Books

Good design, like good storytelling, brings ideas to life. The latest book from award-winning writer Ellen Lupton is a playbook for creative thinking, showing designers how to use storytelling techniques to create satisfying graphics, products, services...

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s David Lebe (b. 1948) pushed the boundaries of photography, creating nuanced and visually complex images using innovative techniques. Often enhancing his prints with hand-coloring, Lebe made experimental pinhole photographs,...

Jessica Todd Smith (Author) With an emphasis on painting and sculpture made in the United States between 1910 and 1950, this gorgeously illustrated volume offers a rich introduction to American modernism through the world-class collection of the...

One Hundred Years of Solitude is a classic novel known throughout the world. One of the 20th century’s enduring works of art, it is the ultimate achievement in a Nobel Prize-winning career. The story of the village of Macondo, as seen through the lives...

John Berger's Ways of Seeing is one of the most stimulating and the most influential books on art in any language. First published in 1972, it was based on the BBC television series about which the Sunday Times critic commented: "This is an eye-opener in...

Once upon a time in Persia, there was a woman who had never seen her reflection. On her wedding day, she sees herself in a mirror for the first time and does not recognize herself. Heartbroken, she runs away, mistakenly believing another bride has taken...

The Amish are known for their canning practices, which are essential to  communities of large families and even larger gardens. Written by Amish  writer Laura Anne Lapp, Amish Butters & Salsas offers sixty classic recipes for all varieties...

In Remember to Dream!, celebrated curator Hans Ulrich Obrist collects an abundance of thoughts for the day, dreams, drawings, musings, jokes, quotations, questions, answers, poems and puns from some of the world’s greatest contemporary artists, musicians...

A beautiful and delightfully handy art book that is designed to inspire, this collection of 150 beautifully reproduced Vincent Van Gogh images makes a stylish gift. His writings have been edited and selected to create an enlightening, uplifting, and...

Almost twenty-five years after the infamous art heist at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum—still the largest unsolved art theft in history—one of the stolen Degas paintings is delivered to the Boston studio of a young artist. Claire Roth has entered...

Acknowledging how architecture, painting, sculpture, and the decorative arts reflect the culture and society of their time, this latest addition to the Art Essentials series invites the reader to experience and appreciate the entirety of Western art from...

From Gandhi to Rosa Parks, the Arab Spring to Black Lives Matter, this introduction to the power of protests covers nearly every continent to show young readers that they can be effective on their own or as part of a movement. Filled with...

This intriguing child's-eye view of Monet and the development of impressionism takes as its premise how artists flocked to Giverny at the turn of the 20th century to study the painter's technique. It tells the story of Ella, the daughter of one such...

Photography has a complex relationship to art. This volume uses an innovative framework to help readers appreciate photography as its own modern art form. In his unique and insightful approach, professor of photography David Bate presents iconic...

'Sometimes I long so much to do landscape, just as one would for a long walk to refresh oneself, and in all of nature, in trees for instance, I see expression and a soul.' Vincent van Gogh saw nature and art as inseparably linked. In The Healing Power...

A Japanese designer offers a compelling alternative way to engage with our possessions, our history, our environment, and each other. The Japanese phrase "hodo-hodo" originates in ancient times. When contemporary designer Taku Satoh applies it to his...

Ossman & Steel’s Guide to Health or Household Instructor  (its original title) is a collection of spells, remedies, and charms.  The book draws from the old Pennsylvania Dutch and German powwow healing  practices that in turn...

In this remarkable, inspiring collection of essays, acclaimed writer and critic Olivia Laing makes a brilliant case for why art matters, especially in the turbulent political weather of the twenty-first century. Funny Weather brings together a career’s...

Brilliantly illuminating one of the least-understood areas of American history, best-selling author Eric Jay Dolin now traces our fraught relationship with China back to its roots: the unforgiving nineteenth-century seas that separated a brash, rising...

This a great book for pencil collectors, admirers, historians, artists, writers—anyone who gets excited about the new Palomino Blackwing, the Philadelphia Museum of Art exclusive Diana pencil for example, or a perfectly sharpened No. 2 Ticonderoga ...

