Masterpieces of Art – serie

William Morris was an outstanding character of many talents, being an architect, writer, social campaigner, artist and, with his Kelmscott Press, an important figure of the Arts and Crafts movement. Many of us probably know him best, however, from his superb furnishings and textile designs, intricately weaving together natural motifs in a highly stylized two-dimensional fashion influenced by medieval conventions. William Morris Masterpieces of Art offers a survey of his life and work alongside some of his finest decorative work.

French artist Edgar Degas was famous for his drawing, painting, sculpture and printmaking. Although a member of the Impressionists, with Monet, Pissaro and Renoir his work focused on indoor subjects, particularly his acutely observed pieces on ballerinas. His masterful studies of real life resonate still today and he remains one of the most popular painters in the world. This beautiful new book showcases all of his major works (including Ballet Rehearsal, The Star and The Ballet Class), with detailed captions, and a long essay on life, art and influences.

Hieronymus Bosch lived and worked over 500 hundred years ago in the Netherlands’ town of ’s Hertogenbosch, from which he takes his name. One of a long line of artists and craftsmen, Bosch is best-known for his fantastical, wondrous art full of strange creatures both grotesque and heavenly, which has earned him the reputation of being ‘the devil’s painter’. Up to date with new research about his work, Hieronymus Bosch Masterpieces of Art gives an overview of what is known of this elusive painter and draughtsman, providing the reader with a glimpse into the long-ago world that he inhabited, through a discussion of his life and work, followed by a selection of his best-known and most fascinating works, from his apocalyptic Four Visions of the Hereafter and hellish Last Judgement to the hidden messages in The Garden of Earthly Delights and some stunning line drawings such as The Wood Has Ears, The Field Has Eyes and The Tree Man.

The painful, exquisite art of Mexico’s favourite artist was a product of immense physical pain, and an emotional tumultuous life. The new book features the range and power of her heavily autobiographical work, from the early, disturbing explorations of personal suffering to the more dulled, painkiller-drenched paintings of her later life.

Inspired by the works of French Post-Impressionist and Fauvist artists, the Scottish Colourists (Samuel Peploe, J.D. Fergusson, Leslie Hunter and F.C.B. Cadell) introduced 1920s Britain to a whole new style of painting. While they did not regard themselves as a collective, they are known for their bold use of colour, vigorous brushwork and affinity for painting en plein air. Though each had a distinct style and focus, they were united by pioneering efforts to buck the prevailing artistic conventions of their time, creating works of art that burst with life and beauty. With over 80 images and a broad introduction, this is a fine addition to Flame Tree's ever-increasing series on painting and illustration, Masterpieces of Art.

An artist who worked across many media, the multi-skilled Gustave Doré remains unequalled as a supremely talented illustrator, whose detailed and imaginative engravings for major works of literature – from Cervantes’s Don Quixote to Dante’s Divine Comedy, and even the Bible – have hugely influenced the way we see many cultural and literary characters and still inspire today (David Beckham has a tattoo on his chest of Doré’s The Agony in the Garden).This sumptuous new introduction to the artist focuses on these illustrations, first introducing you to his life, work and the rich seam of illustration history that he continued and ignited, from Blake and Fuseli to today’s newspaper comics, before presenting a carefully curated thematic selection of his finest and most important engravings. From his vision of Jacob Wrestling with the Angel to Crossing the River Styx, the work of this most prodigious and much borrowed-from artist is represented in glorious full-page reproductions.

Leonardo da Vinci was the original Renaissance Man, an artist, mathematician, inventor and writer amongst his many talents. His skilful observations of the mechanics of the body informed both his work, and the generations that followed. But his drawings are elegant too, with the gentle features of his female subjects in particular graced with unrivalled care and eloquence. Da Vinci's illustrations lie at the heart of our heritage and this new book offers a breadth and scale that will satisfy both the casual and informed reader.

Woodblock printing is a traditional artistic medium in Japan most renowned for its use in ukiyo-e or 'floating world' prints. Both moving and mesmerising, this medium captures scenes with considerable atmosphere and vibrancy whether it be crashing waves, autumn leaves or serene waterfalls. Beginning with a fresh and thoughtful introduction to Japanese woodblock art, Japanese Woodblocks Masterpieces of Art goes on to showcase key works by artists such as Katsuhika Hokusai and Ando Hiroshige.

A group of primarily Scottish artists (mainly William York Macgregor, Joseph Crawhall, George Henry, Edward Atkinson Hornel, Sir John Lavery and Arthur Melville), the Glasgow Boys were active around the turn of the 20th Century. Though they painted in a number of different styles, they are connected by their rejection of classic Victorian painting. Inspired by the luminous techniques of James McNeil Whistler, they harnessed Impressionistic brushwork and livid realism in their work, trying new methods and everyday settings to create stunning works of art. With over 100 images, and broad introduction, this is a fine addition to Flame Tree's ever-increasing series on painting and illustration, Masterpieces of Art.

Focusing on Art Deco graphic art and illustration, this gorgeous new book features fascinating text on the movement in general, fashion and advertising, accompanied by beautiful reproductions of work by talents such as Barbier, Erté, Cassandre and Colin. Sympathetic examples of other forms of Art Deco are also included.

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.

