Susie Hodge – författare

Celebrated for his use of expressive brush marks, which filled his paintings with dynamism, light and colour in a way not seen before in Renaissance art, Tiziano Veccellio became the greatest painter 16th-century Venice had ever known. In the first half of her beautiful new book, Susie Hodge explores Titian's fascinating life through his family, friends, patrons and commissions. Starting out as a young apprentice in the great city of Venice, Titian grew up surrounded with spectacular works of art, architecture and sculpture. His early influences and remarkable achievements are explained clearly with informative and attractive illustrations throughout. The second half of the book contains a comprehensive gallery of over 300 of Titian's major works.of art, each of which is accompanied by a thorough analysis of theartwork and its significance within the context of Titian's life, hisrapidly changing technique and his body of work as a whole.

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 ina 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 mostare 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 stilllife, giving a fascinating, colourful and in-depth overview of what constituted the art of the period.With more than500 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

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.'.

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.

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.

The Short Story of Art is a new and innovative introduction to the subject of art. Simply constructed, the book explores 50 key works, from the wall paintings of Lascaux to contemporary installations, and then links these to sections on art movements, themes and techniques.The design of the book allows the student or art enthusiast to easily navigate their way around key periods, artists and styles. Accessible and concise, it simplifies and explains the most important and influential concepts in art, and shows how they are connected. The book explains how, why and when art changed, who introduced certain things, what they were, where they were produced, and whether they matter. It demystifies artistic jargon, giving readers a thorough understanding and broad enjoyment of art.

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.

A celebration of some of the world's greatest dog paintings as well as an enlightening look at the history of dog breeds by art historian Susie Hodge, the book features 50 great paintings from throughout history, each depicting a different dog breed.With an essay about the work of art and the artist as well as a separate piece about the individual dog breeds, the author analyzes the dogs featured in the works of art, explaining the original human uses of specific breeds - such as herding, hunting, defending or lap dogs - and how those dog breeds have changed over time - sizes, colour and uses. It reveals how certain breeds were very popular in history and how the fashions for different breeds changed over time.Featuring many of the world's best-loved works, including Portrait of Giovanni Arnolfini and His Wife by Jan van Eyck, Hunters in the Snow by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, and The Luncheon of the Boating Party by Pierre-Auguste Renior, this informative and attractive new book will appeal to both art and dog lovers alike and form part of a new series.Gemini MasterpiecesA treasured series celebrating 50 of the world’s greatest paintings throughout history, each on the theme of your favourite animal or plant to bring the story of the breeds and artworks to life.

Peter Paul Rubens was one of the most productive and exciting painters of his time, noted for his expressive, emotive and sensual paintings which are now instantly recognizable. Indeed, his voluptuous female figures have given rise to the word 'Rubenesque'. This book explores the life and times of Rubens, from his early studies in Italy through to his apprenticeship in Antwerp and his subsequent outstanding accomplishments as 'the prince of painters and the painter of princes'. It also contains a gallery of 300 of his paintings and drawings, revealing his unparalleled position as an artist, diplomat, scholar, linguist, teacher, art collector and devoted family man.

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.

Ever wanted to make a maraca? This step by step guide will show you how, with clear, engaging photos that show just how easy it is to make and personalise your very own maraca. Lilac/Band 0 books are wordless books that tell a story through pictures and are designed to develop understanding about how stories work.Text type: A wordless instruction book.Children can recap the stages on pp.14-15Curriculum links: Art and Design: Containers

Collins Arabic Big Cat is a guided reading series for ages 3 to 11. The series is structured with reference to the learning progression of Arabic at nursery and primary schools researched especially for Collins. This carefully graded approach allows children to build up their reading knowledge of Arabic step by step.Level 3 books introduce the concept of the ‘story’, and include simple phonic sounds and very high-frequency words with simple spellings.Ever wanted to make a percussion instrument? This step by step guide will show you how, with clear, engaging photos that show just how easy it is to make and personalise your very own percussion instrument.Children can recap the stages and check understanding at the end of the story.