While it is considered by many artists to be a pure and simplistic form of expression, abstract art is also often thought of as vague or exceedingly theoretical. This new installment in the Art Essentials  series demystifies the concept and history...

Street art is a phenomenon and subculture movement that reaches from the darkest urban backstreets to the most glamorous international art  fairs. Despite having earned a place in the canon of twentieth-century  art history, its qualifications...

It is often forgotten just how provocative and unsettling impressionist canvases seemed when they were first exhibited in 1874. Critics,  professional artists, and gallery visitors alike were shocked to  encounter the unorthodox paintings on...

Pop Art refers to a post-war movement connecting art with  popular culture. Billboard signs, comic books, and movie stars were just  some of the subjects chosen by pop artists, such as Andy Warhol, Roy  Lichtenstein, James Rosenquist, and...

Modern Art guides the reader through individual movements  from Impressionism to Conceptual Art, situated within five broader  chronological eras. Starting with Impressionism in 1860, art historian  Amy Dempsey explains the essentials of...

Looking at pictures can be an exciting or moving experience, but some pictures—often the most rewarding—require some explanation before they can be fully understood. Delving into the origins, designs, and themes  of over one hundred...

Surrealism was launched as a literary and artistic movement by French  poet Andre Breton in 1924, and by the time of his death in 1966 it had  become one of the most popular and recognizable art movements of the  twentieth century...

Iconography, or the study of symbols—be they animals, artifacts, plants,  geometric shapes, or gestures—is an essential aspect of interpreting  art. One of the most consistent features of human society throughout  time has been the use of...

Art lovers can list history’s most important art objects, but what many  don’t know are the dramatic, funny, and sometimes bizarre stories behind  these most famous works. Spanning the last 500 years of art history,  this book revisits...

By Flavia Frigeri In 1971, in an essay that has now become one of the touchstones of feminist art history, Linda Nochlin raised the question heard round the world: “Why have there been no great women artists?” Since the 1970s, as a result of this kind of...

Our lives are filled with objects. Everyday things used in everyday settings, they are our constant companions. As such, writes Soetsu Yanagi, they should be made with care and built to last, treated with respect and even affection. They should be...

With an elegant and simple approach, this thought-provoking concept book shows young readers that everything in the world can be seen from infinite perspectives. Each page compares colors, shapes, and objects in relation to each other. A triangle that...

“I exaggerate, I sometimes make changes to the subject, but I still don’t invent the whole of painting; on the contrary, I find it ready-made—but to be untangled—in the real world.” —Vincent van Gogh to Émile Bernard The painter and poet Émile Bernard’s...

In The Critic as Artist, arguably the most complete exploration of his aesthetic thinking, and certainly the most entertaining, Oscar Wilde harnesses his famous wit to demolish the supposed boundary between art and criticism...

Despite wide interest in Woolf’s writings, and in the artists and art critics in her Bloomsbury circle, there is no accessible edition or selection of essays dedicated to her writings on art. This volume collects her longest essay on painting, “Walter...

There are many myths about the artist Edgar Degas—from Degas the misanthrope to Degas the deviant, to Degas the obsessive. But there is no single text that better stokes the fire than Degas and His Model, a short memoir published by Alice Michel,...

Best known for his iconic print Under the Wave off Kanagawa, also known as the Great Wave, Katsushika Hokusai was a revolutionary printmaker. His mastery of ukiyo-e in the nineteenth century has inspired generations of artists since, and his works helped...

A compilation of esoteric musings, Kandinsky: Incarnating Beauty explores Alexandre Kojève’s philosophical approach to the relationship between art and beauty. A teacher to Jacques Lacan, André Breton, and Albert Camus, Kojève defined art as the act of...

Bright and carefree, Zitkála-Šá grows up on the Yankton Sioux reservation in South Dakota with her mother until Quaker missionaries arrive, offering the reservation’s children a free education. The catch: They must leave their parents behind and travel...

