Search results for ""Author Susie Hodge""

Take a look inside the homes of some of your favourite artists and explore how each one reflected their spirit and creativity. From William Morris and Pablo Picasso to Georgia O’Keeffe and Frida Kahlo, Artists at Home showcases the quiet retreats, creative hubs, lifelong homes and holiday escapes of key artistic figures. Author Susie Hodge introduces readers to each artist's life and work, placing the significance of the home at the heart of their practice before exploring how each location both reflected and inspired their creative output. By delving into their homes – the architecture, interiors, the lives lived there, and the work created there – we can see these artists’ private spaces as reflections of their artistic output. For these inspiring people, homes are places where the boundaries between work, creativity and daily life are indistinct – they are as much as reflection of their artistic intention as the great artworks that made their name.

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The Short Story of Modern Art explains the how, why and when of modern art – who introduced certain things, what they were, where they were produced, and why they matter. Simply constructed, the book explores 50 key works – from the realist painting of Courbet to a contemporary installation by Yayoi Kusama – and then links them to the most important movements, themes and techniques. Accessible, concise and richly illustrated, the book reveals the connections between different periods, artists and styles, giving readers a thorough understanding and broad enjoyment of modern art.

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Discover art that dared to be different, risked reputations and put careers in jeopardy. This is what happens when artists take tradition and rip it up. ArtQuake tells the stories of 50 pivotal works that shook the world, telling the fascinating stories behind their creation, reception and legacy. The books begin with the rebels who struck out against Victorian conformism, daring painters and sculptors like Manet and Rodin, Van Gogh and Courbet, who experimented with expressionist and realist art styles as well as controversial subjects. Moving into the fin de siècle and the 20th century, we study the truly iconic works and turbulent lives of artists like Munch and Klimt, Picasso and Egon Schiele, whose work into abstraction, surrealism and cubism shocked and scandalized, but ultimately changed the course of western art forever. Moving into the second half of the 20th Century, we see spectacular works of conceptual rebellion, absurdity and political protest, from Andy Warhol and the Pop Art movement to Marina Abramovic, whose often visceral and violent works of performance art laid bare the savagery of the patriarchy and the human condition. In the 21st century, we see how iconoclastic creators have pushed the boundaries of art even further, from Banksy to Louise Bourgeoise, from self-destructing paintings to experimental works of computerized art. Complete with beautiful reproductions of their iconic works, as well as a glossary of terms and movements at the back, meet the huge egos, uncompromising feminists, gifted recluses, spiritualists, anti-consumerists, activists and satirists who have irrevocably carved their names into the history of art around the world. In telling the history of modern and contemporary art through the works that were truly disruptive, and explaining the context in which each was created, ArtQuake demonstrates the heart of modern art, which is to constantly question and challenge expectation. This book is from the Culture Quake series, which looks into iconic moments of culture which truly created paradigm shifts in their respective fields. Also available is FilmQuake, which tells the stories of 50 key films that consciously questioned the boundaries, challenged the status quo and made shockwaves we are still feeling today.

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The Short Story of Women Artists tells the full history - from the breakthroughs that women have made in pushing for parity with male artists, to the important contributions made to otherwise male-dominated artistic movements, and the forgotten and obscured artists who are now being rediscovered and reassessed. Accessible, concise and richly illustrated, the book reveals the connections between different periods, artists and styles, giving readers a thorough understanding and broad enjoyment of the full achievements that female artists have made.

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From Surfing to the Secret Life of Rats, Extreme Science will excite and inspire 8-11 year olds. High-interest topics grab the reader and introduce some key science concepts in an accessible and innovative way. The action-packed pages are designed to motivate struggling and reluctant readers, and a reading age of 7 makes the content super-accessible. Extreme titles are ideal for supporting creative classroom teaching and for spicing up topic libraries.

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Exploring the life and works of the great artist, World’s Greatest Art: Da Vinci considers the achievements of Italy’s most well-known and influential artist. The book follows his artistic development, from early drawings and paintings while apprentice to artist Andrea del Verrocchio, to his later works, including the renowned Mona Lisa as well as his scientific observations and inventions that still impact the world today.