See the world through Hokusai's eyes and be inspired to produce your own masterpieces.Have you ever wondered exactly what your favourite artists were looking at to make them draw, sculpt, or paint the way they did? In this charming illustrated series of books to keep and collect, created in full collaboration with The Metropolitan Museum of Art, you can see what they saw, and be inspired to create your own artworks, too. In What the Artist Saw: Hokusai, meet groundbreaking Japanese artist Hokusai. Step into his life and learn what led him to create more than 30,000 works of art, including his famous woodcut views of The Great Wave off Kanagawa and Mount Fuji. Discover how he planned to live to 110 and even produced the first ever pieces of manga! Have a go at making your own printed artworks.In this series, follow the artists' stories and find intriguing facts about their environments and key masterpieces. Then see what you can see and make your own art. Take a closer look at landscapes with Georgia O'Keeffe, or even yourself, with Vincent van Gogh. Every book in this series is one to treasure and keep - perfect for inspiring budding young artists to continue their own artistic journeys. © The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Imagine having 5,000 years of human history's most amazing artworks at your fingertips! Go on a trip through the famous Metropolitan Museum of Art without ever leaving your home! Prepare to explore the treasures of the world's civilisations-from ancient Egyptian amulets, Mayan jewellery, and prehistoric tools-to Medieval tapestries, Renaissance suits of armour, and modern-day baseball cards. Each page brings you closer to the past as you learn about the people of different ages through the objects they left behind. Discover hand-picked highlights of the museum's huge collection as you travel through history, one incredible object at a time. This book combines exclusive Met photography with colourful and quirky illustrations in a resource that parents can trust, with a design that kids will love. © The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

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.

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.

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.

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

Embark on a captivating 1000-piece journey through art history with this jigsaw puzzle. Trace the evolution of human expression from the first drawings to modern-day masterpieces. New to art history and puzzled about where to start? Try piecing together this beautifully illustrated timeline featuring fifty key moments in art history. This jigsaw traces the story of art, starting at Blombos Cave, the oldest known workshop where the first drawings were discovered. Step inside the studio of Artemisia Gentileschi, follow Sebastião Salgado documenting Amazonian life and uncover Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s vast Terracotta Army. This is perfect for those who want to a fun introduction to art history in bite-size pieces.

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.

Explore the landscapes and places that inspired great art: find peace in Monet’s lily-filled garden oasis, climb Mount Fuji on a printmaker’s pilgrimage, sail with Gauguin to the South Pacific to stretch your imagination, or contemplate light and the changing seasons on Chelsea Embankment. Artistic Places is a stunningly hand-illustrated, visionary guide for seekers of beauty, rare tales and cultural riches. Find yourself instantly transported to the places where great artists have sought refuge, found their inspiration and changed the course of art history forever.Susie Hodge, bestselling author and art historian, presents 25 famous and forgotten artistic destinations around the world, and connects these to the artists they inspired. In keeping with the Inspired Traveller’s Guide series design, each entry is accompanied by specially commissioned illustrations from Amy Grimes which perfectly evoke the wonders that first attracted the masters, while Hodge delves into each location's curious history with insightful stories both in and beyond the canon. So take a leaf out of your favourite artist’s sketchbook and discover the places they loved best.Artists and locations include: J.A.M Whistler in London, EnglandJohn Constable in Suffolk, EnglandBarbara Hepworth in St Ives, EnglandPaula Rego in Cascais and Estoril, PortugalPablo Picasso and Guernica, SpainSalvador Dalí in Catalonia, SpainClaude Monet in Giverny, FranceVincent van Gogh in Arles, FranceRene Magritte in Brussels, BelgiumPaul Klee in Bern, SwitzerlandMichelangelo in Florence, ItalyCanaletto in Venice, ItalyJohannes Vermeer in Delft, NetherlandsAnni Albers in Dessau, GermanyCaspar David Friedrich in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, GermanyGustav Klimt and Lake Attersee, AustriaEdvard Munch in Oslo, NorwayHilma af Klint and Lake Mälaren, SwedenHenri Matisse in Tangier, MoroccoHokusai on Mount Fuji, JapanPaul Gauguin in Papeete and Papeari, TahitiJean-Michel Basquiat in New York, USAGrant Wood in Iowa, USAGeorgia O’Keeffe in New Mexico, USAFrida Kahlo in Coyoacán, MexicoEach book in the Inspired Traveller's Guides series offers readers a fascinating, informative and charmingly illustrated guide to must-visit destinations round the globe. Also from this series, explore intriguing: Spiritual Places, Literary Places, Hidden Places and Mystical Places.

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.

How do you sum up the amazing world of art in just 100 words? This striking book takes on the challenge! From pottery to Pointillism, each of the carefully chosen 100 words has its own 100-word long description and quirky illustration, providing a fascinating introduction to art. Basically, everything you need to know in a nutshell. Along with some classic methods, such as painting and sketching, you'll also discover less predictable aspects of art that will give you a fresh perspective. Featuring materials, elements, methods, art movements, styles and places this book covers a wide range of topics and themes, as well as some key artists of the past and present. With a clean, contemporary design, each word occupies a page of its own. A large striking illustration neatly encapsulates the accompanying 100 words of text. Other titles in the 100 Things to Know About series include: Ancient World, World Politics, Inventions.

