Simon Schama brings Britain to life through its portraits, as seen in the five-part BBC series The Face of Britain and the major National Portrait Gallery exhibitionChurchill and his painter locked in a struggle of stares and glares; Gainsborough watching his daughters run after a butterfly; a black Othello in the nineteenth century, the poet-artist Rossetti trying to capture on canvas what he couldn't possess in life, a surgeon-artist making studies of wounded faces brought in from the Battle of the Somme; a naked John Lennon five hours before his death.
Following the award-winning BBC Radio 4 series, a panoramic exploration of peoples, objects and beliefs from the celebrated author of A History of the World in 100 Objects and Germany'Riveting, extraordinary .
From Neil MacGregor, the author of A History of the World in 100 Objects, this is a view of Germany like no otherToday, as the dominant economic force in Europe, Germany looms as large as ever over world affairs.
'An endlessly fascinating and enjoyable book' Neil MacGregor'Full of delights' Tom StoppardAn extraordinary exploration of the medieval world - the most beguiling history book of the yearThis is a book about why medieval manuscripts matter.
Paris between the wars: our impression is one of gaiety, frivolity, fashion, of exuberant living - a city whose lights were put out by the terrifyingly rapid advance of the German panzers in 1940.
'The Painter with Women - the evolution of a Project' is the first publication about the artist Robert Lenkiewicz (1941-2002) which draws upon his private journals and notebooks to give an insight into the painter's motivations and working practices in what is probably the artist's most misunderstood investigation of human relationships.
This illustrated journal uses colour metaphors throughout to represent physiological states and feelings: as such, it is best viewed on devices that can render images in colour.
In Chanel: An Intimate Life, acclaimed biographer Lisa Chaney tells the controversial story of the fashion icon who starred in her tumultuous era Coco Chanel was many things to many people.
SHORTLISTED FOR THE BERGER PRIZE FOR BRITISH ART HISTORY 2017SHORTLISTED FOR THE SLIGHTLY FOXED BEST FIRST BIOGRAPHY PRIZE 2017A SUNDAY TIMES ART BOOK OF THE YEARA SPECTATOR BOOK OF THE YEARAN ECONOMIST BOOK OF THE YEARA NEW YORK TIMES ART BOOK OF THE YEARFrom his time as Bernard Berenson's protege to being the Keeper of the Western Art at 27 and his appointment as the youngest-ever director of the National Gallery, Kenneth Clark displayed precocious genius.
Drawn from Paradise is David Attenborough's journey through the cultural history of the birds of paradise, one of the most exquisite and extravagant, colourful and intriguing families of birds.
The first biography of Venice's greatest artist since 1877 - a towering work which captures the genius of Titian - and the extraordinary times in which he lived - the apogee of Venice's power and influence.
Featuring beloved characters such as the Little Mermaid, Thumbelina, and the Snow Queen, a deluxe full-color edition of Hans Christian Andersens classic fairytales, illustrated with stunning drawings and interactive artwork from MinaLima, the award-winning design studio behind the graphics for the Harry Potter film franchisethe perfect companion for fans of the Disney live-action film The Little Mermaid which will include a mix of songs from Hamiltons Lin-Manuel Miranda and Alan Menken.
A magisterial narrative account of the creation and consumption of all forms of 'culture' across the European continent over the last two hundred years.
The story of the Stuart dynasty is a breathless soap opera played out in just a hundred years in an array of buildings that span Europe from Scotland, via Denmark, Holland and Spain to England.
Focusing on the art of self-portraiture, this effortlessly engaging exploration of the lives of artists sheds fascinating light on some of the most extraordinary portraits in art history.
A groundbreaking account of the meaning of abstract paintingFrom Mondrian's bold geometric forms to Kandinsky's use of symbols to Pollock's "e;dripped paintings,"e; the richly diverse movement of abstract painting challenges anyone trying to make sense of either individual works or the phenomenon as a whole.
FROM THE PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING AND MAN BOOKER-SHORTLISTED AUTHOR'Sparkles with brilliant observations on art and architecture, friendship and loss' Guardian'Everybody should get to spend a month with Mr.
Winner of the Whitbread Book of the Year 2005Shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize 2005The second in Hilary Spurling's sweeping, two-volume biography of Henri Matisse, one of the most influential and beloved artists of the twentieth centuryThis fascinating exploration of Matisse's world uncovers the secret life of the artist, whose paintings shocked his contemporaries while paving the way for modern art.
Astonishing and essential, the biography that reclaimed Henri Matisse from history's slanders and restored his place in the canon of the 20th century's greatest artistsBefore acclaimed biographer Hilary Spurling turned her attention to Henri Mattise, precious few facts were known about his life - and those few were distorted by inaccuracy, misunderstanding and glaring gaps.
Pop Art by the BBC's Alastair Sooke - an essential but snappy new guide to our favourite art movementPop Art is the most important 20th-century art movement.
Experience the uplifting power of art on this breathtaking visual tour of 2,500 paintings and sculptures created by more than 700 artists from Michelangelo to Damien Hirst.
The final major work by one of the most influential thinkers of the twentieth centuryIn the fourth and final volume of his far-reaching and influential study of human sexuality, Foucault turns his attention to early Christianity, exploring how ancient ideas of pleasure were modified into the notion of the 'flesh'.
