"The Yellow House" by Martin Gayford
On December 23, 1888, when Vincent van Gogh sliced off part of his left ear, he also severed his relationship with Paul Gauguin, the friend who had shared his home in Arles for nine tumultuous weeks. In The Yellow House, art critic Martin Gayford examines the dynamics of this failed friendship and analyzes some of the astonishing paintings it inspired. Drawing on a rich trove of primary sources, Gayford pieces together the everyday details of this celebrated cohabitation (a roller-coaster ride of creative collaboration, fierce competitiveness, and escalating drama) especially for Vincent, who would die soon afterward. More than biography, The Yellow House is a shrewd psychological study of two troubled artists whose symbiotic relationship produced some of the world's great masterpieces.
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"Edward Hopper" by Judith A. Barter
One of the most enduringly popular painters of the twentieth century, Edward Hopper produced many works now considered icons of Modern art. Canvases such as "Drugstore", "New York Movie", and the universally recognized (and often parodied) "Nighthawks" not only reshaped what painting looked like in America, but created a visual a language for middle-class life and its discontents. This extensive new assessment of Hopper, which accompanies a major traveling exhibition, examines the dynamics of the artist's creative process and discusses his work within the cultural currents of his day--examining the influence not only of other painters, but also of such media as literature and film.
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"The Art of the Steal" by Christopher Mason
"The Art of the Steal" is the only book that tells the whole truth about the price-fixing scandal that rocked the auction world and put one of America's richest men behind bars. It's the story of billionaire tycoon Alfred Taubman; the most powerful woman in the art world, Dede Brooks; and the wily British executive Christopher Davidge who cheated their clients out of millions until federal prosecutors put a stop to their high-end thievery.
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"House of Worship" by Dominique Browning and Peter Gomes
The sacred buildings of America-churches, synagogues, temples, mosques, meetinghouses-are as diverse as the people they serve. In this book, we hear from architects, designers, clergy, and congregations as we explore and reflect on the intersection of faith, design, and community. We visit a variety of houses of worship across the nation, from a Quaker meetinghouse built in 1694 to a Baptist church constructed by slaves and a synagogue completed at the end of the twentieth century.
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"Touch the Art" by Julie Appel and Amy Guglielmo
The mysterious Mona Lisa could use a little grooming—so go ahead and brush her long black hair! Continue with the Old Masters by touching the large, lacy collar of Frans Hals' "The Laughing Cavalier", petting the horse's tail in Velazquez's "Prince Baltasar Carlos on Horseback", and arranging the snappy elastic hair in Boticcelli's "The Birth of Venus".
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