History of Art

Simon Schama's Power of Art 20% off

Schama, Simon Normal price £25.00 — Discount price £20.00 — You save £5.00  <convert> 

'Great art has dreadful manners...' Simon Schama observes at the start of his epic exploration of the power, and whole point, of art. 'The hushed reverence of the gallery can fool you into believing masterpieces are polite things, visions that soothe, charm and beguile, but actually they are thugs. Merciless and wily, the greatest paintings grab you in a headlock, rough up your composure and then proceed in short order to re-arrange your sense of reality...'

Collins Big Book of Art 15% off

Wilkins, David G. (ed.) Normal price £25.00 — Discount price £21.25 — You save £3.75  <convert> 

A beautiful and informative reference work, The Collins Big Book of Art is the first truly accessible history of art since the international bestseller, The Art Book. From the Stone Age to the Renaissance, from Impressionism to Pop Art, this book takes the reader through the history of art in an entertaining and informative way. At the heart of the book is a richly illustrated chronological survey, tracing the connections of artistic achievement throughout the world. With more than 1200 works of art sumptuously illustrated, The Collins Big Book of Art contains interesting essays on the turning points that inspired the major artistic movements. The book illustrates ways in which some of our most universal themes - from religion to the human form - were represented by artists at different points in time.

Samuel Palmer 1805-1881 10% off

Vaughan, William, Barker, Elizabeth E., Harrison, Colin Normal price £25.00 — Discount price £22.50 — You save £2.50  <convert> 

Palmer began his career as an artist at an early age. He first exhibited at the Royal Academy at the age of fourteen (one of his sketchbooks from this time is in the British Museum's collection). In 1824, he met William Blake whose influence helped confirm his visionary approach to art. Palmer retreated into rural isolation in the village of Shoreham, Kent, his own 'Valley of Vision'. Here he produced his most distinctive work, and gathered around him a group of artists (including Edward Calvert and George Richmond) known as 'the Ancients'. He married in 1837, and on his two-year honeymoon in Italy, his style turned to intensely coloured watercolours, with an obvious spiritual connection to his subjects. The striking watercolour "A Cornfield by Moonlight with the Evening Star" is one of his finest works from the Shoreham period and was acquired by the British Museum in 1985 after a public appeal. Samuel Palmer was active during the great flowering of British landscape painting in the first half of the nineteenth century. His work influenced many artists of the twentieth century, including Graham Sutherland and Eric Ravilious.

Yellow House 

Gayford, Martin £18.99  <convert> 

In September 1888, Vincent Van Gogh moved into the Yellow House, a cottage on the outskirts of the Provencal town of Arles. It was the first and the last home he was ever to occupy. In October he was joined by Paul Gauguin, and for nine weeks they worked together.

100 Best Paintings in London 20% off

Smith, Geoffrey Normal price £14.99 — Discount price £11.99 — You save £3.00  <convert> 

100 Best Paintings in London is an amalgam of commentary and tourist guide leading to a greater understanding and appreciation of the paintings chosen. The descriptions draw attention to fascinating details in each work and look at why, where or for what occasion they were painted. A biographical chronology of each artist accompanies the essays as well as a sample listing of works by other contemporary painters.

From Duccio and van Eyck to Mark Rothko and Anselm Kiefer, 100 Best Paintings in London covers the complete spectrum of masterpieces in London's unsurpassed galleries.

One of the primary reasons why tourists visit London is to experience the cultural richness which this great city offers and art galleries are high on the list of what most visitors want to see. This book seeks to inform and amuse these visitors and also residents who wish to make the most of what their city has to offer.

The author is not an art professional and readers will find the text to be accessible, at times irreverent, and not too full of art jargon. Rather, he is an enthusiast, who has spent decades visiting galleries and looking at pictures. The book is written for the gallery visitor not the art historian. Everyone will have a view about the selection contained here - why hasn't your favourite painting been included? If you want to have your say, you have a place to sound off. Visit the website dedicated to 100 Best paintings in London at www.arrisbooks.com/100bestlondon/haveyoursay

Contains descriptions of works from The Courtauld Institute; Dulwich Picture Gallery; The Estorick Collection Kenwood House; The National Gallery; Sir John Soane's Museum; Tate Britain; Tate Modern; The V & A The Wallace Collection.

Picture of Britain 20% off

Dimbleby, David Normal price £19.99 — Discount price £15.99 — You save £4.00  <convert> 

This book accompanies a major BBC1 television series presented by David Dimbleby and a parallel exhibition at Tate Britain. It taps into the love of landscape that is a fundamental part of the British character.

Joshua Reynolds, The Life and Times of the Royal Academy's First President by Ian McIntyre

Ian McIntyre traces Joshua Reynolds' journey from his humble origins in Devon to the splendour and pomp of his funeral at St Paul's Cathedral in 1792. He examines all aspects of his artistic and personal life, explaining his thinking about art history in the context of his life.

History Bookshop Partnership Programme
Enhance your web site and earn commission, with a link to History Bookshop.