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This delightful introduction to drawing faces completely demystifies the drawing process. It shows how images can be built up easily, from initial geometric shapes right through to the finished faces. Susie Hodge includes a good selection of head-and-shoulder portraits in this book including couples, children, babies and older people in a variety of poses, and showing a range of expressions. She uses a helpful two-colour method that clearly shows every line and curve of the step-by-step pictures. Even absolute beginners will find themselves creating great drawings when they use this book and there is much to inspire more experienced artists too. An invaluable guide for anyone interested in this subject.

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Louis Comfort Tiffany was highly skilled in jewellery design, ceramics, enamels, and metalwork but he is best known for his beautiful stained-glass designs. Using opalescent glass in a variety of colours and textures, he created a stunning range of jewel-like Art Nouveau works that influenced much of American modern art. This sumptuous new book features page after page of astounding work, showing Tiffany's skill as a colourist and a craftsman, with works that still inspire artists and audiences today.

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Capture a sense of grandeur when you draw this diverse collection of mountain-dwelling animals and birds. Prolific author and artist Susie Hodge teaches you to transform simple shapes into a majestic grizzly bear, a graceful cougar, or a shy mountain hare in easy-to-follow stages. Choose from a shaggy yak, a cheeky marmot and much more. There are 28 different animals to create, in a variety of poses and styles. Each project starts with a few basic outlines and progresses into a finished tonal drawing, and a final watercolour version shows you how to develop your drawing even further. Perfect for beginners, as well as budding artists, you’ll be amazed how easily you too can draw mountain animals with this inspiring guide.

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Brimming with upbeat guidance, this accessible handbook shows how anyone can use art to enlighten, uplift, calm and ease stress and anxieties. Visual art is enlightening, challenging, informative and arresting; but it can also be therapeutic, reducing anxiety and stress levels, and offering perspective on the challenges that we all face in our lives. This guide introduces readers to new ways of looking at a wide range of art. Through careful examination and explanation, it investigates how engaging with art and drawing upon its ideas can help everyone feel connected and inspired. From Frida Kahlo confronting her anxieties to Henri Matisse embracing happiness, from Louise Bourgeois conquering fear to Auguste Rodin finding hope, it shows how you too can use art to work through difficult emotions and improve your mental wellbeing. Even art that unsettles can help us to think and feel differently. Artists have been conveying aspirations, emotions, ideas and stories for thousands of years; this book will help everyone to ‘read’ these messages, and thereby to enrich their own emotional life through art.

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In a series of 50 accessible essays, Susie Hodge introduces and explains the central concepts that underpin Western art and design.From Romanesque to Realism, Pop Art to Pluralism, 50 Art Ideas is a complete introduction to the most important art concepts in history.

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From Surfing to the Secret Life of Rats, Extreme Science will excite and inspire 8-11 year olds. High-interest topics grab the reader and introduce some key science concepts in an accessible and innovative way. The action-packed pages are designed to motivate struggling and reluctant readers, and a reading age of 7 makes the content super-accessible. Extreme titles are ideal for supporting creative classroom teaching and for spicing up topic libraries.

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Artists ask questions when they make art – and viewers ask questions when they look at art. This gently provocative book provides an engaging way for young people to start asking and answering questions for themselves. Why is art full of naked people? is structured around 22 questions, each one tackled over two spreads. The opening spread explores the question and answer, inviting the reader to study a full-bleed image of an important artwork. The second spread shows a selection of work on the theme from across history, showing how art can run with an idea to hugely different ends. The tone of the text is fresh and informal but not flippant.

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This beautiful book is a brilliant exploration of a fascinating artist who changed the world of art in the 20th century and inspired future painters such as Picasso and Matisse, who said of Cezanne that he was "the father of us all."

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Bring the magic of the rainforest to your doorstep by drawing this collection of colourful animals and birds. Prolific author and artist Susie Hodge teaches you to transform simple shapes into mysterious jaguars, shy butterflies or endangered orangutans in easy-to-follow stages. Choose from a sleepy sloth, a noisy toucan and much more. There are 28 different animals to create, in a variety of poses and styles. Each project starts with a few basic outlines and progresses into a finished tonal drawing, and a final coloured version shows you how to develop your drawing even further. Perfect for beginners, as well as budding artists, you’ll be amazed how easily you too can draw rainforest animals with this inspiring guide.

