Portraits and self-portraiture in the arts Books

Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics.''How sad it is! I shall grow old, and horrid, and dreadful. But this picture will remain always young If it was only the other way!''Wilde''s first and only published novel recounts the story of handsome Dorian Gray who upon having his portrait painted desires that it will age and grow ugly while he may remain eternally beautiful. The painting, which reflects each of Gray''s sins and transgressions in its hideousness, haunts him until it finally becomes unbearable. In this dark tale of duplicity and mortality, Wilde creates a world where art and reality collide.

Read more less

Book SynopsisExam board: Edexcel Level & Subject: AS and A Level English Literature First teaching: September 2015 Next exams: 2025Trade Review“The new Collins Classroom Classic editions are perfect for schools – clear text, bright covers, a good size for pockets and bags, and a great price that makes buying new class or cohort sets very attractive in these budget-conscious times.” de Stafford School

Read more less

Book SynopsisFollowing the success of A Dog a Day and Old Dogs, Sally Muir returns with an adorable collection of beautiful rescue dog portraits that will melt even the coldest of hearts. Several years ago, Sally Muir began a Facebook project, posting dog art daily, which became the best-selling book A Dog a Day. Through the project she was introduced to endless people and their dogs, and the distinct personalities and complex emotions that owners attribute to them. This was followed with Old Dogs, where Sally asked the public to send in photos of their elderly canines. She was drawn to the tales behind their greying whiskers and so the natural next step was rescue dogs with their eventful life stories. Rescue Dogs is a beautiful collection of loveable hounds with colourful histories and expressive faces. From Mr Bojangles who was rescued after being hit by a car to Molly who found a new lease of life after being rescued from a shelter at age 15, Rescue Dogs will tug at the heartstrings and leave you with a profound sense of optimism for life, new beginnings and kindness. This is the perfect gift for your dog-loving friends, or for yourself to enjoy some mindful moments flicking through delightful, heart-warming canine portraits.Trade Review For A Dog a Day: 'Muir’s dog portraiture … demonstrates the artist’s technical range and her keen understanding of essential doggishness … Muir’s mastery of the expressive capacity of the canine eye in particular makes these paintings live and pant.' – The Spectator 'Sally Muir has done the job brilliantly’ – The Times For Old Dogs: ‘Beautiful and touching. … A treasure trove for anyone that loves dogs and art’ – Kennel Gazette

Read more less

Book SynopsisQuotations from leading women artists paired with iconic artworks, offering powerful insights into their creative journeys and the challenges they've faced over 150 years.

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book SynopsisSargent and Fashion explores the dynamic relationship of painting and dress — from portraits and performance, gender expression and the New Woman, to the pull of tradition and the excitement of new ideas. "The coat is the picture," John Singer Sargent exclaimed to his fellow artist Graham Robertson in the summer of 1894, tugging a heavy overcoat ever more tightly around his sitter's slender figure. Sought-after by sitters for his ability to present to the world flattering and engaging likenesses, Sargent was simultaneously pursuing his own artistic vision. Rather than holding up a mirror to contemporary fashion, Sargent made fashion a part of his artistic repertoire. He often chose what his sitters wore, pinned their garments, or draped fabric around them, all with a view to creating confections to be recorded on canvas through his unrivalled artistic gifts. With contributions from many of the leading thinkers on Sargent and his world, and lavish reproductions of major portraits and exquisite costumes of the period, this publication offers a vital new perspective on one of the most famous and fashionable artists of all time.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book is for anybody who wants to draw more, whether you are learning from scratch or developing existing skills. When you're learning to draw, the most important thing you'll own is a sketchbook, and this is a sketchbook with training wheels. Let go of your fear and unlock drawing skills that you never believed you could have with this expertly guided sketchbook. Not your ordinary art book, You Will be Able to Draw by the End of This Book is a combined tutorial and sketchbook that not only teaches you the fundamental steps required for you to be able to draw, but also allows you the space to practise on the page. The book lays flat to allow you to draw comfortably and has an elastic band to keep your artwork safe. Each exercise has an estimated completion time, so it doesn't matter whether you are at home, on your lunch break or even on the bus, you'll always find time to practise. Jake is like an ever-present companion who will guide you on your creative journey, with his friendly and practical tone. His lessons build in complexity as you work through the book, starting with the basics of line making and progressing to portraits and landscapes. His clever exercises will help you gain confidence and break you out of old habits as well as encouraging you to see things in a different way and relax. So pick up a pencil and discover the joy of drawing!

