The Art Book [Paperback]

Editors of Phaidon Press (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 17, 1997

Winner of the Illustrated Book of the Year award in 1994, The Art Book has become a publishing phenomenon and a well-known event in the art book world. Reduced in size, making it light and highly portable, this new mini edition presents the same easy-to-use alphabetical guide to 500 of the world's greatest painters and sculptors. 500 color illustrations.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

This user-friendly book is an alphabetical reference guide to 500 of the world's greatest painters and sculptors, from antiquity to the present. Measuring roughly 5 by 6-1/2 inches and now in paperback, The Art Book is not only affordable, but also light, compact, and extremely portable, completely reforming the concept of an art reference book. It is perfect for the coffee table or for the backpack or pocketbook as well. Each artist is represented by a full-color plate and by explanatory and illuminating information on both the image and the artist. Cross references are provided to other artists in the book, and glossaries of technical terms and artistic movements are also included, making the book a valuable reference tool in the art library. Presented are some of the most famous artists of all time and their greatest masterworks--never before have they been so accessible as they are in this format.

Review

used like new --used book

Product Details

• Paperback: 515 pages
• Publisher: Phaidon Press (April 17, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0714836257
• ISBN-13: 978-0714836256
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 5.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (49 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #105,489 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book for a Quick Intro to Art, September 7, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Art Book (Hardcover)

For people who are interested in art, but don't want to get bogged down with a long series of dates and other supplemental materials, this book is the way to go. It provides nearly full page reproductions with some key facts to get you started sorted alphabetically. As an art student, I can tell you that this is one of the best art books I have purchased. You might also want to check out "The Photo Book", "The 20th Century Art Book" and "The American Art Book", too. They're all great for a quick and painless introduction to various artists. Also, the university's professors use these books quite often to provide with examples. Check 'em out! :-)

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars handy dandy, August 2, 2000

By 

Alejandra Vernon "artist & illustrator" (Long Beach, California) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Art Book (Paperback)

I've used this book countless times for research, etc. It's a reference guide to 500 artists, and on one small page gives what is usually their most famous piece (Leonardo da Vinci "The Mona Lisa", Klimt "The Kiss"), a description of it, a few major details of the artist's life, date and place of birth/death, and also the names of other artists that fall into the same category. At the end of the book there is a glossary of terms, a list of artistic movements, and a museum directory. The reproductions are of very high quality and take up about half a page. It's a great book just to look at, but for someone who wants to gain knowledge of the subject, and for students, this marvelous little book (it's only 5 + 6 1/2 but quite thick) is a must. Phaidon did a splendid thing putting out this volume...you'll love it !

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous., December 23, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Art Book (Paperback)

The best single art book there is, simply because this is the most fun and non-threatening way to enjoy art. Makes a fabulous gift for difficult to please friends--it has worked on even my most picky friends. Get it! It's a great coffee table book you can actually pick up.