Prior to the invention of the printing press, all books had to be written by hand. Manuscripts are the beautiful manifestation of this craft, and the most precious and expensive of such manuscripts were 'illuminated' through the use of brightly coloured pigments and gold embellishments. Beginning with a fresh and thoughtful introduction to illuminated manuscripts, Illuminated Manuscripts Masterpieces of Art goes on to showcase key works in this stunning artistic genre.

A beautiful new gift art book all about Edvard Munch, the Norwegian artist behind the first truly Expressionist picture The Scream. Absorbed by such motifs as love, life, death and anguish, Munch’s paintings captured the psychological feelings evoked by man. Beginning with a fresh and captivating introduction to Munch’s life and art, the book showcases several of his works in all their glory.

The Art of Fine Gifts: Twentieth-century painter, designer and wood engraver Eric Ravilious was responsible for a fascinating range of different works, from illustrations for books to designs for ceramics for the established Wedgwood pottery firm. This gorgeous new book features beautiful woodcut images of countryside life, watercolours of rolling landscapes and many of Ravilious' acute and profound war paintings.

Bringing to life the gorgeous, inspiring art of Monet, Manet, Renoir, Pissarro and their group, Impressionists takes the reader back to Nineteenth Century Paris to explore one of the most influential, and popular art movements in the history of painting. A careful selection of the period's most enduring artworks sits alongside some lesser known, but equally impressive images to convey the spirit and passion of the era.

Renowned for his paintings of the industrial towns of North West England, Lancashire born Lowry had a distinctive and enchanting style, depicting the everyday life of the world around him. In association with The Lowry, which houses over 400 of Lowry’s works, this exceptional book portrays a selection of his paintings, sketches and other works, with subjects gleaned from urban landscapes teeming with his iconic ‘matchstick men’ to haunting unpopulated scenes. Often neglected by the elite of the art world his work has received much greater recognition in recent years.

Rich and delicate, ethereal and muscular, the art of William Blake is as fascinating as the philosophies threading through his poetry and prophetic works. Presented here in this magnificent new collection, his vivid paintings and gently weaving illustrations are imprinted in the consciousness of Romantic art, but their impact on Gothic literature remains as strong and quixotic as the artist himself.

Part of a new series of beautiful gift art books, Van Gogh Masterpieces of Art features all of the best-known works of one of the most famous artists in the world, preceded by a fresh and thoughtful introduction providing lively commentary on his life, society, places and style and techniques, including the powerful animation of his strident brushwork.

Gauguin began his artistic life as an Impressionist in Paris, but yearning for a wider world view he experimented with decorative art and bright colours to create what some have termed Symbolism. He painted briefly with Van Gogh but was strongly drawn by the “otherness” of the South Pacific to which he travelled frequently, and finally settled far away from his origins and early influences to create a unique and intensely personal body of work. The new edition of this beautiful new book revels in the scenes of Tahiti, the sunlit bodies, the shapes and styles of the South Pacific each of which have secured him a unique place in the history of art.

Part of a new series of beautiful gift art books, Pierre-Auguste Renoir Masterpieces of Art features the popular works of this insightful artist, from his love of the female nude form to becoming one of the leaders of the Impressionist style. With a fresh and thoughtful introduction to the life and art of one of the most famous artists in the world, the book goes on to showcase his key works in all their glory.

Part of a new series of beautiful gift art books, Claude Monet Masterpieces of Art features all of the popular works of this insightful and experimental artist, from his first inklings as an Impressionist to his later flirtations with Abstract Expressionism. With a fresh and thoughtful introduction to the life and art of one of the most famous artists in the world, the book goes on to showcase his key works in all their glory.

Paul Nash, the British landscape and Surrealist painter, lived through both the First and Second World Wars. His depictions of these human catastrophes, with their damaged landscapes and broken machinery are much remembered today. His painting life moved from representational landscapes, through to the Surrealist and symbolist styles of his later years where he experimented with abstraction and the everyday. He was regarded as a fine book illustrator and often created work for other graphic and theatrical forms.This new book offers 100 images, with an introduction to his art and contribution made by Nash to the cultural sophistication of the modern world.

Arthur Rackham was a Victorian born illustrator and artist who influenced much of the book and commercial illustration of the first half of the 20th Century. The impish detail of his hundreds of drawings brought humour and dark detail to the fairy stories and classic tales which were popular at the time, from Washington Irving to the Brothers Grimm, Peter Pan to his exquisite work on the Alice in Wonderland. His water-colour work, and the graceful power of his ink and line work influenced the Golden Age illustrators of the 1920s, through to the pulps of Weird Tales, and the comic books of today. Arthur Rackham: Masterpieces of Art is a celebration of this industrious and lively artist.

Regarded by her fellow impressionists as a ‘virtuoso colourist’, Berthe Morisot (1841–95) strove to be considered an equal among her male peers – an uphill struggle at a time when women were generally forbidden from taking formal artistic training. Nevertheless, she succeeded in forging a career, gaining respect, becoming a key player and creating a body of work that has stood the test of time. Her impressionism vibrates with light and spontaneity and yet possesses a density of form through the deft use of colour. Inevitably she painted what she experienced: scenes of intimate domestic and family life, gardens, flowers, landscapes – representing the real, unfiltered day-to-day life of 19th-century women – from the tender depiction of maternal love in The Cradle to the Far-Eastern inspired Julie with her Greyhound Laërte. This gorgeous book introduces the reader to the background, life and work of the artist, followed by a curated selection of her best work in exquisite full-page reproductions.