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Named retrospectively, the Golden Age was a period when the new Dutch Republic had become the most prosperous nation in Europe, leading in trade, science and art. From 1600 for almost a century, more than four million paintings were produced there, and the accomplishments in realism and naturalism by a large number of Dutch artists were unprecedented.These artists painted life as had never been seen before; their technical skills were often outstanding, and their art was distinctive in its depiction of lifelike objects, places and people of all ages and backgrounds. Unlike traditional Flemish and Italian Baroque paintings, Dutch artists in general avoided idealization or portrayals of splendour, and instead developed their own unique and innovative styles, themes and subjects. The first section of this detailed book considers all this in a biographical guide to some of the greatest Dutch Golden Age artists and their work. Roughly chronological in order, it explains who the painters were, where they lived and worked, who and what taught and influenced them, and why their work was often groundbreaking. Among many others, included are Frans Hals, Rembrandt, Nicolaes Maes, Jan Lievens, Judith Leyster, Gerrit Dou, Gerrit van Honthorst, Adriaen Brouwer, Jan Steen, Hendrick Avercamp, Jacob van Ruisdael, Pieter de Hooch, Johannes Vermeer and Rachel Ruysch. While most are discussed, some do not appear, as even in this substantial book, there is room for only a proportion of the exceptionally proficient painters of the period. The second part of the book is a gallery of outstanding works from a range of Dutch Golden Age artists, grouped into the broad themes of landscapes (and town- and seascapes), portraits, genre, history and religion, and still life, giving a fascinating, colourful and in-depth overview of what constituted the art of the period.With more than 500 reproductions, you can dip in and out of this beautifully illustrated volume, or peruse it from cover to cover. It is essential reading for anyone who would like to learn more about the extraordinary flowering of art during the Dutch Golden Age, and a book that you will turn to over and again

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This fascinating new book looks in detail at Renoir's influences, life and works. The first part begins examines his style; it covers Renoir's techniques and training: painting copies at the Louvre; his time at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts; meeting his muse, Lise Trehot; working with fellow impressionist artists and his struggles for recognition. The volume then investigates Renoir's move away from Impressionism, his stay in Guernsey and also the changes to his personal life and the way in which these informed his work. It also documents his eventual success in the art world and considers the devastating series of illnesses and losses that blighted the end of Renoir's long painting career. The second part of the book is a gallery of Renoir's work in 300 glorious pictures, each accompanied by an in-depth analysis of its context within his life, his technique and his body of work as a whole.

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The perfect compact reference guide for all would-be art buffs. Art historian Susie Hodge takes you on a whistle-stop international tour of all the major artistic cultures, movements, phases, developments, artists and themes, from Prehistoric art to Hyperrealism. Contents also include Greek classicism, Gothic art, the Renaissance, Baroque, Romanticism, Realism, Impressionism, Cubism, surrealism, Pop art and Minimalism.

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Gustav Klimt, well known for his sensual, arresting depictions of women (The Kiss, Fulfillment, The Tree of Life), was a founder of the Viennese Secession movement at the turn of the 20th century, Vienna's own Art Nouveau. His extravagant work, was an obsessive manifestation of the dazzling intellectual society of his time and he painted very large canvases combining oils with gold foil. This beautiful new book brings together a wide selection of Klimt’s magnificent work.

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Drawing Masterclass explores the act of vision of the world’s great artists, describing how their work was created to allow you to weave some of their magic into your own paintings. With detailed analyses and instructive creative tips sections, you can learn how to convey movement like Degas, apply acrylic like Twombly, and command colour like Matisse. The book is organized into seven chapters covering important genres: nudes, figures, landscapes, still life, heads, fantasy and abstraction. Each chapter selects a cross section of artists and examines their practice in detail, using key paintings. Each artist is described through one of 100 selected masterpieces, plus a biographical profile and a practical look at the way the painting was made: the materials and technique, an examination of the ideas and inspiration behind its making and how the artist’s life might reflect their concerns. Light and shade, rhythm, form, space, contour and composition are all covered in detail. The book covers a broad historical and geographic sweep, and includes many of the most celebrated male and female artists.

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Featuring a fascinating introduction to Piet Mondrianâs life and art, this stunning new book brings together a wide selection of Mondrianâs magnificent work.

