ReviewBooks
From picture frames to cloakrooms: what makes a successful museum
A new book by the designer Dinah Casson takes readers behind the scenes
FeatureBook Club
In Pictures | Andy Warhol's explicit drawings from the 1950s that he never got to publish
New book brings together hundreds of images of nude young men, which “are imbued with an emotional vulnerability that few of his later works exhibit”
NewsBooks
Prizewinning Gainsborough publication shines light on lives of painter's female sitters
New book, which reveals how the Old Masters influenced the 18th-century British artist, has won the William MB Berger Prize for British Art History
ReviewBooks
Divine People: first biography of Ambrose McEvoy reveals how portrait artist became a darling of London and New York society a century ago
The typescript of Eric Chilston's book, based on primary sources and eye-witness accounts, was rediscovered in 2018 after being thought lost for nearly 40 years
InterviewBook Club
Benedikt Taschen: from selling comics in Cologne to hanging out with Hockney
As the Taschen publishing house turns 40, its founder talks about starting out in his parents’ kitchen and the importance of “planting seeds”
Latest in Book Shorts
The story of an Irish family’s history and its porcelain service are woven together in this fascinating book
A catalogue demonstrates Boucher’s mastery of the 'Chinese' taste
The relationships of artists and their gardens are well illustrated in this book
Degas’ love of the Paris opera house is brought to the fore in this catalogue
A book of 19th-century snaps for armchair travellers to exotic locations
This facsimile of a late 16th-century Italian manuscript on how to fence is a masterpiece of draughtsmanship
Things that... provoke some thought: book of drawings philosophically questions the relationship of 'things'
This small book tackles for the first time a very large subject: how relics were displayed in the Middle Ages
The art of ceilings and domes—a book on where to see them
This book makes an arresting argument for the foundations of modern art
Celebrating a generous donation to the Frick, this booklet pays tribute to the donor and his gift
When nothing is sacred, nothing can be subversive: photographs of London’s Soho captured in catalogue
A beautiful compendium of Early Modern scientific instruments
Twentieth-century American hopes and dreams are shown in black and white in this book of prints
The full-colour beauty of the recently restored Catherine de’ Medici tapestries is revealed in this catalogue
This little book will help the Scottish Colourists find further fame south of the border
Political cartoonist Gerald Scarfe tells the story of his life and work in new book
Beautiful book captures the colourful restorations of Georgian homes in London
So you think you know your art? Brain teasers to test your knowledge of famous works
Book reveals the ways in which artists helped make scientific discoveries
The testimonies of 100 artists to the lasting influence of Mies van der Rohe on their work are compiled in this book
How the Habsburgs conquered by having arms rather than using them
Peter Kennard’s artistic political commentaries cloy when they are presented altogether as they are in this book
Tell-all book details life of the rich and idle celebrity Ira von Fürstenberg
The story of the 20th-century creation of a Palladian villa is beautifully presented in this coffee-table book
This well illustrated and wittily written book provides a thorough history of men wearing women’s clothes
The story of how a Renaissance papal librarian took up residence in New England is uncovered in this book
This book is an omnibus of delightfully scary Landis Blair cartoons
A Southern belle with a range of painterly styles is bought to the fore in this thorough book
Hidden daily lives of Hasidic Jews in Jerusalem are captured in marvellous book of photographs
Culture of chivalry is not quite dead, but it certainly is not what it used to be, new book shows
Book of discarded family pictures reminds us of our mortality
Scholarly book on European coronation rituals supplies sound background to 11th-century art history
History of Dubrovnik before, during and after Yugoslav Wars is recorded in photo book
Catalogue of Colmar Treasure conjures up picture of 14th-century bourgeois Jewish life in France
Not all about nudes: volume uncovers new area of Lucian Freud’s work
Stories of New Orleans's opulent cemeteries collected in unusual book of photographs
Beyond Europe: book on illuminated manuscripts reveals worldwide nature of the Middle Ages
The first book on official Australian art and artists in the First World War explains how the national collection was made
This book of essays explores the varieties and definitions of Islamic art
Old animals remind us of old people in this book of photographs
This ancient book tells you all about the people you hate
The travel books of Eugène Delacroix have now been translated into English
From Rivera and Kahlo to Ulay and Abramović—this story book tells the tales of art world couples