In this volume, the writer and Rodin scholar Rachel Corbett selects excerpts from the famous sculptor’s book Cathedrals of France,  first published in 1914, just before the outbreak of World War I.  Cathedrals were central to the way Rodin...

Though she was widely known for her supernatural fictions, Lee hasn’t gained the recognition she so clearly deserves for her contributions in the fields of aesthetics, philosophy of empathy, and art criticism. An early follower of Walter Pater, her work...

This important publication offers the  first in-depth exploration of contemporary artist Bruce Nauman's  monumental works Contrapposto Studies, I through VII and Contrapposto  Studies, i through vii of 2015/2016. The book surveys Nauman's...

Yokai come in every imaginable shape and form--ranging from frightening ghosts who haunt our dreams and cruel monsters that are deadly killers to cute fairies and mischievous enchanted animals who prank unwitting humans. They can be evil demons, harmless...

When watching a masterful sketcher, it seems that they create elaborate sketches with ease, tracing their pencils on the page and bringing to life rich and detailed drawings. After sweating away hours trying to create a simple sketch, you may find that...

By Ann Temkin, Gabriel Orozco and David Sylvester In 1993 Gabriel Orozco removed a lengthwise section of a Citroën DS and reconnected the two sides, making the car’s fleet form look lighter yet. Orozco continues his experimentations with perceptions of...

Before you plan your family’s next excursion, get some help from a professional . . . and from your kids! The Kid’s Guide to Philadelphia lets  the kids help plan the trip and guide you as you explore the City of  Brotherly Love. Inside you’ll...

A modern classic that invites readers to discover a unique ritual that has come to symbolize wisdom, beauty, and the elegant simplicity of Asian culture. Kakuzo Okakura celebrates the Way of Tea from its ancient origins in Chinese Taoism to its...

Stan Tekiela’s famous Birds of Pennsylvania Field Guide has been delighting bird watchers for years. Now, the award-winning author has written the perfect bird identification guide for children! The Kids’ Guide to Birds of Pennsylvania features 88 of the...

Learn to identify birds in Pennsylvania and make birdwatching even more enjoyable. With Stan Tekiela’s famous field guide, bird identification is simple and informative. There’s no need to look through dozens of photos of birds that don’t live in your...

Owen Davey uses bold illustration to detail the professions, hobbies, and pastimes that keep grown-ups busy throughout the day. Have you ever dreamed of being a secret agent or a gardener, soccer player or singer, astronaut or pirate? Do you know what...

Explore Hieronymus Bosch's fantastic illustrations of the afterlife and other religious concepts and narratives. Although Bosch's known works amount to no more than two dozen paintings and a handful of drawings, the artist had an enormous impact on...

An elegant introduction to Egon Schiele’s career, this book untangles the mysteries and misunderstandings behind his genius. Egon Schiele left an enormous artistic legacy that is all the more powerful for the brevity of his career. Isabel Kuhl’s lively...

Discover the motifs, masterpieces, and driving forces behind the artist Pablo Picasso. Picasso was arguably the most influential artist of the 20th century. Over the course of a career that spanned seven decades--and included thousands of paintings,...

Discover the life and work of Frida Kahlo in this introduction to the iconic Mexican artist. Although her body of work is relatively small, Frida Kahlo has inspired adoration and admiration that few other artists have attained. This accessible and...

This introduction to the work of the 16th-century master portraitist Hans Holbein reveals the impressive and surprising scope of his career. 16th-century Europe was a time of unprecedented economic expansion, cross-cultural trade, religious upheaval,...

Get a glimpse into the life and work of painter, sculptor, and printmaker Edgar Degas, who is regarded as one of the founders of Impressionism. Best known for his depictions of young dancers on the stage and in the studio, Degas was an accomplished...

Explore the vibrant work of artist Marc Chagall in this lively introduction and discover how his unique narrative style embraced Jewish culture and folklore. Marc Chagall's remarkable oeuvre spans a variety of media, from painting, ceramics, and stained...

This revelatory examination of the Surrealist master updates prevailing theories about Magritte’s life and beliefs, and offers a surprising new assessment of an artist who strived for anonymity rather than fame. Throughout his career, Magritte subverted...

