What Makes Great Art: 80 Masterpieces Explained

Description

Why do some artworks stand out head and shoulders above others? What makes a painting truly great, and secures its artistic legacy for centuries after its creation? Some owe their greatness to composition of colour, others offer profound insights into their human subjects, and some convey their message particularly effectively. Exceptional art somehow satisfies at a deeper level than the rest, and this truly insightful and deeply researched work examines exactly how 80 of the most significant works of art have persevered, and what makes us come back to them time and time again. Andy Prankhurst's succinct, appraisive text will open your eyes to the unique defining qualities of these key works, enabling you to appreciate the groundbreaking talents of every age. An indispensable book for anyone who wants to understand how and why art continues to fascinate us, this book is a comprehensive guide to these masterpieces and what exactly makes them great.

Andy Pankhurst studied at the Slade School of Fine Art in London. A deeply expressive figurative painter, his work is represented in various public, corporate and private collections and museums in the UK and the US. Alongside his work at the Slade, Andy also teaches at the University of Westminster, the Prince's Trust Drawing School and Canterbury Christ Church University. Lucinda Hawksley is the author of more than twenty books. She is a regular lecturer in art history at the institute of English Studies and the National Portrait Gallery, London.