Medieval books’ margins are shown to be areas of dissent and fun, rather than mere doodling
This book gives a first-hand account of Second World War art and propaganda
This catalogue succinctly surveys Leon Kossoff’s London life paintings
Thomas Bernhard’s Old Masters as a graphic novel
A collection of 50 contemporary artists’ favourite works of art
Book looks at the persistence of the scroll throughout the Middle Ages
Catalogue captures re-creation of the destroyed Tiepolo ceiling frescoes in Milan
A book of wallpaper art for students
Book on artists’ opposition to the Vietnam War
Children’s portraits without shadows: new book on painting childhood
A comprehensive survey of geometric forms in Modern and contemporary Middle Eastern art
Boilly, prolific portraitist and genre painter
The art-historical treasures of Clementia of Hungary, Queen of France
New York’s gardens, parks, flower markets and florists captured in new book
A catalogue of break-throughs in the history of printing and books
Kings, queens but mostly lesser royal hangers-on: the art-historical story of Kensington Palace
William-Adolphe Bougeureau: tasteless, sentimental, soft-porny, but French above all
A picture book of avant-garde gardens and gardening
A collection of Romantic 19th-century German illustrations
Postcards as art and the art of the postcard
A book on birth and child-rearing before Dr Spock
Dead kings and queens and where to find them
Scenography in contemporary Scandinavian opera and theatre take centre stage in new book
A hefty tome on the arts of the Austro-Hungarian belle époque
The extraordinary cultural energy of 18th-century Venice
Frida Kahlo's letters conceal nothing and reveal nothing
How to try to understand Jusepe de Ribera's many scenes of violence
How the Mexican Stridentist movement tried to build a national identity following the Civil War
Close study of fashions in medieval manuscripts is key to understanding interactions of literature and dress
The architectural and imaginative influence of the Holy Sepulchre and the Dome of the Rock in Western building styles
Southeast Asian illuminated manuscripts
Book delves into the Rothschild collection of bizarre objects associated with death and dying
First book on art collection of the draughtsman and cult figure Edward Gorey
Philippe Costamagna’s combination of autobiography, anecdote and single discovery told in his own words
Sidney Knafel's collection of French 16th- to 18th-century faïence promised to the Frick Collection
Renaissance prints as sources of images for maiolica and bronze reliefs
The influence of Klimt in Central European art after the First World War
What books in paintings mean
Caucasian collecting: the Bodleian Library’s Georgian papers, books and medieval manuscripts
FeatureBook Club
Extract | How artist couple Claude Cahun and Marcel Moore resisted the Nazis with their ‘paper bullets’
New book outlines the campaign led by the gender-fluid artists on the island of Jersey during the Second World War
NewsYayoi Kusama
Yayoi Kusama on 2020: ‘O demons of unwonted fate. We will stand and face you’
New publication—described as “most personal book to date”—will focus on artist’s use of language
BlogBook Club
An expert’s guide to J.M.W. Turner: four must-read books on the British painter
All you ever wanted to know about Turner, from a “rollicking read” of a biography to a “picture book with a point”—selected by the Romantic period painting specialist David Blayney Brown
ReviewBooks
Charting a Life: MacDonald Gill, who designed the inscriptions that form an egalitarian monument to the British and Commonwealth fallen of two world wars
The first biography of ‘Max’ Gill reveals the versatile talent of an artist who was a master of lettering and murals and a standout mapmaker-artist
FeatureBook Club
In Pictures | The eve of a US presidential election through the eyes of William Eggleston
A newly republished book by the renowned Memphis photographer documents the Deep South in the run-up to the 1976 election
FeatureBook Club
Judge a book by its cover: Centre Pompidou looks at Henri Matisse through a literary lens for new show
One of the most expansive museum surveys on the French artist in 50 years will present his book and magazine designs—and even some of his own writing
ReviewBooks
From how insurance pay outs work to when to get your art appraised: a must have how-to book for collectors
This updated art market manual by Mary Rozell merits a place on any bookshelf
InterviewBook Club
‘The looting was a chaotic free-for-all’: Dan Hicks on the pillaging of the Benin Bronzes and how museums can address colonialism
The curator and University of Oxford professor tells us about his new book, The Brutish Museums, which details how museums themselves were “used as a unique type of weapon”
FeatureBook Club
Extract | The Guerrilla Girls say ‘get mad and keep up the fight’
An exclusive excerpt and images from a new book chronicling 35 years of “creative complaining” by the US-based feminist art collective
BlogBook Club
What has the Goldsmiths CCA director Sarah McCrory been reading this year?
