A-R-T: A No Nonsense Guide to Art and Artists - Softcover

How do you get inside a Rothko? What should you look for in a Rembrandt? Will Damien Hirst last? Is Canaletto overrated? Why was Edward Hicks called Peaceable? What are the different labours of Hercules? What is special about Ursula? What does a crow represent? Was St Lawrence shot to death or clubbed to death? How do you recognise Abraham? What is: decalcomania, marouflage, ruperstain, gender surfing? How does poppy oil differ from linseed oil? What does post-humanism mean? Who were the Hudson River School? Can you give a clear crisp explanation, or a thought provoking answer for the above? A.R.T can. A.R.T is a lively, concise but authoritative guide to the creators, the stories, and the techniques that have made the art of painting one of the glories of Western civilisation. The book is divided into 3 main sections: Section One Explores over 700 artists from Abbate to Zubaran, Explains their characteristics, Locates the principal collections, Identifies the price ranges and records for each artist. Section Two Interprets over 700 stories and subjects from Aaron to Zeus, Decodes the essential signs, symbols and characters. Section Three Defines over 650 words and concepts from Abstract Art to Zinc White, Explains the principal technical, critical and historical terms, Demystifies the language that surrounds art. Plus An evaluative list of the best art sites available on the Internet. Robert Cumming’s witty, enlightening comments accompany each entry. Thorough but never dry, lavishly illustrated with the work of hundreds of artists; A.R.T is an essential guide to the subject

Robert Cumming is a writer, lecturer and art consultant. He studied law and art history at Cambridge, and worked at the Tate Gallery. For 22 years he was Chairman of Christie’s Education, building the team which created the leading international programme of courses on the fine and decorative arts. He is the author of several books, including Annotated Art and Great Artists (Dorling Kindersley), which have each sold over 500,000 copies. He lectures widely in the UK and abroad.