Finger Brad

Throughout the history of art most of the world's greatest artists have produced portraits at some point in their careers, whether commissioned by rulers or magnates; created to preserve a cherished friend or relation; or even to capture the artist's own likeness. Arranged chronologically, each of the 50 masterworks in this book exemplifies a moment in history, or a turning point in the artist's career. Van Eyck's A Man in a Turban, Da Vinci's Mona Lisa, Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring, Sargent's Madame X, Kahlo's Self-Portrait with Necklace, Warhol's Marilyn and many more world-famous paintings are featured in exquisite full-page reproductions accompanied by engaging and enlightening texts. An introductory essay on the history and importance of the portrait in art history and brief biographies of each artist round out this survey that provides valuable information in an attractive and affordable package.

The Surrealist movement that developed in Europe following the devastation of World War I emerged out of a feeling by writers and artists that the world itself was going mad — and that they, the artists, were the sane ones. This introduction to Surrealism shows how the movement swept energetically through all kinds of media as artists found expression in the interaction between an imaginative pictorial language and an often-oppressive intensity of expression. The result was unique works that have lost nothing of their irresistible attraction to this day. Each work is featured on a beautifully illustrated double-page spread. An informative text highlights each work's classic characteristics as well as unusual aspects, its significance in the Surrealist movement, and its influence on the history of art in general and on contemporary art. Including brief biographies of each artist, this book is a beautifully illustrated primer to Surrealism.

The birth of photography opened the doors to a new kind of art, one that recorded events with the immediacy not possible with painting and drawing. This volume is a chronologically arranged compendium of memorable images of unforgettable people, places, and moments. Including images recording humankind conquering the air, Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay climbing Mount Everest, and the attack on the World Trade Center, this volume features double-page spreads that create a visual timeline. From war to nature, movie stars to artists, the surface of Mars to the devastation of Katrina, this thoroughly up-to-date record captures historical moments such as the horror of the Japanese tsunami and the excitement of the political revolution in the Middle East. Recording moments both intimate and earth-shaking, these photographs speak volumes about where we've been and the direction we're headed.

Chronologically arranged, each chapter focuses on a particular work or idea that changed modern art as we know it. Presented in beautiful spreads and with informative text, readers will discover how a painting such as Edouard Manet's Le Dejeuner sur l'Herbe shocked the art establishment with its depiction of nude women alongside fully clothed men. The author explains how the work's striking visual quality and easy brush strokes helped give birth to the Impressionist movement. This book features a number of similarly pioneering works such as Monet's Impression Sunrise, Cezanne's Mon Sainte-Victoire, van Gogh's Wheatfield with Crows, Rodin's Monument to Balzac, Matisse's Woman with a Hat, Picasso's Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, Duchamp's Bicycle Wheel, Ernst's Aquis Submersus, Rivera's La Creacion, Calder's Lobster Trap and Fish Tail, Pollock's Full Fathom Five, Nam June Paik's TV Cello, Smithson's Spiral Jetty, and Chuck Close's Bob. Perfect for perusing or reading from cover to cover, this book illustrates how the world's greatest artists are geniuses at synthesizing the accomplishments of those before them in order to create groundbreaking works for others to follow.

This lively portrait of the artist and his environment helps readers become acquainted with the life and times of Jan Vermeer. With only 37 known works, Vermeer's oeuvre affords readers an opportunity to become intimately acquainted with his paintings and with daily life in seventeenth-century Holland. Here readers will learn about the Golden Age of Dutch artistry, the culture and community of Delft, and how Vermeer revolutionized the style and content of portraits and still-lifes. Written in an engaging, journalistic style and including full-color reproductions, this volume will give readers a glimpse into Vermeer's private life and the inspirations behind his paintings, giving insight into a genius whose work continues to intrigue us today.