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A wonderful introduction to drawing moving people, shown in very simple step-by-step stages. Susie Hodge includes a wide selection of ages and activities, from adult dancers to young footballers. Both beginners and experienced artists will learn and be inspired by these illustrations inside.

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Great works of art cannot be fully understood in a single encounter: to revisit and reconsider art again and again throughout one’s life is to be richly rewarded with an ever-deepening appreciation and insight. Similar benefits come from analysing a work of painting, sculpture or installation in detail. Modern Art in Detail: 75 Masterpieces spotlights the finer points that even connoisseurs may miss, casting light upon minutiae that a quick glance will almost certainly fail to reveal. These include subtle internal details, and the technical tricks employed by the artist to achieve particular effects. The book also looks at the themes and external and personal factors influencing the creation of an artwork – everything from global political events, to groundbreaking movements such as Cubism, Futurism and Primitivism, and even scientific and mathematical theories, which are often of great relevance. The book examines 75 works of modern art, from Vincent van Gogh’s The Church at Auvers-sur-Oise (1890), to Paula Rego’s Visions (2015) , deftly charting the shift from the supremacy of artistic technique to the more recent dominance of the idea (or concept) behind the artwork itself.

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Choose your new best friend from this cuddly collection of 28 playful puppies. Best-selling artist Susie Hodge teaches you to transform simple shapes into 28 cute and characterful puppies in a range of much-loved breeds, including beagles, goldendoodles, Frenchies, huskies and labradors. There are 28 different doggies to draw, in a variety of playful poses. Each project starts with a few basic outlines and progresses into a finished tonal drawing, and a final coloured version shows you how to develop your drawing even further. Perfect for beginners, as well as budding artists, you’ll be amazed how easily you too can bring these playful pooches to life with this inspiring guide.

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Choose your new cuddly companion from this collection of 28 cute kittens. Best-selling artist Susie Hodge teaches you to transform simple shapes into adorable furry felines in a range of playful poses. There are 28 different kittens to draw; each project starts with a few basic outlines and progresses into a finished tonal drawing, and a final coloured version shows you how to develop your drawing even further. Perfect for beginners, as well as budding artists, you’ll be amazed how easily you too can bring these friendly furballs to life with this inspiring guide.

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The Knights Templar are one of the most mysterious and powerful religious orders in history. Highly trained, and adhering to a strict chivalric code, their success on the battlefield brought them both extraordinary wealth and political influence. It also ensured they would be entrusted to guard Christendom's greatest secrets. Our enduring fascination with the Templars is matched only by the swirling myths that surround and sometimes obscure the order's history. Secrets of the Knights Templar examines each of these mysteries in turn to reveal the truth about the Knights' secret practices, rituals and codes, as well as the continued influence of the Templars today. From the true location of the Holy Grail to the Templars' involvement in the Battle of Bannockburn, and from the sudden downfall of the order to the claims of those who believe they're descended from its Grand Masters, S. J. Hodge's thrilling and authoritative narrative uncovers the hidden links behind the stories and separates historical fact from fiction.

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The heyday of the Art Nouveau style was relatively short, spanning the decades immediately before and after 1900. However it was a tremendously important period, not only for its radical shift away from the academic and romantic movements of the late 19th century, but also for its embrace of nature and natural forms. This authoritative, accessible and beautifully illustrated book explores fifty of the most important works of the Art Nouveau style. From Mackmurdo's jacket design of Christopher Wren's City Churches to Sykes' sculpture, The Spirit of Ecstasy, each work is presented in double-page spreads that chronologically trace Art Nouveau's development and breadth-from architecture, Gaudi's Sagrada Familia, and from graphic arts, Toulouse-Lautrec's poster advertising the Divan Japonais, to home decor, lamps by Tiffany and Daum Freres and to painting, Munch's Madonnas and Walter Crane's Neptune's Horses. Each entry includes a full-page illustration and concise explanatory texts. An introductory essay on the history and legacy of Art Nouveau, along with brief biographies of the artists featured in the book, making this a comprehensive yet compact reference work.