Read more less

Book SynopsisAward-winning artist Hashim Akib's striking portraits are at the heart of this inspirational book. The subject of portraiture is seen by many as the zenith of art, and Hash's easygoing, unpretentious style puts fantastic results within the reach of hobby artists and aspiring professionals alike. Assuming nothing and starting from the basics – making it suitable even for the enthusiastic beginner – this book includes six step-by-step projects to follow; along with friendly but in-depth advice on colour palettes; skintone; composition; working from photographs and models; markmaking; lighting; atmosphere and much more. The book covers many types of portraiture – from the self-portrait to full-length portraits – all presented in Hash's striking, free and contemporary style.Trade Review'Exciting' is not normally a word springs to mind when discussing books on portraiture. 'Thorough', maybe, or 'comprehensive' - what you are mostly looking for is something that describes working methods clearly and illustrated the type of people you can relate to. This, though, is something different. Hashim Akib captures likenesses well, but he also introduces a sense of character, personality and presence through his trademark dynamic brushwork. It would be all too easy for this to fall wide of the mark, becoming mannered, or maybe too individual to have more general appeal. Instead, and this is down to his very considerable technical expertise, the book makes you want to get started and even to try Hashim's own demonstrations - they're people you feel you'd really like to meet. Excitement on its own would not be enough, of course, so be assured that this is thorough and comprehensive as well. * The Artist *Hashim has yet again written a bold exciting and informative book. His colour use is just perfectly shown. He explains how to paint portraits so well that it makes it so much easier to attempt. It makes painting so much fun and lets artists go for it, in a controlled, but free way. I have learnt so much reading this book and will be painting this way with excitement ahead. Wow, thanks. -- Melanie Bettridge * Customer review *Being a huge fan of Hash's style, I eagerly anticipated the arrival of this latest book and was not disappointed. This is a great book for getting an insight into an artist's process, it's like having a personal workshop which you can keep referring back to. Acrylics are not the obvious medium choice for portraiture but the strong and dynamic style Hashim uses is both inspiring and contemporary. He makes it look so simple and easy! There are several step by step examples to guide you, from initial planning though the sculptural painting process, lots of hints and tips, and insights into making portrait painting loose but exciting. From lighting and expressions to mark making, Hashim explains in detail his method and the materials used. The biggest setback to a beginner or the casual hobby artist, is the confidence required to use the paint so freely, and have the observation skills required to get the best results, hopefully this book will inspire you to take the large leap of faith and try it. So if you are a beginner looking for different ways in which to tackle the complex area of portraiture or somebody more advanced wanting to experiment with or change to a more colourful and loose approach, I would urge everyone to get this book, have a go and try emulating this style. -- Michelle Tilston Fletcher * Customer review *This is a book that's full of life and of a love of people as well as painting. Hashim will show you how to capture not just the appearance of your subject, but also their character. This is an dynamic author who's not only enthusiastic about his subject, but excellent at conveying that and explaining his methods. * The SAA *FACE FACTS Learn the basics of portraiture and how to unleash your own painting techniques with this guide by artist Hashim Akib Rather than taking a formal learning approach in his book, artist and author Hashim Akib explains useful portrait painting concepts while also encouraging you to explore your own style. It opens with an introduction to tools and materials, before setting aside chapters to compositional exercises, colour theory and detailed painting tutorials. So far, so familiar. But this book’s selling point is that it knows it’s a jumping-off point for further experimentation. Hobbyists will benefit from the advice on paint application and colour mixing, while experienced artists will appreciate the technical know-how on display in the step-by-step guides. The final chapters show you how to push what you’ve learnt even further with lessons on texture, profiles and unusual expressions. As Hashim says in his introduction, photography has had a huge impact on portraiture. With this in mind, his guide is a valuable exploration of how contemporary portraiture can still be relevant today, and what you need to consider if you want to create engaging paintings with personality. Working from one reference photo, Hashim Akib explains how he paints skin tones and uses just a few extra brush marks to describe the face. For this portrait piece, Hashim uses earthy and dark neutrals, which frame the warmer colours. -- Chris Allcock * Imagine Fx *This is the most exciting book I've ever seen about portrait painting. Hashim's paintings are dynamic and full of life. They're about as are removed from the often stuffy canvases you see on the walls of institutions as it's possible to get. Most books on portraiture concentrate on technique and getting a likeness. Frankly, if you want that, you should probably stick to photography. What painting can do is express character and provide an inner vision that gives a sense of presence, and that's here in profusion. I wouldn't want you to think there's nothing here about technique-there's plenty of it, but it's bound up with actual paintings that show how things work in practice, rather than theory. There is, for example, a very handy section on facial features- eyes, noses and mouths. Hashim still manages to tell you more about the differences between men and women and racial types than you'll find in many other books. So, you see, this is a book that teaches by example-and what examples! Every kind of face is here and there are quite a few different styles of painting too, including some startling uses of colour. It's that kind of book. I've often spoken about the ones which will have you itching to get out your brushes and this is another example of them. Even if you've never painted a portrait in your life, you can't help feeling your feet starting to tap and wanting to get up and dance with Hashim. * Paint Magazine *“Exciting” isn’t normally a word I’d associated with portraiture. “Thorough”, “lifelike”, maybe even “vibrant”, but it’s not normally a subject to get the pulses racing. This, though, is astounding. Hashim’s style is quite blocky and, if you were looking for almost photographic realism, this is not for you. You actually have to look at the finished results for a few seconds before the features of the faces emerge. When they do, however, they’re full of character and these are people whose presence you can feel. This is something that all portrait painters strive for, but it’s one of the most difficult qualities to achieve. If personality is your goal, place your order now. I think it also helps that Hashim appears simply to like people. I don’t think it would be possible to get results like this if you simply regarded your subjects as a job. There’s a warmth here, and an understanding of the life and light behind mere structure and outward appearance. This isn’t really something that can be taught, so I’d suggest you might simply want to learn from example here – don’t expect a magic ingredient. In practical terms, the book offers all the variety you could want. There are male and female figures, different hair styles and skin colours and a wide range of ages. Hashim explains colour, lighting and perspective and he’s also rather good on the main features – eyes, noses, ears, etc. Here, his style is your friend as its vibrancy makes what is inevitably a rather technical section interesting and – well – exciting. -- Henry Malt * Art Book Review *Like most painters, I find painting portraits challenging. I found this book very interesting because for me it has a new approach. Treating the face like blocks. Akib tells us to beware of realism. This book enables you to master the essentials and capture the atmosphere, the character. It's worth looking at no matter what your skill, for the treatment is quite different. Plenty of examples, male, female, young, old. Follow the 6 varied step-by-step projects. Faces, features and even full length portraits are covered. I particularly like the unusual expressions pages and the way they were presented. One thing of note, I found I liked the older style and not his new way of using very thick paint, but that is just personal preference and it is good to experiment and try different styles and ways of using paint. Also close-ups are not how the paintings will appear when viewed on a wall. I cannot believe it is 7 years since his last book, what a lot he has achieved. -- Karen Platt * Amazon *Painting Portraits in Acrylics is a practical guide to contemporary portraiture by Hashim Akib. Award-winning artists Hashim Akib's striking portraits are at the heart of this inspirational book. Hash's easy-going, unpretentious style puts fantastic results within the reach of hobby artists and aspiring professionals alike. Assuming nothing and starting from the basics, making it suitable even for the enthusiastic beginner, this book includes six step-by-step projects to follow, along with friendly but in-depth advice on colour palettes, skin tone, composition, working from photographs and models, mark making, lighting; atmosphere and much more. The book covers many types of portraiture from the self-portrait to full-length portraits, all presented in Hash's striking, free and contemporary style. * Leisure Painter *Starting from the basics, award-winning artist Hashim Akib shows you how to paint portraits in acrylics with an engaging and easy-to-follow style. Covering all styles of portraiture, from self-portraits to full-length portraits, the book includes six step-by-step projects to follow. These provide in-depth advice on colour palettes, skin tones, composition and lighting as well as how to work from photographs and models, plus much more. The book is aimed at beginners, but there's plenty for the more proficient artist to enjoy here. * The Artist *Table of ContentsIntroduction Materials Starting out The Robot Ideas and planning A face that tells a story Age & Experience Light Colour Painting skin Full Length Portrait Painting self portraits Self portrait Going further Choosing a face Attitude and expression Young Girl Portrait in profile Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis repackaged edition of this best-selling guide to anatomy in art that will help artists of all levels to improve their life-drawing skills. Unlock your inner artist and discover how to draw the human body in this beautifully-illustrated art book by celebrated artist and teacher, Sarah Simblet. Whether you''re looking to develop a new skill this New Year, or develop your drawing skills even further, this visually-striking guide offers a fresh approach to drawing the human body. Dive straight in to discover: -Over 250 specially-commissioned photographs and drawings -Covers each part of the human body from head to toe -10 masterclasses demonstrate how famous artists have depicted the human body-Practical advice and top-tips on life drawing Combining stunning photographs of models with historical and contemporary works of art and her own dynamic life drawing, Sarah will take you on a journey inside the human body to map its skeleton, muscle groups and body systems. Bring your artwork to life in the most dynamic way possible, with detailed line drawings superimposed over photographs to reveal the links between the body''s appearance and it''s construction. Featuring inspirational master classes on world-famous artworks, from Michelangelo to Hans Holbein, Ingres to Degas and more, discover how artists have depicted the human body over centuries. Each master class features a photograph of a model holding the same pose as in the painting, to highlight key details of anatomy and show how the artist has interpreted them.Understanding anatomy is the foundation to understanding the human body successfully. As well as being the perfect reference, Anatomy for the Artist will inspire you to find a model, reach for your pencil and start drawing! Let DK plant the seed of curiosity and watch as it develops into a life-long love of art, anatomy and more. A must-have volume for artists of all levels who wish to tackle life drawing, or those interested in human anatomy, whether as a gift or self-purchase.

Read more less

Book SynopsisJoin man’s best friend on a walk through art history.From ancient Egyptian busts to 1960s screenprints, portraiture is an historic art form beloved of painters, sculptors and photographers alike. A History of Portraits in 21 Dogs offers a fun, unique guide to this fascinating genre, with 21 of the most important and recognizable masterpieces recreated with dashing dog subjects. Each reimagined artwork is accompanied by information about the original artist and portrait, as well as a bitesize, illustrated breakdown of all the key elements of the piece.Illustrated by art-lover and animal enthusiast Nia Gould, A History of Portraits in 21 Dogs is an accessible, engaging and imaginative companion to feline favourite A History of Art in 21 Cats.

