11/01/2015
Gr 6–10—Excellent, in-depth examinations of celebrated painters. Each of these titles opens with a context-setting introduction, followed by a few pages of biography, and then moves on to a lengthy section detailing major works, along with technical analysis and biographical and historical background. All of the books are lavishly illustrated with large reproductions of the works, photographs of the artists, and relevant artifacts of their respective periods and cultures. The authors are adept at establishing in simple terms the social and aesthetic implications of the artists' bold choices. A final chapter in each book includes information on where to find museums displaying the paintings. The biographical sections are surprisingly brief, though more details are supplied in the artwork sections. VERDICT These outstanding introductions are well suited for both research and ready reference.
