The story of art is not always the story of art-historical ''isms'' and complex academic debate. The real history is often the story of some very simple firsts - the first time an artist painted themselves, the first time someone painted a smile, the first actual place to be depicted, the first feminist artwork, the first anti-war work.Art evolves and revolutionises itself through these simple - but ground-breaking - creative leaps. Art Firsts brings together 30 of these pioneering firsts to piece together an original approach to looking at and appreciating art, as well as understanding where it has come from and how it relates to you. Each first is approachable and engaging, while each work is simply and satisfyingly explained. Every work is also fully illustrated, and its significance is shown through images of the subsequent artists directly inspired by them. Art Firsts offers a refreshing and fascinating narrative for those curious about why so-called ''masterpieces'' are so important and how the story of art can be boiled down to flashes of fascinating brilliance.

Discover the love affairs that inspired art''s greatest masterpieces. Whether in the throes of passion, enduring the pain of unrequited love, or basking in the joy of a wonderfully supportive friendship, What Art Can Tell Us About Love explores the myriad ways love has influenced artists, shaped the work they created, and altered the course of art history. Beautifully illustrated with full-colour photographs of more than 70 artworks, this guide looks at how artists have painted, sketched and modelled their lovers - and how the theme of love has found its way into a broad range of works, from landscapes to still-life and self-portraits.Artists include: Caravaggio, Georgia O''Keeffe, Sarah Bernhardt, Picasso, Rembrandt, Frida Kahlo, Tamara de Lempicka, Clifford Prince-King, Chagall, Lotte Laserstein and Niki de Saint Phalle.

The story of art is not always the story of art-historical ''isms'' and complex academic debate. The real history is often the story of some very simple firsts - the first time an artist painted themselves, the first time someone painted a smile, the first actual place to be depicted, the first feminist artwork, the first anti-war work.Art evolves and revolutionises itself through these simple - but ground-breaking - creative leaps. Art Firsts brings together 30 of these pioneering firsts to piece together an original approach to looking at and appreciating art, as well as understanding where it has come from and how it relates to you. Each first is approachable and engaging, while each work is simply and satisfyingly explained. Every work is also fully illustrated, and its significance is shown through images of the subsequent artists directly inspired by them. Art Firsts offers a refreshing and fascinating narrative for those curious about why so-called ''masterpieces'' are so important and how the story of art can be boiled down to flashes of fascinating brilliance.

Discover the love affairs that inspired art''s greatest masterpieces. Whether in the throes of passion, enduring the pain of unrequited love, or basking in the joy of a wonderfully supportive friendship, What Art Can Tell Us About Love explores the myriad ways love has influenced artists, shaped the work they created, and altered the course of art history. Beautifully illustrated with full-colour photographs of more than 70 artworks, this guide looks at how artists have painted, sketched and modelled their lovers - and how the theme of love has found its way into a broad range of works, from landscapes to still-life and self-portraits.Artists include: Caravaggio, Georgia O''Keeffe, Sarah Bernhardt, Picasso, Rembrandt, Frida Kahlo, Tamara de Lempicka, Clifford Prince-King, Chagall, Lotte Laserstein and Niki de Saint Phalle.