Read more less

Book SynopsisJohn Berger, one of the world's most celebrated storytellers and writers on art, tells a personal history of art from the prehistoric paintings of the Chauvet caves to 21st century conceptual artists. Berger presents entirely new ways of thinking about artists both canonized and obscure, from Rembrandt to Henry Moore, Jackson Pollock to Picasso. Throughout, Berger maintains the essential connection between politics, art and the wider study of culture. The result is an illuminating walk through many centuries of visual culture, from one of the contemporary world's most incisive critical voices.Trade ReviewJohn Berger's "Portraits" is among the greatest books on art I've ever read. -- Zadie Smith * New York Times *A volume whose breadth and depth bring it close to a definitive self-portrait of one of Britain's most original thinkers -- Financial TimesPerhaps the greatest living writer on art . reminds us just how insufficient most art commentary is these days . an indispensible guide to understanding art from cave painting to today's experimenters. -- Spectator [Books of the Year]In this extraordinary new book, John Berger embarks on a process of re-discovery and re-figuring of history through the visual narratives given to us by portraiture. Berger's ability for storytelling is both incisive and intriguing. He is one of the greatest writers of our time. -- Hans Ulrich Obrist, author of 'Ways of Curating'Berger's art criticism transcends its genre to become a very rare thing-literature * The Nation *Berger is a writer one demands to know more about ... an intriguing and powerful mind and talent. * New York Times *Much of his best critical prose appears in [this] chunky volume * Economist *

Read more less

Book SynopsisStruggling artist Sadie Montgomery never saw what was coming... Literally! One minute she''s celebrating placing as a finalist in a prestigious portrait-painting competition, the next she''s lying in a hospital bed diagnosed with a probably temporary condition known as face blindness. She can still see - but every face she looks at is now a jumbled puzzle of disconnected features. As she struggles to hang on to her artistic dream, work through major family issues, and take care of her beloved dog Peanut, she falls in love - not with one man but two. The timing couldn''t be worse. Making judgment calls on anything right now is a nightmare. If only her life were a little more in focus, Sadie might be able to have it all...*****PRAISE FOR NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER KATHERINE CENTER ''My perfect 10 of a book. As funny and sweet as all the very best nineties rom-coms, but with Center''s signature heart-tugging depth. I

Read more less

Book SynopsisArtist's Drawing Techniques brings together a selection of award-winning artists and tutors who are represented by multiple galleries throughout the UK, including Katarzyna Kmiecik, Mark Langley, Ashley Mortenson, Kate Parkin, Charlie Schaffer, Gail Sibley, Katie Sollohub, Rupert Smissen, and Jake Spicer.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisLunch with the FT has been a permanent fixture in the Financial Times for almost 30 years, featuring presidents, film stars, musical icons and business leaders from around the world.The column is now a well-established institution, which has reinvigorated the art of conversation in the convivial, intimate environment of a long and boozy lunch.This new and updated edition includes lunches with:Elon MuskDonald TrumpHilary MantelRichard BransonZadie SmithNigel FarageRussell BrandDavid GuettaYanis VaroufakisJean-Claude JunckerGwyneth PaltrowRebecca SolnitJordan PetersonChimamanda Ngozi AdichieAnd more...

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrits Lugt (1884–1970) had a passion for miniatures that began early on in his life. He demonstrated it in the small but ardent Le portrait-miniature of 1917, the year in which he bought the first portrait miniature for his collection. Since then it has been constantly enriched, and now numbers more than 100 works by artists from Great Britain, the Low Countries, France, Germany, Italy, Denmark and Switzerland, covering the period from the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries. Thanks to the expertise of specialist Karen Schaffers-Bodenhausen, who has studied the growing collection in recent years with great dedication and patience, we now have this first catalogue of the portrait miniatures in the Frits Lugt Collection, Fondation Custodia, Paris. In addition to a foreword by director Ger Luijten, the first volume contains detailed descriptions and exhaustive analyses of the portraits, their attributions, and identifications of the sitters. The author also examines the techniques employed and sets out to establish a date for each portrait. The volume closes with a table of concordance, a detailed index of proper names and a comprehensive bibliography. Comparative illustrations are incorporated in the descriptions. The second volume has colour plates of all the works in the collection, almost all of them full size, and concludes with reproductions of the backs of the miniatures if they provide additional supporting information.

Read more less

Book SynopsisArtisan Art Notebooks, the new Journals from Flame Tree in a range of hues to suit the moment and featuring magnificent art. They’re hand crafted with decorated edges overflowing with petals, teasing vines and patterns. A unique blend of the practical and beautiful, with two ribbons and lined pages, the Artisan Art Notebooks are perfect for notes, creative writing, poetry, doodles and lists. And, with robust flexi covers, they’re easy to slip into your bag, a pleasure to use. Simply, they feel good! Renowned Austrian artist Gustav Klimt is well known for his richly decorative commissioned portraits and murals. The Kiss is a prime example of Klimt's 'Golden Phase', in which he began to feature especially sumptuous ornamentation on a regular basis in his paintings. The couple in this artwork represent the mystical union of spiritual and erotic love, and the connection of life and the universe.

Read more less

Book SynopsisCharting the changing relationship between art and war this book includes likenesses of famous - and infamous - commanders, such as Francis Drake, James Cook and Horatio Nelson, but also considers the representation of men and women whose stories are often overlooked or marginalised.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWith Creative Portraits in Watercolor, you’ll learn creative techniques for capturing a unique and stunning likeness using watercolor and other art mediums.

Read more less

Book SynopsisLong-time art critic Richard Dorment reveals the corruption and lies of the art world and its mystifying authentication process.Late one afternoon in the winter of 2003 art critic Richard Dorment answered a telephone call from a stranger. The caller was Joe Simon, an American film producer and art collector. He was ringing at the suggestion of David Hockney, his neighbour in Malibu. A committee of experts called the Andy Warhol Art Authentication Board had declared the two Warhols in his collection to be fake. He wanted to know why and thought Dorment could help.This call would mark the beginning of an extraordinary story that would play out over the next ten years and would involve a cast of characters straight out of fiction. From rock icons and film stars; art dealers and art forgers; to a murdered Russian oligarch and a lawyer for the mob; from courtrooms to auction houses: all took part in a bitter struggle to prove the authenticity of a series of paintings by the most famous American artist of the twentieth century.Part detective story, part art history, part memoir, part courtroom drama, Warhol After Warhol is a spellbinding account of the dark connection between money, power and art.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhether you?re an aspiring artist or new to the medium, seasoned instructor and accomplished artist Nathan Fowkes makes drawing portraits in charcoal not only accessible, but also a real pleasure! From stocking the best supplies to using them effectively, and composing a portrait while avoiding common mistakes, How to Draw Portraits in Charcoal by Nathan Fowkes will place you firmly on the path to producing the charcoal portraits you''ve dreamed of creating. His easy-to-follow tips, in-depth tutorials, and valuable exercises make this guide your first step toward building an understanding and appreciation for every face you draw. This handy book will equip you with the skills to capture them in beautiful charcoal fashion.