The curator's interests have ranged from artist interviews and books on race, to crime fiction and a biography revealing what Walter Gropius really thought of the English
ReviewBooks
Bryan Robertson: an engrossing book on a brilliant—but forgotten—maverick curator
This is the first publication about the man who put London's Whitechapel Gallery on the international map, but never gained the recognition he deserved
BlogBook Club
An expert’s guide to Artemisia Gentileschi: five must-read books on the Italian artist
All you ever wanted to know about Artemisia, from the best biographies to a book about her place in early modern feminism—selected by Italian painting specialist Letizia Treves
FeatureBook Club
Ka-boom! How art history is embracing the comic book genre
Publishers looking for ways to draw in wider audiences to the lives and careers of famous artists are increasingly turning to graphic novels
ReviewBooks
New biography highlights how Philip Guston risked his art-world standing and livelihood
The book by Robert Storr delves into the American painter's dealings with Klansmen and how he wanted “to make paintings you couldn’t count money in front of”
BlogBook Club
An expert’s guide to Vincent van Gogh: five must-read books on the Dutch artist
All you ever needed to know about the artist, from the story of the ear incident to the definitive biography and best picture book—selected by Van Gogh specialist Martin Bailey
BlogBook Club
Can’t make it to the Met? Dive into a new book for an unconventional look at the museum's collection
Publication aims to open up 6,000 years of art history using objects as a springboard—but is it worth the effort?
FeatureBook Club
In Pictures | John Cage’s lifelong obsession with mushrooms
A new book looks at the artist and composer's love of all things mycological, including his fungi photograph collection and collaboration with illustrator Lois Long
NewsBooks
German library buys 400-year-old album of drawings by European royalty for €2.8m
Art dealer Philipp Hainhofer's 16th-century "friendship book" contains inscriptions from Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II and Cosimo de’ Medici
BlogBook Club
What has the National Portrait Gallery’s Nicholas Cullinan been reading this summer?
The museum director has been delving into artist biographies, swotting up on black British history and is hoping to finally begin a well-known novel trilogy
FeatureBook Club
Misogyny and making art in the shadow of Jackson Pollock—how Lee Krasner was shut out of art history
New digital publication argues that the late US artist is the “unacknowledged equal” of her superstar husband
ReviewBooks
Image and impotency: book reveals the palaces and pictures of some particularly hapless Habsburgs
The Mexican Emperor Maximilian, Crown Prince Rudolf and Archduke Franz Ferdinand all came to sad ends, but amassed vast estates and works of art
FeatureBook Club
In Pictures | Yayoi Kusama’s colourful life gets the graphic novel treatment
From naked performances in New York and her relationship with Joseph Cornell to hijacking the Venice Biennale, the Japanese artist is the subject of a new comic book by Elisa Macellari
ReviewBooks
Biography of the artist John Nash—victim of the Younger Brother Syndrome—redresses the balance
Book shows that John Nash was a remarkable artist overshadowed by his elder sibling, Paul
FeatureBook Club
Why Jeff Koons is so difficult to please, the strange Venice Biennale selection process and which collector is a game changer
A new book by Matthew Israel gives an insider’s view of the art world over the course of a year
ReviewBooks
New Orientalists: a thoughtful book on the rise and decline of Western artists in the Middle East
There is plenty to enjoy in this account of a group of travelling painters who were not only accomplished but also determined, brave and hardy
NewsBooks
Former US president George W. Bush unveils portraits of immigrants in new book
But blowback has been swift against the hobbyist painter, whose immigration policies while in office included the creation of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
InterviewBook Club
Q&A | Vintage photo trove hidden in attic for decades revealed in new book
Alberto di Lenardo’s secret 8,000-strong archive has been distilled into a new publication by his granddaughter Carlotta, who tells us all about it
FeatureBook Club
Extract | Philip Guston’s fascination with the ‘funnies’ was key to developing his distinctive later style
An exclusive excerpt from a forthcoming biography by art historian Robert Storr looks at the influence of comics as well as caricatures that the American-Canadian artist made of his contemporaries
BlogBook Club
Summer Reads: which books do Oxford librarians want to dip into by the pool?
