Masterpieces Up Close
Claire d'Harcourt
(Reviewer - Rev. Marie D. Jones)
2006 Chronicle Books
ISBN: 0811854035

Western Painting From the 14th to 20th Centuries. A huge coffee table style book featuring full-color reproductions of the greatest works of art, geared towards young adults.

Associate Reviewer Rev. Marie Jones writes:

Unless you've been under a rock these days, you've heard about The Da Vinci Code book & film, & how clues to a great mystery are hidden under some of the world's most famous paintings. Now, in Masterpieces Up Close, children's book editor/author & art history buff Claire d'Harcourt introduces young people to the world of art by sending them on a quest of sorts -– a quest to find answers to questions posed throughout this gigantic, gorgeous book.

Full-color reproductions of over 20 of the world's most treasured paintings take center stage, but lift-the-flap keys provide tons of details that inform kids, & adults, as to why these works of art are so revered. What makes a masterpiece, & what makes a master painter are explored with background & history into each amazing piece. Each painting conjures up questions & clues, with answers to be found at the end of the book, sending kids on a journey deep into the world of images & symbols & the skill of using pictures to tell a story or capture a moment on canvas.

There are familiar paintings such as the Mona Lisa & Andy Warhol's 1964 homage to Marilyn Monroe, & artists such as Van Gogh & Renoir & Rembrandt, & not so familiar paintings from a variety of artists & styles, complete with detailed information about both the art & the artist. Adults, too, will cherish this museum-in-a-book, as they, too, learn more about the paintings they've come to know & love, such as Monet's Water Lilies, & Michelangelo's Creation of Adam.

This simply stunning book, a masterpiece itself, will provide readers of all ages with a thrilling history lesson, a challenging treasure hunt & a vibrant treat for the eyes & mind, & will, no doubt, look absolutely inviting on the living room coffee table. But most of all it will introduce youngsters to a world often hidden behind the walls of “boring” museums, & prove to them that art is not only interesting, it's also exciting & bursting with the very textures & colors that life is made up of.

More English books from Claire d'Harcourt: The Louvre in Close-Up
(06/18/06)

Rev. Marie D. Jones
2006©Marie D. Jones
A RebeccasReads.Com Associate Reviewer

Reviewer's Bio:
Marie Jones is a New Thought minister, author of Looking For God In All The Wrong Places & a widely published writer of inspirational essays, gift books, short stories & magazine articles. She is also a screenwriter, & has produced a children's storybook video series for Gigglebug Farms Productions. she holds a Masters Degree in Metaphysical Studies & is a licensed pastoral counsellor.