Read more less

Book SynopsisLife Drawing for Artists teaches a contemporary approach to figure drawing that includes both the familiar poses—standing, sitting, lying down—but also how to capture figures in movement and in more dynamic and engaging positions. Author Chris Legaspi is a dedicated, life-long artist and admired instructor who is known for his dynamic figurative drawings and paintings, and as a successful illustrator in the entertainment industry. Whether you are an aspiring illustrator, art student, or a professional artist looking to develop your abilities, Life Drawing for Artists shows how to build your skills by combining fundamental building blocks, such as gesture lines, shape and design, structure, value control, and edge or line control. You'll focus on different skills while working on both quick timed drawings and longer detailed drawings. The book covers important topics, such as drawing different views, understanding perspective, foreshortening strategies, and how to deal with various lighting conditions. The examples and tutorials explore virtually every pose scenario, as well as many active and dynamic movements. Breathe drama into your figures as you master the fundamentals with this fresh approach to life drawing. The For Artists series expertly guides and instructs artists at all skill levels who want to develop their classical drawing and painting skills and create realistic and representational art.Table of ContentsPreface Chapter 1 Foundation The Purpose of Figure Drawing The Structure of a Life Drawing Session Recommended Materials Using Your Materials Chapter 2 Fundamentals of Life Drawing Making Marks The Concept of Gesture Construction Two-Dimensional Shapes Three-Dimensional Shapes Introduction to Shading, Light, and Shadow Chapter 3 The Drawing Process Overview of the Drawing Process Anatomical Landmarks Starting with the Head Drawing the Torso How to Draw One- and Two-Minute Poses How to Draw Three- and Five-Minute Poses How to Draw Ten-Minute Poses How to Draw Twenty-Minute Poses Chapter 4 Side View and Perspective Side View Techniques and Strategies How to Draw the Figure in Perspective Chapter 5 Exercises and Self-Study 150 Recommended Exercises Part 1: Drawing from Life and Observation Part 2: Dexterity Exercises Part 3: Old Master Studies Acknowledgments About the Author Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisDavid Hockney: Normandy Portraits accompanies a major exhibition on David Hockney at the National Portrait Gallery, London. It reveals new portraits painted in Hockney's Normandy Studio between 2020 and 2022. David Hockney: Normandy Portraits illustrates around 40 acrylic on canvas works painted by Hockney at his Normandy studio – depicting his friends and visitors, including his partner JP, pop-star sensation Harry Styles, and the artist himself. This image-led book product will showcase a series of some previously unseen portraits, through 48 pages, uninterrupted by text, to allow readers to engage directly with the artworks that will be on display at the National Portrait Gallery as well as some added exclusives. These works highlight the ongoing importance of portraiture within the artist’s practice and demonstrate his sentiment that ‘drawings and paintings … are a lot better than photographs to give you a sense of the person’. Hockney returned to painting after an intensive period spent depicting the Normandy landscape using an iPad. The portraits were painted quickly and directly onto the canvas without under drawing. As Hockney has said ‘to do a portrait slowly is a bit of a contradiction’.

Read more less

Book SynopsisNational Portrait Gallery: The Collection introduces the key people who have shaped the history of Britain, its culture and identity, by exploring essential highlights from the National Portrait Gallery’s unrivalled Collection. National Portrait Gallery: The Collection is published to celebrate the reopening of the Gallery after a three-year redevelopment project. Designed by Daniela Rocha, this engaging and inviting book takes the reader on a chronological journey through Britain’s history in portraiture, from the Tudors to Now, featuring the country’s most impactful and famous individuals, from Queen Elizabeth I to Mary Seacole, and Virginia Woolf to David Bowie. The book is richly illustrated with beautiful paintings, photographs, sculptures, drawings and digital works. Readers will enjoy a selection of the most popular and recognisable portraits from the Collection, accompanied by short chapter introductions that introduce key historical periods, their most exciting figures, and their most important historical, political, social and cultural moments. This accessible structure allows the reader to dip into any of the beautiful portraits and their stories, and understand their place in British history. An Introduction by Director Dr. Nicholas Cullinan will highlight why portraiture has been fundamental to people and society historically, but also to contemporary audiences, by exploring themes of culture, identity and the representation of diversity. This will also introduce readers to the nation’s newly-reopened National Portrait Gallery, explaining how it came to be the nation’s home of portraits and the world’s most significant Collection of people.Table of ContentsIntroduction15001600170018001900–19501950–20002000Index of sitters and artistsPicture Credits

Read more less

Book SynopsisA unique collective portrait of the United Kingdom during the national lockdown of 2020. Introduction by The Duchess of Cambridge. Text by Lemn Sissay MBE. Sunday Times Bestseller. ‘Every bookcase should have this book’ ‘Beautifully heart-warming’ and ‘a keepsake for years to come’. Focused on three key themes – Helpers and Heroes, Your New Normal and Acts of Kindness, this book presents a unique portrait of the UK during the 2020 lockdown, through 100 community photographs. The net proceeds from the sale of the book will be equally split to support the work of the National Portrait Gallery and Mind, the mental health charity (registered 219830) Spearheaded by The Duchess of Cambridge, Patron of the National Portrait Gallery, Hold Still was an ambitious community project to create a unique collective portrait of the UK during lockdown. People of all ages were invited to submit a photographic portrait, taken in a six-week period during May and June 2020, focussed on three core themes – Helpers and Heroes, Your New Normal and Acts of Kindness. From these, a panel of judges selected 100 portraits, assessing the images on the emotions and experiences they conveyed. Featured here in this publication, the final 100 images present a unique and highly personal record of this extraordinary period in our history of people of all ages from across the nation. From virtual birthday parties, handmade rainbows and community clapping to brave NHS staff, resilient keyworkers and people dealing with illness, isolation and loss. The images convey humour and grief, creativity and kindness, tragedy and hope – expressing and exploring both our shared and individual experiences. Presenting a true portrait of our nation in 2020, this publication includes a foreword by The Duchess of Cambridge, each image is accompanied by the story behind the picture told through the words of the entrants, and further works show the nationwide outdoor exhibition of Hold Still.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA comprehensive catalogue of Sargent's charcoal portraits, capturing high society, professions, and the arts in an era of profound transformation In comparison with his portraits in oil, John Singer Sargent's charcoal portraits are relatively little known. In this authoritative new volume, Richard Ormond documents the nearly 700 drawings that make up this distinct strand of Sargent's oeuvre. These portraits capture the essence of British and American high society in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, portraying an elite clientele that includes aristocracy, royalty, politicians, artists, writers, actors, financiers, and philanthropists. Among Sargent's subjects are such prominent figures as the Astors, Rockefellers, Vanderbilts, Du Ponts, the Prince and Princess of Wales, Ethel Barrymore, W. B. Yeats, and Winston Churchill. Though renowned for his paintings of women, these charcoal portraits also reveal Sargent's interest in depicting athletes across a variety of sports, from cricket and fencing to football and polo. This shift in subject matter from prewar to postwar, along with a sparser style characteristic of his charcoal work, casts new light on Sargent's depictions of the period's social landscape. Surviving letters between Sargent and his patrons, reminiscences recorded in contemporary diaries, and David McKibbin's extensive correspondence with sitters, both document the portraits and provide a vivid and human picture of the artist at work.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFocuses on foundational principles of art. This book gives serious beginners to professional artists an understanding of the old masters' unparalleled approach to paint application. It includes ten step-by-step portrait demonstrations.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAmber Creswell Bell is a Sydney-based arts, design and lifestyle writer and curator. She is currently the Director for Emerging Art for Michael Reid galleries. About Face is Amber's sixth book with Thames & Hudson.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWith just under a thousand portraits of Queen Elizabeth II, the National Portrait Gallery boasts some of the most treasured and famous official portraits of the Queen captured at key historic moments, as well as day-to-day images of the monarch at home and with family, following her journey from childhood, to princess and Queen, mother and grandmother. This publication highlights the most important portraits of Elizabeth II from the Gallery’s Collection. Paintings and photographs from the birth of Elizabeth II to the present will take readers on a visual journey through the life of Britain’s foremost icon. The book will reflect on the Queen’s life, presenting family photographs alongside important formal portraits to explore how, as her reign became record-breaking, she became an iconic figure in modern British culture and history. The publication features works by key artists depicting the Queen from 1926 to the present day, including Baron, Cecil Beaton, Dorothy Wilding, Patrick Lichfield, Andy Warhol, Annie Leibovitz and David Bailey. This book features an introductory essay by Alexandra Shulman, exploring how the collected portraits depict the Queen throughout her life and reign, and a timeline of key historical events and moments from Elizabeth II’s life.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA beautiful, lively tour through the portraits of one of the most celebrated painters of 17th century EuropeTrade Review“The reader cannot help but race alongside Van Dyck in his meteoric and short career.”—Xavier Salomon, The Art Newspaper