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In this hyper-compact, fully illustrated guide to architecture, Susie Hodge outlines the history and theory of architecture from the earliest structures to the cutting-edge concepts of the present day. Along the way she profiles 200 key buildings, historic styles, architectural movements and celebrated architects from all around the world. Contents include the Greek orders, Roman engineering, Gothic architecture, the Renaissance, the Baroque, Revivalism, Art Nouveau, Modernism and Postmodernism, Futurism and Dynamic architecture along with architects like Inigo Jones, Christopher Wren, Gaudi, Frank Lloyd Wright, Le Corbusier and Frank Gehry.

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A sumptuous biography, history and gallery of the acclaimed Renaissance artist, with 500 fine-art reproductions

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A comprehensive reference book on the life and works of Diego Valazquez, the most important painter in the Spanish Habsburg court of King Phillip IV. Featuring a wonderful gallery of his paintings, accompanied by an expert analysis of each work, and a description of his style and technique. This beautifully illustrated book is essential reading for anyone who would like to learn more about this master of painting, who influenced so many later artists.

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Gustav Klimt, well known for his sensual, arresting depictions of women (The Kiss, Fulfillment, The Tree of Life), was a founder of the Viennese Secession movement at the turn of the 20th century, Vienna's own Art Nouveau. His extravagant work, was an obsessive manifestation of the dazzling intellectual society of his time and he painted very large canvases combining oils with gold foil. This beautiful new book brings together a wide selection of Klimt’s magnificent work.

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This is the ultimate art and design teacher's handbook; with guidance on planning lessons, inspiring creativity and imagination in pupils and getting great results. This comprehensive handbook provides art teachers with practical advice on: planning effective lessons; developing imaginative ideas for teaching art across the age ranges; developing students' creative, technical and critical skills; and, preparing students for coursework and exams. This book is a must for all secondary art and design teachers, whether still in training, newly qualified or experienced. Each title in the new "Handbooks Series" is a comprehensive guide to preparing to teach, teaching with confidence and making the most of assessment in secondary schools. Each handbook contains practical advice for teachers, from working with Teaching Assistants to guidance on continued professional development, as well as plenty of strategies for making lessons stimulating, cross-curricular and fun!

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Dogs can be a pleasure to draw, whether they are dignified, elegant, cute or scruffy. Suzie Hodges shows you how to capture the character of a great selection of popular dog breeds. This delightful introduction to drawing dogs completely demystifies the drawing process. It shows how images can be built up easily, from initial geometric shapes right through to the finished animals. Susie Hodges includes a good selection of popular breeds and she uses a helpful two colour method that clearly shows every line and curve of the step-by-step pictures. Even absolute beginners will find themselves creating great drawings when they use this book and there is much to inspire more experienced artists too. An invaluable guide for anyone interested in this subject.

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Klee's art appeals to our primary instincts and makes us look beyond the ordinary. A natural draughtsman, master of colour and hugely influential artist, Klee eludes classification, having been variously linked with Expressionism, Cubism, Futurism, Surrealism and Abstraction. Part of a new series of beautiful gift art books, Paul Klee Masterpieces of Art brims with the subtle warmth and humour of a unique artist. With a fresh and thoughtful introduction to Klee's life and art, the book goes on to showcase his key works in all their glory.

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An American who spent most of his life in Europe, a portraitist who painted landscapes, a family man who never married, and an accomplished pianist who often entertained his sitters, John Singer Sargent (1856-1925) was one of the most influential portrait painters of his time, but he is also an enigma. Despite his huge body of work, we know little about Sargent the man. Truly international, he was acclaimed on both sides of the Atlantic, and was close friends with many of the leading artists, writers, actors and musicians of his generation. Over the course of his career, Sargent created roughly 900 oil paintings, more than 2,000 watercolours and a vast number of sketches and charcoal drawings. He travelled extensively, to Venice, the Tyrol, Capri, Corfu, Spain, France, England, Holland, the Middle East, Canada and across America. Wherever he went, he captured the people and the surroundings. Using the fluid brushwork that had been introduced by his friends the Impressionists, his portraits are intimate and experimental, conveying both superficial appearances and psychological depths, and his landscapes are atmospheric and immediate. Sargent was in constant demand for his portraits, and during his lifetime he was perceived as a far more significant artist than contemporary avant-garde painters such as Paul Cezanne (1839-1906) and Paul Gauguin (1848-1903), and he allied himself with one of the most progressive, independent ateliers in Paris. His style fused the spectacular Impressionistic brushwork with techniques he learned from both Old and Modern masters, combined with his interest in human psychology, all consolidated by his own adroit artistry. Yet during his life, as well as attracting such acclamation from across Europe and America, he also provoked both scandal and condemnation, and after his death, he became judged adversely. As with many artists however, the wheel of favour eventually turned and once again, in the early 21st century, Sargent's work was reassessed and revalued and he is now considered one of the finest and most skilful painters. The first part of this informative book explores the life of Sargent and the times he lived in, and the second part is a magnificent gallery of his work, with details about each painting and its context, with expert analysis of his style and technique. This beautifully illustrated volume, with 500 reproductions and images, will be essential reading for anyone who would like to learn more abut this intriguing artist, whom The Metropolitan Museum in New York called `the Van Dyck of our times.'.

