Florian Heine

This richly illustrated introduction to Bruegel’s major works brings his enduring themes and empirical, morally charged vision of collective life into focus. Pieter Bruegel’s depictions of everyday sixteenth century Netherlandish life demonstrated his extraordinary ability to observe and convey the world of ordinary people. This compact and accessible volume presents Bruegel’s essential paintings in a chronological sequence of over 50 finely reproduced works that reveal the depth, texture, and expressive range of his art. Key works including The Wedding Dance, The Fall of the Rebel Angels, The Census at Bethlehem, and The Procession to Calvary appear alongside incisive commentary that highlights his innovations and sheds new light on his technique. The book traces Bruegel’s artistic development from his entry into the Antwerp painters’ guild in 1551 through his rise as one of the most distinctive and influential artists of his era, while cultural, political, and religious forces come into view as shaping pressures behind scenes of communal life, labor, spectacle, and satire that reflect human behavior, belief, and power with unsparing clarity. Exquisite reproductions of Bruegel’s paintings and graphic works show what an extraordinary painter he was. Informative and visually generous, this volume offers an engaging introduction to one of the central figures of Northern Renaissance art.

Brimming with stunning reproductions and illuminating texts, this handy and accessible book is the perfect introduction to the famous Renaissance artist Albrecht Durer. Albrecht Du rer (1471-1521) is considered the most important German painter and graphic artist of the Renaissance period. His numerous self-portraits, his impressive altarpieces, and his detailed copperplate engravings are world-famous. Du rer's works are icons of art history, whose quality and innovative power still set the trend for artists worldwide today. Even during his lifetime, this brilliant visionary, who self-confidently depicted himself posing as Christ, was able to successfully market himself, even establishing the first logo in history with his monogram. In addition to an illustrated biography that places Du rer within his historical context, many of his most famous paintings and drawings are presented and clearly explained.

Brimming with stunning reproductions and illuminating texts, this handy and accessible book is the perfect introduction to one of European modern art’s most important movements. Founded in Munich in 1911, the Blue Rider Group was a revolutionary collective of artists that pioneered German Expressionism. Including Wassily Kandinsky, Franz Marc, Natalia Goncharova, Gabriele Mu¨nter, and Marianne von Werefkin, the group rejected the prevailing formal and academic artistic trends of their time, sought to break free from the constraints of traditional painting, transcend the material world, and explore emotional and spiritual truths in their art. This book spotlights 35 important works that embody the artists’ pioneering achievements and radical innovations. It features stunning reproductions that highlight the movement’s use of luminous colors, symbolic forms, and expressive brushwork.

Arguably the most important movement in the history of modern art, Impressionism changed the way audiences perceived painting. This elegant and portable book overflows with images and information about the movement’s leading figures, tracing its development as different artists took up the challenge of redefining light and space in two dimensions, revealing the role of recent scientific discoveries, the changing landscape of Paris, and how audiences reacted to this seismic shift. The work of Manet, Monet, Renoir, Pissarro, Sisley, Caillebotte, Degas, Morisot, Seurat and others are given special attention, with generous, full-page illustrations of their masterpieces. Chronologically arranged, the book provides important biographical detail on the aritsts and describes historic events in the context of the latest scholarship. It also includes suggestions for further reading.

16th-century Europe was a time of unprecedented economic expansion, cross-cultural trade, religious upheaval, warring empires, and scientific advancement. With unfettered access to the court of Henry VIII, Hans Holbein had a front-row seat to the royal drama and intrigue, and his detailed, highly narrative portaits tell us much about aristocracy. This volume features dozens of full-page reproductions of Holbein's key works accompanied by extensive commentary that explores his masterful portraits of prominent European figures such as Thomas More, Erasmus, and Thomas Cromwell. It also reveals the artist's talent in other media, such as woodcuts, frescoes, jewelry, and metalwork. Reproductions of these items, as well as Holbein's exquisite, palm-sized miniatures and his highly detailed studies in pencil, chalk, and ink illuminate an artist of unparalleled versatility and impressive commercial acumen.

This spellbinding look at the history and development of illusionistic art reveals wide-ranging techniques that have piqued the public’s fascination with this medium. Beautifully reproduced, the images featured in the book includes centuries-old work such as the scenery at the Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza, Italy, and the ceiling frescos at the Würzburg Residence in Germany, that showcase processes such as trompe l’oeil and anamorphosis. It also features work from the 20th and 21st centuries, including Rene Magritte’s classic surrealist works; M. C. Escher’s magical and mathematically precise drawings; the seemingly undulating paintings of Bridget Riley; the manipulated photography of Andreas Gursky; Duane Hanson’s eerily lifelike sculptures; JR’s larger-than-life portrait photographs; and George Rousse’s mind- bending constructions. The book also has examples of amazing street art including subway graffiti and a sidewalk painting that makes pedestrians think twice. This extraordinary and informative guide to all kinds of artistic trickery will satisfy scholars as well as everyday fans.