Read more less

Book SynopsisLONGLISTED FOR THE 2020 BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE CHOSEN AS A BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE GUARDIAN, OBSERVER, THE TIMES, SUNDAY TIMES, DAILY TELEGRAPH, MAIL ON SUNDAY, FINANCIAL TIMES, NEW STATESMAN, SPECTATOR THE SUNDAY TIMES ART BOOK OF THE YEAR 2020 'Explosively enjoyable, bursting with life and art ... A central figure as wild and beguiling as any character in literature' CRAIG BROWN William Feaver, Lucian Freud’s collaborator, curator and close friend, knew the unknowable artist better than most. Over many years, Freud narrated to him the story of his life, ‘our novel’. Fame follows Freud at the height of his powers, painting the most iconic works of his career in a constant pursuit of perfection, just outrunning his gambling debts and tailor’s bills. Whether tattooing swallows at the base of Kate Moss’s back or exacting a strange revenge on Jerry Hall and Mick Jagger, Freud’s adventures were always perfectly characteristic. An enfant terrible till the end, even as he was commissioned to paint the Queen, what emerges is an artist wilfully oblivious to the glitter of the world around – and focussed instead on painting first and last. ‘A dazzling tour de force’ THE TIMES 'A wonderfully vivid chronicle' OBSERVER ‘Does justice to Freud’s pitiless genius’ DAILY MAIL Trade ReviewFreud’s voice rings out on every page, offering opinions on everything ... There’s plenty of celebrity juice here too * Guardian, Best Art Books of 2020 *The painter emerges as fully three-dimensional in this second part of Feaver’s biography * THE TIMES, Best Paperbacks of 2022 *Huge, gossipy and sometimes shocking … no less breezy and eye-popping than the first * The Times and Sunday Times Best Books of 2020 *The concluding volume of Feaver’s unmissable biography sees the great painter evolving from enfant terrible into Old Devil - although really was a man ever so uncompromisingly himself from cradle to grave? As a life it’s both a horrible warning and a shining example, and Feaver does it justice * Daily Telegraph *Freud was a wonderful painter – a genius – but a frequently awful human being. His endless feuds and fights, his numerous sexual partners, his extraordinary work and his eccentricities are all vividly chronicled in this, the second volume of Fever’s monumental biography * Mail on Sunday, Books of the Year *Lucian Freud wanted William Feaver’s biography of him to be ‘the first funny art book’ … [this is] certainly that, with laughs galore. But it’s also much more, not least a wonderfully vivid chronicle of the interlocking worlds of money, art and bohemia * Observer, Best Books of 2020 *Feaver has collected some fabulous stories * Daily Telegraph, The Best Biographies and Memoirs of 2020 *William Feaver’s biography of Lucian Freud also comes in two parts. I read the second part, Fame: 1968-2011 (Bloomsbury) this year and found it as engrossing and well informed as the first, and as judicious and well written -- Colm Toibin * New Statesman, Books of the Year *[One of] the best things I read this year … crammed with enough jaw-dropping, buttocks-clenching revelations to keep a whole Soho pub entertained for days -- Robert Douglas Fairhurst * Spectator, Books of the Year *Explosively enjoyable, bursting with life and art, and all focused on a central figure as wild and beguiling as any character in literature, real or fictitious ... Feaver is wonderfully deft at interweaving the art and the life in an unshowy manner. Throughout the two volumes he manages to convey Freud’s personal magnetism, and the way he was simultaneously controlled and controlling and out of control. And, rare for a biographer, he shows what it was like to be with his subject from day to day -- Craig Brown * Mail on Sunday *Magnificent ... Reads like the last days of Rome ... Feaver shares his subject’s style and timing. His clipped prose is running commentary and ironic aside; the sentences, bone-dry, have dramatic entrances -- Frances Wilson * Times Literary Supplement *If Freud’s pictures are at heart all about palpable reality, the same is true of Feaver’s daunting enterprise ... David Hockney described Freud’s portraits as being essentially “an account of looking”, and that’s just what Feaver’s book is too * Sunday Times *Does justice to Freud’s pitiless genius as an artist * Daily Mail *An extremely juicy biography … You can hear Freud’s voice on the page, which is thrilling …Bulges with gossipy stuff … He was more vivid than other people ... and Feaver’s great and generous achievement in his book is to enable us to imagine this. Its last lines – Freud tells him, that he’s always liked lipstick on the teeth – are so perfect. Somehow, they say it all. Dress up, go out, get laid. And then try to get it all down in your work: “Tell people you’ve been alive” -- Rachel Cooke * Observer *A biography that is as generous and unsparing as Freud’s own best work. At once personally intimate and critically detached, perceptive on the art ... but never trying to compete with it, Feaver’s biographical portrait is an unforgettable achievement * Prospect *Superb and eye-opening ... A figure who was driven by strong appetites, told the truth when it was uncomfortable or unwanted, and used paint to play a complicated game in which self-revelation was strangely mixed up with self-disguise. * Prospect *A mesmerising picture of a paintaholic who was incorrigibly on the make … Feaver’s vastly detailed biography is the ideal companion to Freud’s work. It resembles nothing so much as a large Freud canvas: hypnotic, occasionally reiterative, quirkily dark in places, proceeding by a process of obsessive accretion -- Elizabeth Lowry * Guardian *Diverting … Freud played the mischievous bar-room raconteur, chuckling over bygone stunts and scrapes, and sticking the knife into old foes with venomous relish * Sunday Telegraph *The latest instalment of the epic biography of Lucian Freud finds him at the height of his fame * The Times *Absorbing in all its darkness and light, a dazzling tour de force … Remarkable … we have to be grateful that his Boswell was there to make a record * Literary Review *The first volume of Feaver’s biography of the artist was highly acclaimed. This second one covers his most productive years * Sunday Times *PRAISE FOR THE LIVES OF LUCIAN FREUD: YOUTH: 'William Feaver has done a brilliant job -- Lynn Barber * Daily Telegraph *Freud emerges, dab by dab, fully three-dimensional from Feaver’s vibrant recitation of dealers and models, works in progress and gambling ... David Hockney, another sitter, described Freud’s portraits as being essentially “an account of looking”, and that’s just what Feaver’s book is too * SUNDAY TIMES *Freud and Feaver seize you by the elbows, bundle you into a Bentley, haul you round the nightclubs, feed you oysters, Guinness and amphetamines and order you Russian tea and eggs the next morning. I didn’t know whether I’d been roughed up or ravished * The Times *This is a tremendous read. Anyone interested in British art needs it … An extraordinary book -- Andrew Marr * New Statesman *A biography that is as entertaining, and full of twists and turns, as a picaresque novel … It has amazing zip and gusto, and leaves you wanting more -- Craig Brown * Mail on Sunday *Sparkling … An extraordinary tranche of anecdote and apercu … Feaver’s wonderful biography comes close to Freud’s own definition of his art: “A picture should be a recreation of an event rather than an illustration of an object” * Sunday Times *Superlative … Every page of this volume affirms his distinction … This is Lucian Freudian biography, packed with stories -- Alexandra Harris * Guardian *Lucian Freud was unique; unique in intensity, in affection, in interest and in fun. This brilliant and compendious biography has the same qualities. It does justice to Lucian -- Frank AuerbachFeaver has filled his book to the brim with the excitement and strangeness of Freud's life -- Colm Toibin * London Review of Books *Mesmerising, almost surreal in its headlong layering of detail, memory and gossip. Propelled by Freud's sardonic recollections, and lit throughout by William Feaver's impeccable, penetrating analysis of the work, this is a monstrously brilliant portrait -- Jenny UglowIn William Feaver’s The Lives of Lucian Freud, based upon decades of conversation with the painter, we hear Freud’s remarkable voice on almost every page. The result is a vivid, intimate biography of one of the 20th century’s most storied artists -- Annalyn Swann and Mark Stevens, Pulitzer Prize-winning authors of de Kooning: An American MasterHere, Freud gets to tell his version of events with panache * Spectator *