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This is an expert and detailed account of the painter Claude Monet, one of the key founders of the Impressionist movement and arguably the most influential painter of modern times. It is an insightful biography that tells the story of his life, the historical context of society at the time, and his relationships with Renoir, Sisley and Manet. It features a beautiful gallery of all Claude Monet's most significant works accompanied by in-depth analysis of his style and technique, stunningly illustrated with 500 beautiful images. It explores his relationship with the traditional art world and his courageous rejection of it, choosing to establish a new form of art. The first half of this impressive book is a review of the life of Claude Monet and the development of his talents. It follows his early experiences and artistic education, as well as his personal life, financial difficulties and marriages, shedding light on why Monet became the painter he did. The second half is a gallery of more than 300 of his works with analysis of each painting. Paintings are reproduced from all phases of his career, including when he lived at Argenteuil, where some of the most famous impressionist works were created. This extraordinary book is an essential volume for anyone wanting to learn more about this fascinating and ground-breaking artist, and to study his greatest works in one beautiful collection.

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Great paintings cannot be fully understood in a single encounter; there is always more to be derived from them. Art lovers may revisit and reconsider the masterpieces throughout their lives, but a deeper understanding can only be gained by analysing the painting in detail, be it the placement of the subject, the lighting, the style of brushstrokes or the themes. Art in Detail examines 100 iconic paintings from the Western canon and spotlights the finer points a quick glance will almost certainly fail to reveal. These include subtle internal details, such as hidden symbols and artistic tricks employed by the painter to achieve particular effects. In addition, Susie Hodge writes intelligently about external influences on the artist – everything from the socioeconomic context in which he or she flourished, to smaller local difficulties, such as the level of air pollution at the time the painting was created. And she treats each of her subjects not only, to quote Matthew Arnold, ‘as in itself it really is’, but also as part of a tradition that links the oldest painting to the most recent, as artists pass a metaphorical baton down through the ages.With 700 illustrations

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Why Your 5 Year Old Could Not Have Done That is Susie Hodge’s passionate and persuasive argument against the most common disparaging remark levelled at modern art. In this enjoyable and thought-provoking book, she examines 100 works of modern art that have attracted critical and public hostility – from Cy Twombly’s scribbled Olympia (1957), Jean-Michel Basquiat’s crude but spontaneous ‘LNAPRK’ (1982), to the apparently careless mess of Tracey Emin’s My Bed (1998) – and explains how, far from being negligible novelties, they are inspired and logical extensions of the ideas of their time. She explains how such notorious works as Carl Andre’s Equivalent VIII (1966) – the infamous bricks – occupy unique niches in the history of ideas, both showing influences of past artists and themselves influencing subsequent artists. With illustrations of works from Hans Arp to Adolf Wölfli, Hodge places each work in its cultural context to present an unforgettable vision of modern art. This book will give you an understanding of the ways in which modern art differs from the realistic works of earlier centuries, transforming as well as informing your gallery visits for years to come.

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The Short Story of Architecture is a new and innovative guide to the subject of architecture that explores 50 key buildings, from the Great Pyramids to high-tech, sustainable skyscrapers. Accessible and concise, the book links the 50 key works to the most important architectural materials, elements and styles, giving readers all the tools they need to understand and appreciate the built world.

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