Extraordinary reference book of over 80 famous painters, their lives, their loves and their iconic paintings.

This art book includes insightful biographies of artists accompanied with remarkable reproductions of their famous artworks. Begin with the early Renaissance and follow art movements through the centuries to some of the most well-known artists alive today.

A gorgeous exploration of the defining people of the art world including pioneers like Giotto and Jan van Eyck, the greats like Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael, and the visionaries like Frida Kahlo and Hokusai.

The large format art book is overflowing with information and pictures of your favorite classics. The full-page prints are especially spectacular, allowing you to get the full effect of the work that inspired, defined and encapsulated art movements.

Over 500 years of the craft is discussed, with the chapters organized by century starting with "Before 1500" and ending with "1945 - Present." Each chapter features the relevant painters of those years with its own directory. Read about the historical context of art movements in sections which include timelines and fact panels givingincredible insight into the art world, the past lives of artists and their visions and techniques.

Discover the unconventional stories of the artists' lives, including their influences, developments, friendships, loves and rivalries. Read about the portraits that Holbein did for Henry VIII to play matchmaker, Caravaggio's astonishing reaction to a badly cooked artichoke and the many romantic affairs of Picasso. Sometimes scandalous and often tumultuous, the lives of artists like Raphael, Hogarth, van Gogh, O'Keeffe, Magritte, Warhol and Kiefer are as interesting and captivating as their work.

ISBN: 9780241226186