Read more less

Book SynopsisSimon 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.In the age of the hasty glance and the selfie, Simon Schama has written a tour de force about the long exchange of looks from which British portraits have been made over the centuries: images of the modest and the mighty; of friends and lovers; heroes and working people. Each of them - the image-maker, the subject, and the rest of us who get to look at them - are brought unforgettably to life. TogetherTrade ReviewSchama's greatest gift is a sure eye for an extraordinary story...This isn't what you get from conventional historians or conventional art writers, more's the pity...Schama has written books which will still be bought and talked about a century from now and he hasn't lost an ounce of zest or intelligence. Damn him... -- Andrew Marr * Prospect *He knows the history, the biography, and the art history...he made me look and learn. He is a great storyteller and we learn something new on every page. -- A S Byatt * New Statesman *All of these lives rendered with an acuity of detail that could rival the best of portraitists ... describing Lawrence's portrait of Wilberforce, Schama calls the painting a work of "transforming empathy". That phrase could be true of his storytelling throughout this book. -- Ekow Eshun * The Independent *Simon Schama's richly illustrated history of Britain in portraits is a work of dazzling panache ... a book to devour. -- John Carey * Sunday Times *He has animated our portraits superlatively. One of our most in-demand public intellectuals has deftly ventriloquised his talking heads. -- Stephen Smith * Evening Standard *Wonderfully compelling ... what this book, full of unhackneyed paintings and unfamiliar stories, shows is that when Schama is at his best he can see straight through people. -- Michael Prodger * The Times *Rich in its variety of subjects ... poignantly memorable -- Martin Gayford * Telegraph *Some of the best writing on British portraiture I have read. -- Bendor Grosvenor * Financial Times *He is both an inspired communicator of detail and context, an excitable and exciting critic and a sleeve-tugging gossip. The idea of portraiture is a perfect vehicle for his detailed imagination...the subjects of the portraits become uncannily alive. -- Tim Adams * The Observer *Viewers of his TV shows know what a passionate presenter of his subject - art history - Simon Schama is. He button-holes your eye on his inward voyage of imagination. He does it as compulsively on the page as on screen ... I welcome back in this book history as people - people whose characters can be read in their fascinating faces. -- Peter Lewis * Daily Mail *Inspiring ... Schama tells it with panache, weaving facts and anecdotes into a vivid history. * Observer on 'The Story of the Jews' *Schama has a masterly ability to conjure up character and vivify conflict * Financial Times on 'A History of Britain' *With Schama you look at a picture and see it as you hadn't before * Telegraph on 'Rembrandt's Eyes' *Splendid, spirited, immensely enjoyable and wide-ranging * Financial Times on 'The Story of the Jews' *Shows Schama at his best . . . as full of memorable incident as a Bellow novel and wittier than a Woody Allen movie * The Times on 'The Story of the Jews' *Schama writes with grace and wit, and his enthusiasms are contagious * Anita Brookner on 'The Embarrassment of Riches' *Dazzling, beyond praise * Sunday Times on 'Citizens' *Splendid... seething with ideas. Schama brings great intimacy and authority to proceedings * New York Times Book Review *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Exhilarating and fascinating' KATY HESSEL 'Rich and detailed' CHLOË ASHBY 'Enlightening' TABISH KHAN 'Sheds light on an uncharted area of art history' JENNY PERY 'An essential read' EDWARD BROOKE-HITCHINGMeet the unexpected, overlooked and forgotten models of art history.Who was Picasso's 'Weeping Woman'?Why was Grace Jones covered in graffiti?How did Francis Bacon meet the burglar who became his muse?The perception of the muse is that of a passive, powerless model, at the mercy of an influential and older artist. But is this trope a romanticised myth? Far from posing silently, muses have brought emotional support, intellectual energy, career-changing creativity and practical help to artists.Muse tells the true stories of the incredible muses who have inspired art history's masterpieces. From Leonardo da Vinci's studio to the covers of Vogue, art historian, critic and writer Ruth Millington uncovers the remarkable role of muses in some of art history's most well-known and significant works. Delving into the real-life relationships that models have held with the artists who immortalised them, it will expose the influential and active part they have played and deconstruct reductive stereotypes, reframing the muse as a momentous and empowered agent of art history.Trade ReviewPacked with tales of enchanting lives, this book puts so many forgotten and so often unnamed figures into the spotlight. Telling their stories - in ways I like to think is on their terms - Ruth Millington sheds light on so many figures we know by image, but so often not by name. An exhilarating and fascinating insight into many of the people who have shaped our culture, and who have redefined what we think and know of as 'muse'. * Katy Hessel, author of 'The Story of Art Without Men' *A rich and detailed unravelling of the romanticised myth of the muse. Ruth Millington nimbly returns agency to the pictured people of art history and in doing so reveals their ambitions, creativity and far-reaching influence * Chloë Ashby, author of 'Wet Paint' *'This beautifully illustrated book shines a new light on what constitutes a muse and how important they are to an artist's practice. Enlightening' * Tabish Khan *This book not only sheds light on a relatively unchartered area of art history but also serves as a feminist crusade * Jenny Pery *A brilliant book absolutely crammed with surprising stories. Muse flips the easel and brings the models and inspirations of famous works themselves into the spotlight, scraping away old coatings of myth, cliché and ignorance to reveal the true tales of these overlooked figures, and their place of power in the history of art. An essential read that should be on every bookshelf * Edward Brooke-Hitching, author of The Madman’s Gallery *Ruth Millington's Muse is an essential guide to the inspirational women and men who have shaped art over the centuries. Muse sheds new and persuasive light on a diverse array of models' stories - their lives, hopes and daring actions - restoring their voices in ways that change our perceptions of who they were, and who we are today as a result. * Sophie Haydock, author of 'The Flames' *An excellent look at the artist's muse and demystifying the idea of them as merely a passive object of passion * FAD Magazine, *Summer Reads of 2022* *A provocative tome * ARTnews *Ruth Millington's Muse adds another dimension...taking the women (and nine men) on the canvas as her subject...successfully fleshing out the lives behind some of art history's most famous faces * Hall W. Rockefeller, Hyperallergic.com *Muse by Ruth Millington is a fascinating book that aims, and one could even say succeeds, to establish a new status for the muse in art history * DailyArt Magazine *