Bodleian scholars give their top tips for The Art Newspaper Book Club
ReviewBooks
Roman holiday, 40BC: an in-depth view of the Villa dei Papiri, the inspiration for the Getty Villa
The institution has released an up-to-date account of discoveries from the seaside getaway near Herculaneum, where Roman politicians took restorative breaks—before it was buried by Vesuvius
InterviewBook Club
Q&A | Lisa Tickner on the inspiration behind her book on London’s 1960s art scene
From student sit-ins to the importance of air travel in shaping the art world as we know it
ReviewBooks
More than the meets the (shifty) eye: book looks at the life of 16th-century polymath Jacopo Strada
Despite the dodgy gaze that Titian attributed to him in his famous portrait, this double volume demonstrates the Italian's important role in cultural history
InterviewBook Club
Q&A | Drawings of ‘eruptions of violence’ against statues fill Sam Durant’s new book
The US artist speaks about his research into historic cases of iconoclastic annihilation
ReviewBook Club
Sex, Soho, cocksure snappers and cigarette money: the making of London’s 1960s art world
A new book by Lisa Tickner, called London's New Scene, focuses on a cast of glamorous characters and gritty drama, with much that resonates today
ReviewBooks
Alexander Calder, master of time and space: erudite biography captures artist's full ambition
Second volume of a wide-ranging biography gives us the fun-loving, sophisticated man, as his work developed from delicate mobiles to firmly grounded ‘stabiles’
FeatureBook Club
In Pictures | Eva Hesse and Hannah Wilke compared in new catalogue
A selection of photographs, plus the curator Eleanor Nairne tells us how the two artists had a love for liquid latex and were fuelled by grief
NewsBooks
Has Yale’s mysterious Voynich Manuscript finally been deciphered?
A German Egyptologist believes he has cracked the code to the enigmatic 15th century illustrated book—but many others have made the same claim in the past and failed
BlogBook Club
What has the Camden Art Centre director Martin Clark been reading during lockdown?
The curator has been delving into the complex lives of plants and has found “the perfect companion through these strange days”
FeatureBook Club
How the photographer Gordon Parks upended stereotypes of policing and crime in America
As protests over the death of George Floyd continue to rage across the US, a newly released monograph on The Atmosphere of Crime series from the 1950s remains timely
FeatureBook of the month
Reviewed: Warhol, A Life as Art by Blake Gopnik
Three Andy Warhol devotees give their take on the near-1000 page biography
FeatureBook Club
Extract | Tribal identity, Tories and Tracey Emin: Grayson Perry reveals (even more) in updated book
Excerpts from the expanded monograph include how he was inspired by outsider art and the stresses of building a “Taj Mahal on the River Stour”
BlogBook Club
What has the Wallace Collection director Xavier Bray been reading during lockdown?
The art historian has been engrossed by a spy biography featuring art world personalities, and is taking his first steps with a book on ancient walking routes
BlogBook Club
What has the Whitechapel Gallery chief Iwona Blazwick been reading during lockdown?
The London-based curator has been perusing publications on science fiction, avant-garde cabarets and all things witchy
ReviewBooks
Donald Judd’s work measured in time and place
Three publications explore the artist’s life through his writings, interviews and places of work
FeatureBook Club
Extract | The story of Ruth Asawa and the secret gift from her teacher Josef Albers
An excerpt and images from a new biography on the sculptor who studied at the famous Black Mountain College and was interned during the Second World War
BlogBook Club
What has the art world been reading during the coronavirus lockdown? Part two
Curators, directors and art historians tell us about the books they have been reading and revisiting
FeatureBook Club
Extract | The late Peter Beard on being the only photographer to capture Francis Bacon’s work in progress
An excerpt, photographs and collages from the photographer’s re-released book
FeatureConservation & Preservation
Digital technologies allow us to create precise copies of artefacts—but what does this mean for the idea of 'authenticity'?