The story of Klimt’s astonishing artistic career is told in this beautifully produced collection of reproductions, photographs and drawings with an accompanying text that places the artist in a unique historical moment and reflects his fierce appetite...

This generously illustrated volume on the work of Monet makes the world’s greatest art accessible to readers of every level of appreciation. Monet’s dazzling depictions of flowers, sunsets, fields, and oceans, in which line and shape are suggested...

This generously illustrated volume on the work of Botticelli makes the world’s greatest art accessible to readers of every level of appreciation. The Florentine painter Botticelli personifies the Golden Age of the early Renaissance. Best known for The...

This generously illustrated volume on the work of Vincent van Gogh makes the world's greatest art accessible to readers of every level of appreciation. Tracing the arc of van Gogh's career, this volume presents his portraits and self-portraits,...

This generously illustrated volume on the work of Dürer makes the world's greatest art accessible to readers of every level of appreciation. This monograph explores Dürer's entire life and oeuvre by focusing on the most important of his works. It follows...

This generously illustrated volume on the work of Caravaggio makes the world's greatest art accessible to readers of every level of appreciation. This monograph explores Caravaggio's entire life and career by focusing on the most important of his works...

This generously illustrated volume on the work of Pieter Bruegel makes the world’s greatest art accessible to readers of every level of appreciation. A Renaissance painter and printmaker best known for his landscapes and peasant scenes; Bruegel’s...

From his earliest pointillist-influenced paintings to this mature and playful paper cut-outs; from enormous, ebullient murals to reverent stained glass--Henri Matisse was renowned for his dramatic use of color and fluid draftsmanship. Thirty of Matisse's...

Many scholars have called Linda Nochlin’s seminal essay on women artists the first real attempt at a feminist history of art. In her revolutionary essay, Nochlin refused to answer the question of why there had been no “great women...

In the late eighteenth century, mineralogist Abraham Gottlob Werner devised a standardized color scheme that allowed him to describe even the subtlest of chromatic differences with consistent terminology. His scheme was then adapted by an Edinburgh...

This volume offers an intriguing glimpse into the world of late medieval  martial arts, from wrestling to fencing with the longsword to the  subtle tricks that could be employed when jousting on horseback. Using  superb details of lively...

Discover a whole new world of dragons in this beautifully illustrated book on the scaliest of magical creatures. From every detail of their wings to the history of their treasure, you'll learn about famous dragons from around the world. The latest...

A Kid’s Guide to Backyard Bugs is filled with fascinating  facts about the United States’ most common insects, including where they live, what they eat, and how they move. Which insect can live without food for up to a whole year? Which insect grows...

A Kid’s Guide to Backyard Birds is filled with fascinating facts about the most common birds, including where they live, what they  eat, and how they sound when they sing. How did the Brown-Headed Cowbird get its name? Which bird can fly up to 40...

Spark your child's imagination and get creative by making maze patterns, tessellating patterns, mosaics and even multi-colored marbling patterns using this enthusiastically written, jam-packed activity book! The easy to follow instructions will help your...

By Ainsley M. Cameron and Darielle Mason This publication presents the first in-depth survey of the Conley Harris and Howard Truelove Collection of Indian Drawings, which was recently acquired by the Philadelphia Museum of Art. This exceptional...

Kathleen A. Foster (Author) and Mark Tucker (Author) Thomas Eakins is acknowledged as one of the preeminent American painters of the 19th century. As a young artist in 1875 he prepared a monumental painting for the Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia...

This miniature bestiary contains some 200 illustrations of more than 160 mythical beings: fire-breathing dragons, mysterious mermaids, sinuous sea serpents, mischievous yokai, and many other wondrous creatures drawn from global folklore and mythology...

This delightful little book pays homage to the cat through artfully curated Japanese poetry and prints. No one captures the graces and idiosyncrasies of cats quite like the painters, printmakers, and haiku masters of Japan. From the Edo to the Showa...