Read more less

Book SynopsisMausoleum of Imperfection is a collection of picturesque and satirical portraits made by Slavko Krunić that refute the idea of separation between the observer and the work of art. Th us, it creates a certain intimacy; we feel we are the portraits’ companions and they are our fellow travellers in an imaginary life. Th e comical fantasy of these melancholy characters, who are watching us from the images, allows us to listen to their life stories whilst observing them in their immobility. Bill Gould wrote a short biography of an imaginary witness inspired by Krunic’s work. From this symbiosis arose an unusual combination of different artistic expressions, which was then shaped into Mausoleum of Imperfection.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTEXTURES synthesises research in history, fashion, art, and visual culture to reassess the “hair story” of peoples of African descent. A fraught topic for African-Americans and others in the Diaspora, artists, barbers, and activists address the topic of Black hair,both the historical perceptions and its ramifications for self and society today.TEXTURES explores the breadth of Black artists’ perspectives on hair vis-à-vis beauty, pride, and politics. Barbers and activists address Black hair, from historical perceptions to its challenges today. Combs, products, and implements from the collection of hair pioneer Willie Morrow are paired with masterworks from artists like David Hammons, Sonya Clark, Lorna Simpson, Mickalene Thomas, and Alison Saar. The exhibition & catalogue are inspired by Drs. Ellington and Underwood who research preferential treatment of straight hair, the social hierarchies of skin, and the power and politics of display.

Read more less

Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its range of best-loved, essential classics.The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it.'When Basil Hallward paints the portrait of young, handsome Dorian Gray, he falls prey to his dazzling beauty. Afraid that his youth and looks will waste away, Dorian expresses a wish that his portrait, and not he, will age and fade over time. His wish is granted, and over the ensuing years, Dorian indulges in every kind of vice and pleasure, never ageing nor disfiguring. Only his portrait, hidden to the world, bears the marks of his actions, and as his soul grows ever more wasted and corrupted, devastatingconsequences lie in wait.The Picture of Dorian Gray is an exploration of the purpose of art, the superficial nature of youth and beauty, and the conflict between morality and intemperance. First published in its complete, uncensored form in 1891, it is Oscar Wilde's only novel.

Read more less

Book SynopsisInternationally renowned, highly educated and very well connected, Angelica Kauffman (1741–1807) led a brilliant career as a pioneering history painter, an innovative portraitist and one of only two women among the founding membership of the Royal Academy of Arts in 1768. ‘The whole World is angelicamad’ – thus a Danish diplomat described the effect of her art and personality during her lifetime. Kauffman was admired by Goethe and Herder, and her clients included queens and emperors from across the continent. Her extraordinary life and work are beautifully presented in this handsome volume, which contains her finest paintings and drawings.Table of ContentsIntroduction Essays Plates section

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"Little is known about the Dutch painter Frans Hals: no letters or diaries survive, and the only contemporary documents are unrevealing. But Nadler manages to construct a satisfying quasi-biography by using the milieu of seventeenth-century Haarlem. . . . Though Hals has long been overshadowed by his contemporary Rembrandt, Nadler demonstrates why his peers held him to be 'the modern painter par excellence.'" * New Yorker *“Hals may have become famous for his lifelike portraits, but the only way to depict his own life, Nadler suggests in The Portraitist, is to paint a picture of the social world in which he was embedded. As Nadler acknowledges, this is a book whose subject ‘all too often . . . disappear[s] from view.’” * New York Review of Books *"Splendid." -- Ian Buruma * Times Literary Supplement *"Nadler laments the absence of biographical material about Hals, but does a wonderful job of bringing the social context of his art to life in intricate and lively detail. In so doing, he brings this incomparable artist to life as well." * Literary Review *Named one of the best books of 2022. * New Yorker *"In The Portraitist, [Nadler] closes in on his subject, as it were. By sketching the artistic, social, political and religious milieus and the elite subjects who came to Hals for portraits and civic guard pieces, Nadler sketches a sharp picture of the politically turbulent first half of the seventeenth century and Hals’ position therein. This results in a quasi-biography which brings Hals to life in a refined way." * NRC Handelsblad *"[The Portraitist] is stylistically much like a portrait by the master: broadly sweeping strokes situate the geopolitical context and are embellished by microhistorical details relating to the art market and to Hals’s family and his patrons. The paintings serve as focal points along the way. Though much about Hals’s life remains unknown, Nadler’s portrait of the age in which he worked is clearly and astutely evoked. . . . Recommended." * Choice *"Nadler’s biography of Frans Hals discusses the life and legacy of the Dutch 17th-century painter against the backdrop of his thriving adopted city of Haarlem, delving into the artistic, social, political, and religious worlds of the time." * The Art Newspaper *"Nadler is particularly adept at illuminating the details of the lives of Hals’s sitters and how they connect to the ebbs and flows of religious power struggles, inside and outside the Dutch Republic. The resulting image is one of a flexible artist willing to work for individuals of different faiths. At the same time, Nadler casts Hals as an artist who had to navigate a complex, and frequently shifting, religious environment in a never-ending search for commissions and sales. Nadler’s illumination of Hals’s network is particularly useful in the various passages related to the painter’s family. Nadler expertly gathers information about Hals’s grandparents, parents, and their relations in Antwerp before the young Hals relocated to Haarlem by 1591. . . . Nadler’s book is an informative volume crafted in engaging prose. " * Historians of Netherlandish Art Reviews *"Framed by the religious upheavals of the era, situated solidly in the art world of the Dutch Republic, and defining Hals’ accomplishments, Nadler’s accessible and convincing portrait presents a politically pliant and religiously ambiguous man with loose narrative brushstrokes similar to those used by the genius himself." * Booklist *“Nadler has made 17th-century Holland his own special province. This polymath historian of philosophy has already built onto his expertise about Spinoza and Descartes with truly interdisciplinary studies, including Rembrandt’s Jews and Menasseh Ben Israel. Now he makes his own portrait of Rembrandt’s contemporary, Frans Hals, and his Haarlem society. Nadler’s deep research provides the first thorough biography of Hals, the painter who for half a century boldly fashioned lively likenesses of his fellow citizens onto his canvases.” -- Larry Silver, author of Rembrandt’s Holland“This welcome new book on Frans Hals situates the artist, his patrons, and his city in a broader perspective than any previous study. We learn about circumstances in his life and milieu that were surely of influence on Hals’s paintings. Much to our benefit, Nadler delves into matters that we tend to take for granted.” -- Gary Schwartz, author of Rembrandt’s Universe“Nadler has masterfully brought Frans Hals to life much as this remarkable seventeenth-century Haarlem artist animated sitters in his portrait paintings. Nadler’s engaging narrative draws the reader close to the artist and captures the essence of his distinctive manner of painting. He introduces us to Hals’s family, enumerates Hals’s financial woes, and assesses the personalities of his sitters, among them merchants, ministers, officers in militia companies, and directors of charitable institutions. Seamlessly fusing these narratives, Nadler evokes the ambiance of Haarlem’s rich and varied culture, but he also explores how broader political and religious developments in the Dutch Republic impacted Hals throughout his career.” -- Arthur K. Wheelock Jr., author of Clouds, Ice, and Bounty: The Lee and Juliet Fund Collection of Seventeenth-Century Dutch and Flemish PaintingsTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Introduction 1. Exile 2. Haarlem 3. Master Painter 4. Citizen Hals 5. In a Rough Manner 6. "Very Boldly Done after Life" 7. Debts and Disputes 8. Pandemics 9. "A Pleasing, Good and Sincere Peace" 10. Denouement Acknowledgments Notes References Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisDespite his posthumous fame as a painter of flowers, still-lifes, gardens, landscapes and city scenes, during his lifetime Vincent van Gogh believed that his portraits constituted his most important works. Although as an artist he was touched by so many different things', he was nevertheless committed to the art of portraiture a quality that distinguished him from his contemporaries. Van Gogh was passionate in his avoidance of bland, photographic resemblances, in the hope of capturing the essential character of his models by means of expressive colour and brushwork. Showcasing a dramatic set of portraits created during Van Gogh's ten-year career, this book reflects the strong visual impact with which the artist captured the diversity of contemporary life. In his many portraits, we can discern the artist's desire to record expressively a number of themes, from the plight of the agricultural workers in his native Brabant and the destitution of prostitutes and their children in urban Europe, to the lives of his cosmopolitan acquaintances in Paris, including café owners and art dealers. It was here that he began his remarkable sequence of self-portraits. With reference to Van Gogh's extensive correspondence, Skea elaborates how the artist perceived his chosen subjects as would a writer, and how he felt that his portraits should somehow evoke what he considered to be the spiritual underpinning of human existenceTrade Review'Sheds new light on Vincent Van Gogh's paintings and his enigmatic personality' - The Courier (Dundee)Table of ContentsIntroduction: ‘And painted portraits have a life of their own that comes from deep in the soul of the painter…’ • 1. The Netherlands • 2. Paris • 3. Arles • 4. Saint-Rémy de Provence • 5. Auvers-sur-Oise • Sources of Quotations, Further Reading