Buildings of every shape and size and from all corners of the world, populate this colourful and beautifully produced book that introduces children to history's most iconic architectural feats and the people behind them. In lively illustrated spreads, young readers will learn how Christopher Wren reconstructed an 11th-century cathedral after London's great fire of 1666 to become the St Paul's Cathedral that we know today and how its dome survived the Blitz. They will find out how Thomas Jefferson, in building his plantation, Monticello, created a new architecture for a new nation. They will be introduced to the genius of Frank Lloyd Wright, Le Corbusier, Mies van der Rohe and Zaha Hadid and can examine in detail the wonders of the Eiffel Tower, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain and Rome's most beautiful theatre. The book proceeds chronologically, accompanied by a timeline to offer helpful historical context. Each architect's entry includes a concise biography, illustrations of major works and lively texts that speak directly to young readers. Additional information about the buildings pictured, suggestions for further reading and online resources will satisfy the most curious of minds.

The newest addition to Prestel s highly successful 50... You Should Know series offers the perfect introduction to the best contemporary photographers and their most iconic works. This globetrotting collection of contemporary photographers and their work is a great way to become familiar with the wide variety of techniques and styles embraced by the medium. Organized chronologically by year of birth, each photographer is introduced in double-page spreads that feature reproductions of their work and a perceptive and concise appreciation of their life and career. From Japanese photographer Daido Moriyama, famous for his images of post-war Japan, to Richard Mosse, an Irish conceptual documentarian who uses infrared film to document war in the Eastern Congo from a bold new perspective, this book offers an exciting array of familiar and not-so-familiar works. Among the photographers included are Nan Goldin, William Eggleston, Sebastia o Salgado, Sally Mann, Nobuyoshi Araki, Dayanita Singh, Juergen Teller, and Alec Soth. By reaching across the globe and including artists whose work is experimental, groundbreaking, thought-provoking, or beautiful, this book presents a panoply of today s most remarkable photographers. "

In this beautifully produced volume, young readers are given the opportunity to study masterpieces of Impressionist work in great detail. From Monet's Impression, Sunrise, which is attributed to starting the movement, to Seurat's pointillist masterpiece, A Sunday on La Grande Jatte, each painting is reproduced on its own page with descriptive texts, biographical details of the artist, and entertaining facts. Along the way readers will learn the historic context of these paintings as well as a variety of artistic terms. The book also offers playful suggestions for creating Impressionist art at home or school as well as ideas that will help young readers appreciate why the Impressionist style was at once revolutionary and timeless.

Buildings of every shape and size and from all corners of the world, populate this colourful and beautifully produced book that introduces children to history's most iconic architectural feats and the people behind them. In lively illustrated spreads, young readers will learn how Christopher Wren reconstructed an 11th-century cathedral after London's great fire of 1666 to become the St Paul's Cathedral that we know today and how its dome survived the Blitz. They will find out how Thomas Jefferson, in building his plantation, Monticello, created a new architecture for a new nation. They will be introduced to the genius of Frank Lloyd Wright, Le Corbusier, Mies van der Rohe and Zaha Hadid and can examine in detail the wonders of the Eiffel Tower, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain and Rome's most beautiful theatre. The book proceeds chronologically, accompanied by a timeline to offer helpful historical context. Each architect's entry includes a concise biography, illustrations of major works and lively texts that speak directly to young readers. Additional information about the buildings pictured, suggestions for further reading and online resources will satisfy the most curious of minds.

It's never too early to introduce children to art. Featuring thirteen painters from a variety of historical periods and styles, this book demonstrates just how interesting and exciting art can be. From the fantastic images of Hieronymus Bosch to the romantic idealism of Titian, the gorgeous colours of Cezanne to Jean-Michel Basquiat's African- and street art-inspired figures - each painter is presented in chronologically arranged double-page spreads that feature beautiful reproductions, interesting facts, biographical information, and comparisons to other painters. Fun to read and informative, this latest addition to the "Children Should Know" series offers young readers inspiration and encouragement to develop a further interest in all kinds of art.

This new volume in the highly successful 13A" series uses colourful reproductions, glossaries, and a timeline to explore milestones in the history of art. Kids will learn about important innovations in art while they discover answers to questions such as: Why was oil painting invented? What were the subjects of the first photographs? How do you depict the world on a flat canvas? Filled with accessible, fascinating facts as well as creative suggestions for independent art projects, this unique introduction to art history shows young readers how art is made as well as how to enjoy it.