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.

The Elements of Art deconstructs great works of art into manageable components so that you can better understand and appreciate them.Knowing how to interpret art is one of the biggest issues facing casual gallery-goers. They may ask themselves questions like: Why is the Mona Lisa so small? Why are some frames gilded in gold while others are non-existent? What can the use of material say about a work, whether it’s an oil painting, collage or made of found objects? And does the life of the artist matter?This book answers all of these questions and more and introduces the key elements with which you can analyse and better understand artwork. From colour, medium and size to where the piece is situated, and the artist who made it, you’ll learn what’s important and what’s not so important.The book includes two parts:Part One introduces the elements using examples from throughout art history, introducing key terms and techniques while giving you the tools to apply lessons learned outside of the book.Part Two puts the elements into practice by breaking down 30 great artworks element by element—from Michelangelo to Frida Kahlo.With the Elements of Art, you’ll learn important information about technique, style, material, location and colour that will shape you to read and interpret art. Whether you're a student, teacher, culture vulture or art enthusiast, this book will help you de-mystify great works of art, making for a more meaningful, fulfilling and enjoyable visit to any gallery.

An intriguing investigation into over 50 elusive artworks that were stolen and never recovered.Mona Lisa, Starry Night, Birth of Venus. People travel for hundreds of miles to observe these breathtaking paintings with their own eyes. Now discover the artworks that nobody can ever see… and the fascinating stories behind their disappearance.In this collection of daring heist stories, read about:Michelangelo’s Mask of a FaunCaravaggio’s NativityRembrandt’s Portrait of the Artist as a Young ManCézanne’s View of Auvers-sur-OiseVan Gogh’sThe Parsonage Garden at Nuenen in SpringWith meticulous research and engaging storytelling, this book uncovers the mysteries surrounding the thefts of these valuable artworks and many more.Each fated work will be discussed to reveal why it, and the artist who made it, was significant. Gain a deeper appreciation for these artists and the lasting impact they've had on the art world.This book also answers key questions about each missing piece, including:Why and how was it stolen?What attempts have been made to recover it?Leads, red herrings and suspects.Whether you're passionate about art or drawn to the thrill of solving mysteries, this book offers a compelling narrative that will keep you engaged from cover to cover. It's a must-read for anyone curious about the intersection of art, crime and history.

An intriguing investigation into over 50 elusive artworks that were stolen and never recovered.Mona Lisa, Starry Night, Birth of Venus. People travel for hundreds of miles to observe these breathtaking paintings with their own eyes. Now discover the artworks that nobody can ever see… and the fascinating stories behind their disappearance.In this collection of daring heist stories, read about:Michelangelo’s Mask of a FaunCaravaggio’s NativityRembrandt’s Portrait of the Artist as a Young ManCézanne’s View of Auvers-sur-OiseVan Gogh’sThe Parsonage Garden at Nuenen in SpringWith meticulous research and engaging storytelling, this book uncovers the mysteries surrounding the thefts of these valuable artworks and many more.Each fated work will be discussed to reveal why it, and the artist who made it, was significant. Gain a deeper appreciation for these artists and the lasting impact they've had on the art world.This book also answers key questions about each missing piece, including:Why and how was it stolen?What attempts have been made to recover it?Leads, red herrings and suspects.Whether you're passionate about art or drawn to the thrill of solving mysteries, this book offers a compelling narrative that will keep you engaged from cover to cover. It's a must-read for anyone curious about the intersection of art, crime and history.

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."

This is an in-depth illustrated chronicle of the rise and fall of one of history's most secretive brotherhoods, from its origins as a champion of Christ in the middle ages to its mysterious legacy in the present day. It charts the rise and fall of the order, from humble men of the Cross to powerful warrior-monks. It investigates the templars' mysteries, handed down through the centuries, and their links to the Holy Grail, the Turin shroud, the ark of the covenant, the skull of Sidon, and involvement in the history of freemasonry. It examines the debate on whether the knights were brave crusaders, servants of Christ, treacherous heretics or mercenary outlaws. It is a comprehensive guide, with 200 illustrations. This expert book covers the fascinating and romantic history that surroundes the order of the Knights Templar. It charts the rise and influence of the order, its changing fortunes, losing their base in Jerusalem in the Third Crusade, the fall of Acre and the destruction of the order by Pope Clement V and Philip IV of France.The speculative myths and questions about these legendary knights are fully discussed, as are controversial claims and conspiracies that have surrounded them for centuries. Among these are whether the Templars discovered America and if they were the guardians of the Holy Grail. With well-researched text and evocative illustrations this volume shows the historical legacy of the Templars and how they have influenced contemporary organizations, art, literature and legend.