Online book demonstrates the groundbreaking work by Factum Foundation to create high-resolution facsimiles but also raises questions of value
BlogBook Club
What is the curator Hans-Ulrich Obrist reading during lockdown?
The artistic director of the Serpentine Galleries has been inspired by his daily walks and ‘animal interviews’ to revisit one of his favourite books about trees
BlogBook Club
What is the collector Eugenio Re Rebaudengo reading during lockdown?
The Turin-based art patron enjoys learning about artist rivalries and delving into the Francis Bacon catalogue raisonné, among other things
BlogBook Club
What is the curator Chrissie Iles reading during lockdown?
The Whitney Museum of American Art curator delights in learning about the global culture of the Middle Ages and finds lessons for the future in a Cauleen Smith monograph
BlogBook Club
What is the art world reading during the coronavirus lockdown?
Curators and directors tell us about their new favourite books as The Art Newspaper launches its Book Club
FeatureBooks
In an ever-mediated world, artists’ books offer an intimate encounter
Where print runs for trade art books have seen steady declines since the 90s, sales of artists’ books have stayed steady or risen—we look at why
NewsFundraising
Artist Katie Paterson raises money for domestic abuse victims at risk during coronavirus outbreak
For a charitable donation, the Scottish visual artist is selling 1,000 digital copies of one of her books based on the universe
ReviewBook Shorts
This small book tackles for the first time a very large subject: how relics were displayed in the Middle Ages
The way in which relics were presented determined what and how people thought of them, according to this publication of lectures
ReviewBook Shorts
This book makes an arresting argument for the foundations of modern art
The Hamburger Kunsthalle’s exhibition catalogue groups Tiepolo, Fragonard and Goya as forerunners of Modernism
ReviewBooks
Of fossils, prisms and volcanoes: the scientific and imaginative investigations of the polymath Goethe
This extensive volume explores the relationship between the German writer's visual imagination and his fascination with natural science
Newscoronavirus
LA Art Book Fair cancelled over fear of spread of coronavirus
Decision on MOCA event affects over 350 exhibitors from around two dozen countries
ReviewBooks
The image debate: new book looks at age-old question of figural representation in Islam
This collection of essays examines the Islamic treatment of figuration around the world, from pre-modern decoration to contemporary snowmen
ReviewBooks
Book offers broadest and deepest study of Nazi culture yet
This is the first publication to fully examine the cultural output of the Third Reich, which, unsurprisingly, failed to produce great art
ReviewBooks
Despite its 'hybrid' approach, the Met's catalogue on French painting lacks detailed analysis
When used together, the New York museum’s print catalogue and supplementary website on their 18th-century French works make an excellent initial resource but offer little new information
ReviewBooks
The case is made for connoisseurs and their role in art history
The practice of connoisseurship, which, the author Frédéric Elsig argues, is a skill that can be learned, is examined in relation to 15th-and 16th-century painting
NewsBooks
Monet's beloved pottery cat comes to life in children's book
Story directly inspired by The Art Newspaper’s article on the artists’s Japanese ornament, which sat in the dining room at his Giverny home, will be published in May
ReviewBooks
Revamped art book prize wants to become the Oscars of arts publications—is it succeeding?
A year on from its announcement, we look at whether the Richard Schlagman Art Book Awards is meeting its ambitions
ReviewBooks
Book on Bellini proves more philosophical than art historical
Scholarly analysis of 15th-century Venetian painter aims to bring his work into the 21st century
ReviewBooks
Born of hate and contempt, how the Bargello's extraordinary collection of medieval ivories came to be
Book tells the tale of how Italian museum amassed such a vast array of important sculptures thanks to Frenchman Louis-Claude Carrand
ReviewBooks
Redefining Botticelli—from Post-Modernism to soft porn
Does putting the Renaissance artist's work in a modern context enhance or diminish his art?
