Books Do Furnish a Painting

Thousands of fine paintings include books in their subject matter, exploring the symbiotic relationship between the development of books and the emergence of the artist. This survey explains how and why books became the single most ubiquitous feature of our cultural lives and everyday existence, connecting us with centuries of lived experience.

Format: Hardback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 06 September 2018
Publisher: Thames & Hudson Ltd

Christmas is a time for celebration and joy, and there are many different ways to enjoy the holiday season. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Decorate your home with festive decorations, such as lights, ornaments, and stockings.

Attend a Christmas concert or performance, such as a choir or orchestra performance.

Watch a classic Christmas movie, such as "It's a Wonderful Life" or "The Polar Express."

Read a Christmas-themed book or story, such as "The Night Before Christmas" or "The Grinch."

Cook or bake Christmas-themed treats, such as gingerbread cookies or fruitcake.

Send Christmas cards to friends and family to wish them a happy holiday.

Attend a church service or mass.

Volunteer at a local charity or organization to help those in need.

Take a winter hike or nature walk to enjoy the beauty of the season.

Host a Christmas party or gathering with friends and family.

These are just a few ideas to get you started on enjoying Christmas. Whatever you do, be sure to spend time with loved ones and create lasting memories.

In Edvard Munch's Christmas in the Brothel, the artist depicts himself sleeping off the effects of drink, but the Madame reads a book. What links Stalin and the artist Rosso Fiorentino? What was Gauguin hinting at when he painted a copy of Milton's Paradise Lost into a portrait of a friend? How did a chance meeting on Unter den Linden make the young owner of The Red Book famous? Was it true that no one ever saw Picasso with a book in his hand? And why were the Cumberland girls reading The Fashionable Lover in Romney's commissioned portrait?

Thousands of fine paintings include books in their subject matter. This companionable survey first asks, "What is a book?"; it explores the symbiotic relationship between the development of books and the emergence of our modern idea of the role of the artist; it parades and interprets the work of many of the greatest artists of the last five hundred years; and it explains how and why books became the single most ubiquitous feature of our cultural lives and, in large measure, of our everyday existence.

These paintings connect us with centuries of lived experience: religious systems, symbols of all kinds, education, changing patterns of transport, gender roles, social status, romance, the imagination of children, literary life, sex, friendship, civilized bathing, professional competence, scientific discovery, aids to rest, aids to reflection, danger… books tell us about ourselves, and have earned their place in life – and art – through the ages.

In conclusion, Christmas is a time for celebration and joy, and there are many different ways to enjoy the holiday season. Whether you choose to decorate your home, attend a concert or performance, watch a movie, read a book, cook or bake treats, send cards, attend a church service, volunteer, take a hike, host a party, or do something else, be sure to spend time with loved ones and create lasting memories.

Weight: 862g
Dimension: 246 x 177 x 30 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780500252253