By Kathleen Foster Labeled as a traveling American folk artist when he was rediscovered in the mid-20th century, the mysterious Thomas Chambers here receives a fresh and creative reassessment. Although his distinctive sea and landscapes appear in many...

Philadelphia is a city of neighborhoods and Fairmount is among its most famous.  But you know it for the Parkway and the museums.  Did you know it is also home to a ghostly history?  Eastern State Penitentiary has had countless reports of...

Teach the youngest learners their ABCs with Mudpuppy’s Andy Warhol ABCs board book featuring the artist’s bright and colorful artwork. A beautiful, artful board book for children and parents alike.   Author/illustrator: Andy Warhol Board...

Son of the Hindu deities Shiva and Parvati, Ganesh is the elephant-headed deity known most often as a remover (and sometimes creator) of obstacles. Ganesh is also seen as a figure of prosperity and protection. This publication in the mini book scale...

Teach children their first colors with Mudpuppy’s Andy Warhol Colors board book featuring the artist’s bright and colorful artwork. A beautiful, artful board book for children and parents alike.    Author/illustrator: Andy Warhol Board...

This beautifully illustrated city guide attests to Philadelphia's long-standing commitment to public art. Complete with color photos, introductory essays, and fun facts, this book is a must-have for any modern-day flaneur and art lover in the...

Jennifer A. Thompson (Author) The official guide to the Rodin Museum, complete with full-color photos, illustrations, and illuminating essays.

The life and work of Michelangelo Merisi, known as Caravaggio,  (1571–1610) is more fascinating than that of almost any other artist of  his time. He overcame the conventions of the Renaissance. He was not  interested in ideal beauty and...

Thomas Gainsborough was one of the great English portrait and landscape  painters of the eighteenth century. His modern manner of painting based  on emotions was criticized by contemporaries such as Joshua Reynolds,  but it gave...

This pocket-sized drawing journal is packed with just as much clever, imaginative fun as the original bestselling 642 Things to Draw. All 642 drawing prompts invite doodlers to draw teeny-tiny things—from "a keyhole" and "a marble" to "an atom" and "your...

The Korean people possess a folklore tradition as colorful and captivating as any in the world, and yet the stories themselves are not as widely-known to Western readers as those from The Brothers Grimm, Mother Goose, or Hans Christian Andersen. In her...

 By Rachel Arauz, Ann Temkin, Anne D'Hamoncourt, et al.Featuring pivotal works of twentieth-century painting and sculpture, this book handsomely illustrates a selection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s outstanding modern art collection,...

In this 1978 Caldecott Honor Book, award-winning author and illustrator David Macaulay explores the history and construction of castles in a richly illustrated resource for curious young readers. The word itself conjures up mystery, romance, intrigue,...

Reading a board book together is a fun way to introduce young children to fine art. The sleepy trees, golden haystacks, and juicy fruits of In the Garden with Van Gogh will delight little ones. Playful rhyming texts accompany the artist's timeless...

By Julie Merberg and Suzanne Bober Set against the backdrop of well-known works by the artist, Pablo  Picasso, rhyming text explores the expressions and activities of a variety of people, from a young girl catching a dove to a serious boy steering a...

This pictoral map of Philadelphia features detailed illustrations of points of interest, as well as historical information and sight seeing reccomendations. It incorporates antique imagery and architectural renderings of Philadelphias most renowened...

By Jack Hinton Beautiful and eminently useful, stonewares produced in the German-speaking lands from the Middle Ages onward were highly valued for their durability and suitability for a range of domestic and social uses. Widely traded throughout Europe,...

Pierre Terjanian (Author) This striking publication examines two masterful armors for man and horse recently acquired by the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Among the earliest complete European examples in existence, these German works demonstrate the...

By Michael R. Taylor This scholarly catalogue provides an engaging analysis of Chagall’s life and career in the early decades of the twentieth century. Featured throughout are the paintings and works on paper that the artist created during these years,...

Michael Snow Photo-Centric focuses on a selection of the artist's photographic work from 1962 to the present. The book considers Snow's interest in late modernism's self-reflexivity and, specifically, his exploration of how the mechanics of photography...