ReviewBooks
A neuroscientist's view: how Bacon's paintings shake up the nervous system
Publication focuses on what neuroscience and psychology bring to the table with the late artist's works
ReviewBooks
This was the most prolific year for Leonardo scholarship in history—here is a detailed guide to the best books
At least 250 volumes in European languages have been published in 2019, the year that saw the world commemorate 500 years since Leonardo da Vinci's death
ReviewThe Year in Review 2019
From the history of the festive putti to Arthur Jafa's hefty tome: the art world's favourite books of 2019
Regular contributors, scholars, curators and critics choose their favourite reads from the past year
ReviewExhibition catalogues
Vienna museum's Caravaggio and Bernini catalogue presents the artist's studio as a theatrical site
Exhibition at Kunsthistorisches on the two Baroque heavyweights helps to clarify the relationship between Roman painting and sculpture of the period
NewsBooks
Missing Leonardo link: writer discovers that Da Vinci's anatomy drawings were owned by Charles II
New book hopes research of papers belonging to the king's physician will lead to further "eureka" moments
ReviewBooks
Demanding artists and receptive architects in book about design and function of the studio
This book shows how, from the end of the 19th century to the Second World War, artists collaborated with architects to craft an image of themselves
ReviewBooks
‘If I don’t like your pictures, I can destroy everything': a photographer's intimate—but risky—shoots with Louise Bourgeois
In his new book the photographer Jean-François Jaussaud details how he gained the trust of the late French artist
BlogAdventures with Van Gogh
Methodical, well read and—above all—human: what we learn from the myth-busting edition of Van Gogh’s letters
A decade after the publication of Vincent's trove of correspondence, here is how the remarkable project has contributed to scholarship on his art
NewsAcquisitions
New York's Morgan Library receives ‘transformational’ trove of manuscripts and bindings
Bequest comes from New York collector Jayne Wrightsman, who amassed an 18th-century library to complement her celebrated French furnishings
NewsLeonardo da Vinci
New book on Leonardo’s Salvator Mundi aims to be a definitive study—but it's not the last word on the controversial painting
Ahead of the blockbuster at the Musée du Louvre, we get an exclusive first read of the publication written by Martin Kemp, Robert Simon and Margaret Dalivalle
ReviewBooks
Titan of Turin: Italy's greatest interior decorator receives definitive scholarly book
Bertrand de Royere provides a thorough examination of the life the 19th century decorator and furniture designer Pelagio Palagi
ReviewBooks
Back to scuola: book series provides accessible introduction to Italian and Northern Renaissance art
The five volumes offer a range of perspectives and chronological breadth for budding scholars of the field
NewsPolitics
'We want the Babylonian Palace of Tiglath-Pileser!': new book reveals Boris Johnson's thwarted vision for new V&A East
Nicholas Coleridge, the chairman of the Victoria and Albert Museum, tells how Boris laid down the law on his plans for the project
ReviewBooks
National Gallery definitively catalogues 'small but perfectly formed' collection of French 18th century paintings
Humphrey Wine’s lavishly illustrated book details the London museum's 60 authentic works and 12 replicas, copies or pastiches
ReviewBooks
'The guardian of Vincent’s legacy': new biography details devoted life of Van Gogh's sister-in-law Jo Bonger
Bonger's encounter with Trotsky and her tireless effort to preserve the artist's work are explored in the new book by Hans Luijten
ReviewMedieval art
Glam rock: alabaster was not medieval England's 'poor man's marble' new book finds
Used in high status projects and throughout the continent, Kim Woods's detailed study challenges misconceptions of the carving rock's status
ReviewBooks
A clever book for clever people: Marina Warner's sensitive artist essays dimmed by too many words
The brilliance of the scholar's examination of artists such as Paula Rego and Sigmar Polke is evident despite name dropping and verbose language
ReviewBooks
The scientific brotherhood: Pre-Raphaelite art put under the microscope
The Victorian artist group explored the connections between art and scientific observation to enhance art’s moral purpose
ReviewBooks
New catalogue presents virtuosity of Neo-Classicist goldsmith Luigi Valadier
Alvar González-Palacios’s book on the Italian decorator is a peak in his distinguished career
ReviewBooks
Fit for a king: book lays out the vast scale of the Orléans collection
The second Duke of Orléans’ assembly of his famous art collection may have been a covert preparation for seizing the throne of France
ReviewBooks
The Arts and Crafts special relationship: how the British movement permeated US design culture
Companion book to an exhibition at the University of Texas at Austin offers new dimensions on the vast subject
CommentMuseums
A new kind of museum is emerging—here's what the future holds
International museum leaders are confronting manifold challenges in the wake of Covid-19 and innovating in six principal ways, writes András Szántó
András Szántó