Books
Book Reviews
Contested prospect: two new books see the Parthenon through the eyes of a legal expert and a lifelong scholar of Greek history
The great temple to Athena has emerged from the vicissitudes of earthquakes, war, looting and rebuilding to be caught up in a monumental restitution debate
Book Club
The Art Newspaper’s Book Club shines a light on art books in their myriad forms and brings you exclusive extracts, interviews, picture galleries and recommendations from leading art world figures. Sign up to our newsletter and follow us on social media using #TANbookclub
An expert’s guide to Paula Rego: six must-read books on the Portuguese-British artist
All you ever wanted to know about Rego, from the best catalogues to a behind-the-scenes dive into her studio—selected by her son Nick Willing
Ultimate reading lists
The publisher that promised ‘art for all’: a potted history of Phaidon as it celebrates its centenary
The vice-president Deborah Aaronson tells us how the company got some help from Albert Einstein and why eBooks are not necessarily the future of art publishing
October book bag: from the ‘earthly delights’ of the Renaissance to a compendium of Latin American art
Our roundup of the latest art publications
Antonio Canova’s spirited clay sketches go under the microscope in new catalogue
This well-conceived exhibition catalogue illuminates the sculptor’s terracotta models—masterpieces in their own right
Complex novel echoes the life of pioneering Black American artist Edmonia Lewis
The Somali-Italian author Igiaba Scego's tale of empowerment draws on the artist's journey from Native American reservation to international fame
A deep dive into the history of China’s art market
From the devastation of the Cultural Revolution to the transformation of the contemporary art scene
The Bloomsbury Group, re-examined through their garments
A new book and UK exhibition by Charlie Porter explores the sartorial choices of Virginia Woolf, Vanessa Bell and the rest of the Charleston set
The life of Elisabetta Sirani—‘the best brush in Bologna’—explored in new publication
Despite meticulously documenting her own career, the artist was largely forgotten in the centuries after her death
September book bag: from a queer Claude Cahun graphic novel to veteran critic Richard Cork’s encounters with artists
Our roundup of the latest art publications
Coco Fusco on her new monograph, her activism and why she remains sceptical of the art world
The artist also discusses her “meditation on death”, a film shot around and above Hart Island in the US
The genius of Germany’s medieval carvers
Wood has long been deep in the German psyche, as seen in the work of the country’s master sculptors
How almost meeting Alberto Giacometti the week he died inspired a new biography
A 60-year “obsession” began when Michael Peppiatt set out for Paris with a letter of introduction from Francis Bacon
An expert’s guide to Roy Lichtenstein: five must-read books on the American Pop artist
All you ever wanted to know about Lichtenstein, from an encyclopaedic career survey to a collection of his unexpectedly witty mirror paintings—selected by the art dealer Irving Blum
Former Sotheby's boss writes sex-filled murder mystery novel set in fictional auction house Mount's
Spoiler alert: lots of mounting takes place at Mount's
Collector David Walsh's subterranean Mona museum expanding to house 'dream library'
The new space at the Tasmanian institution will also include other “treasures” according to Walsh's wife, curator and artist Kirsha Kaechele
Our picks for the autumn: new art books out soon
Jacqueline Riding, our books editor, selects some of the tempting titles scheduled for publication in the coming months
Charting the transformation of British studio ceramics
This comprehensive catalogue of the Victoria and Albert Museum’s collection from 1900 to now is a joy to behold
August book bag: from a new book of Lee Miller photographs to a ‘sexy’ publication of contemporary Indigenous art
Our roundup of the latest art publications
‘We never even bid one dollar’: Sheikha Al-Mayassa discusses Salvator Mundi and controversy around Damien Hirst’s foetus works in new book
An extract from a new publication about collectors by Dani Levinas features rare insights from the chair of Qatar Museums
The Redstone Press founder Julian Rothenstein explains the benefits of being a small publisher and why he has cut back on fonts
The designer and editor also reveals the famous writers he will be collaborating with for the next editions of his popular diary series
Why there should be pilgrimages to see Carel Fabritius’s paintings and how the Dutch Golden Age offers us ‘the visual speech of life’
The art critic Laura Cumming tells us about her new book interlacing art history and memoir
Book explores how museums can deal with colonial acquisitions and other problematic issues
A level-headed survey of the rise and fall of anthropological and ethnographic collections and what their futures may hold
Lively biography of Jim Ede puts visionary creator of Kettle’s Yard in the frame
The publication explores the collector’s gift for friendship, but is oddly reticent about the man himself
Shades of meaning: a new publication looks at how Britain moved into the age of technicolour
A thoughtfully researched book ranges from chromatic imperialism to race and the BBC’s “colour problem”
New book details how Alfredo Boulton’s photography helped define an artistic history of Venezuela
The photographer and historian documented the country’s art back to the pre-Hispanic period
July book bag: from conversations with collectors to a Ruth Baumgarte catalogue raisonné
Our roundup of the latest art publications
The co-founder of luxury art publisher Assouline on why its books ‘are really haute couture’ and how they will ‘never’ go digital
Prosper Assouline also tells us about doing everything in-house and how 80% of a book is what is on the outside
Nine artists recommend their favourite books for summer
From dystopian biography and intelligent plants to “monstrous mothers” and the underwater world, avid readers share their top tips
From self-portraits and smiles to screams: creating a compendium of art ‘firsts’
The writer and art historian Nick Trend tells us how he chose the art for his new book and why such choices can often be subjective
The invented histories of the Isle of Avalon
An entertaining study of the seductive legends of England’s past, from the eighth century to the present day
From pixies to princesses: exploring a London's borough's public statuary
Kensington and Chelsea is home to celebrated statues and hidden pieces