep in mind that these works were painted almost six hundred years ago. Powerful, evocative and vibrant, Van Eyck used unprecedented techniques, new scientific knowledge and impressive powers of observation to create his masterpieces. In the process, he lifted oil to previously unseen heights and changed the course of Western art for good.
Created to accompany the 2020 blockbuster exhibition in Ghent, the Van Eyck catalogue aims to unravel some of the myths that surround the artist while showcasing his complete works. Filled with essays by leading experts, as well as contemporary letters and sources, the book brings the world of Van Eyck closer than ever.
Read Van Eyck for a deeper understanding of the man and his work.
10. Looking at Picasso
Pablo Picasso is one of the greatest artists of the twentieth century. His paintings are world famous and his name is a by-word for Cubism and modern art as a whole. Because the artist is so well known, it’s even more important to look at his life, times and masterpieces with fresh eyes.
In Looking at Picasso, art expert Pepe Karmel offers new insight, original analysis and a selection of Picasso’s most influential works. Published to coincide with the fiftieth anniversary of the artist’s death, it’s arranged chronologically by themes and movements and shows how Picasso’s style evolved and developed over the decades.
View one of history’s best-known artists through a different lens with Looking at Picasso.
11. Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now
If you’re a fan of Yayoi Kusama, then this book is an absolute must-read. The most comprehensive study of the artist and her work to date, Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now features many of Kusama’s most influential works as well as a selection of her personal correspondence and public interviews, some of which are published here for the first time.
The book is structured around six main themes and is designed to be accessible as well as beautiful. Leaf through the luxurious pages to discover an artist who’s able to embrace global creative trends while remaining deeply connected to the traditions and culture of her native Japan.
Learn more about the artist by reading Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now.
12. Grayson Perry
An updated and expanded third edition of the definitive book on the artist, Grayson Perry brings us right up to date with the Turner Prize-winner and his extraordinary creations. In the book, writer and art historian Jacky Klein explores Perry’s major themes and subjects. This analysis is enhanced by intimate and perceptive commentaries by the artist himself, giving us a tantalising glimpse into his imaginative world and creative process.
This new edition features two additional chapters, one on modern architecture and the other on identity politics. A fantastic study of one of our most famous living artists, the monograph offers unparalleled insight into the man and his masterpieces.
Read Grayson Perry to learn more about the artist.
Best artist biographies
13. Surreal Spaces
Surreal Spaces is a beautifully illustrated biography of Leonora Carrington, part of the vanguard of the Surrealist movement. The artist challenged the conventions of her time, leaving her home and family to travel to the US, France, Spain and, most importantly, Mexico. Her work asks questions about feminism, ecology and the life-enhancing properties of art, all themes that challenged the conventions of her time.
In Surreal Spaces, we’re taken on a tour through the spaces inhabited by the artist. Often appearing in her work, these homes and buildings were a source of inspiration throughout Carrington’s career. The book uses vintage photographs, paintings and prints to weave the story of her life and give us a real sense of the artist and her pioneering works.
Explore Surreal Spaces to find out more.
14. Barbara Hepworth: Art & Life
Barbara Hepworth is one of the most important artists of the twentieth century, and this sumptuously illustrated biography is the first to look at the entirety of her life and multi-faceted practice. As well as her legendary sculptural creations, the book showcases Hepworth’s interests in dance, music, poetry, contemporary politics, science and technology and demonstrates how the artist was able to fuse many of these disciplines to create a unique, coherent philosophy.
The works in Barbara Hepworth: Art & Life are given weight and context using her public statements and private correspondence. Reading the artist’s words, while exploring her creative works, brings you a step closer to this legendary sculptor.
15. John Nash: The Landscape of Love and Solace
Often overlooked in favour of his brother Paul, John Nash was an exceptionally talented artist in his own right. Highly versatile, he was able to combine acute observation with strong individual vision to create evocative and beautiful depictions of the British landscape and the battlefields of the First World War.
In John Nash, The Landscape of Love and Solace, we uncover his personal and professional worlds, explore his friendships with fellow artists, and learn about the unconventional life he shared with his wife Christine Kühlenthal. This wonderfully illustrated book draws on original research and delves deep into the tragedies, joys and loves of the artist’s life. The perfect way to get to know one of the twentieth century’s most important painters, this book will make a fantastic addition to your library.
16. Gwen John: Art and Life in London and Paris
Like many of the best biographies, Gwen John, Art and Life in London and Paris, looks at its subject with new eyes and an open mind. In the book, we learn that, far from being a recluse as she is often described, John was right at the heart of cultural life in both London and Paris. Singular, assured and brilliant, she had passionate friendships with other artists and played a key part in the discussions and creative drive of her era.
This illustrated biography offers fascinating insight into the artist and her creative output. From the salons of Paris to the life rooms at the Slade, this meticulously researched book follows John’s extraordinary life and offers a fresh look at one of the most important artists of the twentieth century.
Read Gwen John, Art and Life in London and Paris to learn more about this important artistic pioneer.
If you enjoyed these books, take a look at our full range of beautiful titles on art.