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis'What happens when Black artists depict Black figures? What art does this produce, and what worlds of possibility does this reveal?' - Ekow Eshun Reframing the Black Figure showcases more than 20 of the most important Black figurative artists working in the UK and US today. This visual giftbook introduces readers to the field of Black figuration by highlighting a selection of key works from the National Portrait Gallery exhibition, The Time is Always Now: Artists Reframe the Black Figure. Readers will encounter contemporary Black artists producing beautiful, urgent artworks that presents the Black form with nuance and depth. Richly illustrated with artworks and visual details, alongside short biographies for all featured artists, this accessible publication offers an opportunity for readers to experience some of the most exciting artworks depicting the Black form. Within this context, they take on a dual role, as the accomplished work of individual artists on the one hand, and as a collective assertion of Black presence on the other. Featured artists include Hurvin Anderson, Michael Armitage, Jordan Casteel, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Noah Davis, Godfried Donkor, Kimathi Donkor, Denzil Forrester, Lubaina Himid, Claudette Johnson, Titus Kaphar, Kerry James Marshall, Toyin Ojih Odutola, Chris Ofili, Jennifer Packer, Thomas J. Price, Nathaniel Mary Quinn, Lorna Simpson, Amy Sherald, Henry Taylor and Barbara Walker.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWomen at Work: 1900 to Now reveals the sometimes overlooked stories of women from 1900 to the present day who have shaped history and culture in Britain and beyond. Women at Work: 1900 to Now celebrates over 100 influential and inspiring women and their achievements in fields including science, activism, photography and design. Their fascinating and sometimes untold stories are illustrated with artworks from the National Portrait Gallery’s Collection, new acquisitions and commissions supported by the CHANEL Culture Fund, and rare archival images. Sitters include Bernardine Evaristo, Margot Fonteyn, Mo Mowlam, Beatrix Potter, Zadie Smith, Amy Winehouse, Virginia Woolf and Malala Yousafzai.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis richly illustrated publication explores the lasting influence of Gainsborough’s Blue Boy on British art and culture Marking the return of Gainsborough’s Blue Boy to the UK exactly 100 years since it left for the United States, this richly illustrated publication will explore the lasting influence of this iconic painting on British art and culture. During the nineteenth century, the painting’s fame grew and full-length portraits by Gainsborough and his contemporaries became much sought after by wealthy American collectors. The sale of The Blue Boy to the American railroad magnate and collector Henry E. Huntington in 1921 was unsurprisingly viewed as a national tragedy—emblematic of a shift in economic and cultural power. However, its afterlife, as a permanent ambassador for British art, has undoubtedly fed into ideas of Britain and Britishness—its history, society, culture and character—that still resonate today. Including a select group of paintings that demonstrate the profound influence of Sir Anthony van Dyck and the old master tradition on Gainsborough’s practice and identity, Gainsborough’s Blue Boy will examine this masterpiece within the context of the National Gallery’s collection. Published by National Gallery Company/Distributed by Yale University Press

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisJulia Kay’s Portrait Party is an international collaborative project in which artists all over the world make portraits of each other and share them online. After years of exchanging portraits, tips and techniques within the group, in Portrait Revolution these artists are now sharing their art, their words, and their inspiration with everyone who is interested in or would like to get started with portraiture. Here you can find information on using different media, how to handle difficult portrait issues, and more. Portrait Revolution showcases 450 portraits by 200 artists, in a wide variety of media from oil painting to iPad art, watercolour to ballpoint, linocut to mosaic. There are a range of styles from realistic to abstract and interpretations by multiple artists of the same subject. Trade Review"As a visual feast, it offers an endless source of inspiration." * Paint & Draw *

Read more less

Book SynopsisStudy human anatomy to translate nature into drawings that are both anatomically accurate and artistically beautiful.Essential Human Anatomy for Artists is an anatomy course in a book that’s designed to offer you new tools to help you understand the connections between exterior forms and underlying structures. Along with demonstrations of key materials are in-depth discussions of the skeleton and study of the muscles. The drawing demonstrations, which are based on a series of live model poses, are designed to help readers understand the various forms of the human body. Key information on movement and lighting is also included. For artists at every level of experience, Essential Human Anatomy for Artists allows you to learn to work freely and confidently with the human figure and use the information it provides to create an accurate visual impression. The For Artists series expertly guides and instructs artists at all skill levels who want to develop their classical drawing and painting skills and create realistic and representational art.Also available from the series: Drawing the Head for Artists, Figure Drawing for Artists, Life Drawing for Artists, Drawing and Painting Botanicals for Artists, Dynamic Still Life for Artists, Landscape Painter’s Workbook, Plein Air Techniques for Artists, and Sketching Techniques for Artists.Trade Review"Exceptionally well organized and thoroughly 'art student friendly' in presentation, making it an ideal and unreservedly recommended pick." * Midwest Book Review *Table of ContentsCHAPTER 1 BASIC TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES CHAPTER 2 THE SKELETON CHAPTER 3 THE HEAD AND NECK CHAPTER 4 THE TORSO AND PELVIS CHAPTER 5 THE UPPER AND LOWER LIMBS CHAPTER 6 MOVEMENT CHAPTER 7 LIGHTING AND BACKGROUND STRATEGIES Conclusion Resources Acknowledgments About the Author Index

Read more less