Understanding Painting

Patrick De Rynck, a classicist and translator, is the author of several books, including How to Read a Painting, How to Read Bible Stories and Myths in Art and The Final Painting. Jon Thompson was emeritus professor of Fine Art at Middlesex University in England and the author of How to Read a Modern Painting, among other titles.

- Spans seven centuries of masterpiece paintings from major museum collections - Accessible and informative for general art lovers and those looking to learn, but interesting enough to be enjoyed by scholars and experts - More than 600 superb color reproductions accompanied by brief yet illuminating explanations - Includes paintings by Leonardo da Vinci, Titian, and Rembrandt, to Monet, Matisse, and Pollock Great paintings, filled with complex themes and symbols, can be intimidating. Here, Patrick De Rynck and Jon Thompson explore more than 300 famous works spanning the Middle Ages to the late 20th century, unlocking each work's meaning. Today's art lovers lack the intimate knowledge of Greek and Roman mythology, folklore, and Christian theology that was so well-known to medieval and Renaissance artists and their public. Likewise, modern and contemporary art can baffle even sophisticated viewers. With brief yet illuminating explanations and more than 600 color reproductions - including many close-up details - of works by artists from Giotto, Botticelli, El Greco, Rubens, and Vermeer to Bonnard, Degas, Whistler, Van Gogh, Picasso, Hopper, Warhol, and Basquiat, this book provides the means to interpret and better enjoy these and many other works of art.