- Hardcover: 960 pages
- Publisher: Universe Publishing(NY) (20 Mar 2007)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0789315246
- ISBN-13: 978-0789315243
- Product Dimensions: 16.9 x 6.1 x 23.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,081,022 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
The Times
"A bible of masterpieces full of images and information."
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
The Tamworth Journal
An excellent book for both art buff and novice
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
71 of 71 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is perhaps the best compilation book I've ever seen. Clearly the editor made a tremendous effort to include all of the expected greats we all know and love (Mona Lisa, Haystacks, etc), but also added a few lesser known works that make the book both entertaining and interesting for art lovers of all levels.
I have this book on my coffee table and everyone who comes in the room gravitate immediately toward it and flip through for a few minutes. A great gift, includes fantastic works and great (short!) descriptions. Couldn't recommend it more....
I have this book on my coffee table and everyone who comes in the room gravitate immediately toward it and flip through for a few minutes. A great gift, includes fantastic works and great (short!) descriptions. Couldn't recommend it more....
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The best thing about this book is the selection of paintings. No-one is going to agree with all the selections (too much mediocre 19th century work for me) but they cover an impressively wide range of dates, styles and nationalities, and certainly introduced me to artists I was unfamiliar with.
My main criticism would be of the text. Although the book is by Stephen Farthing and Geoff Dyer, they contribute only the preface and the introduction; the comment on each painting is by one of around ninety other contributors. There is no indication of how the contributors were chosen but they range from a professor of art through a professor of gastroenterology to a semi-professional clarinettist and a web-designer. Nothing wrong with that, a wide range of viewpoints could be interesting, but one might have expected the editing process to have removed the more obvious errors.
In "Wanderer above the Sea of Fog" by Carl Friedrich, the central figure is said to be looking out at a "frightening, raging sea"; the whole point of the picture is that he is standing on a mountaintop looking down on the world through banks of cloud. The labourers digging up the road in Ford-Madox-Brown's "Work" are described as "naval workers"; presumably the writer has been confused by the fact that 19th century labourers were sometimes called "navigators" or "navvies" because they worked on building the canal network. Other contributors show that they do not know the difference between a cross and a crucifix, or the distinction between a fresco and a mural. None of these things are overly important in themselves, but they do raise doubts about any unfamiliar fact one comes across in the text.
The book is well worth looking at for the interesting and wide-ranging selection of paintings (5 stars) but it could have been so much better with a bit more care put into the text (2 stars)
My main criticism would be of the text. Although the book is by Stephen Farthing and Geoff Dyer, they contribute only the preface and the introduction; the comment on each painting is by one of around ninety other contributors. There is no indication of how the contributors were chosen but they range from a professor of art through a professor of gastroenterology to a semi-professional clarinettist and a web-designer. Nothing wrong with that, a wide range of viewpoints could be interesting, but one might have expected the editing process to have removed the more obvious errors.
In "Wanderer above the Sea of Fog" by Carl Friedrich, the central figure is said to be looking out at a "frightening, raging sea"; the whole point of the picture is that he is standing on a mountaintop looking down on the world through banks of cloud. The labourers digging up the road in Ford-Madox-Brown's "Work" are described as "naval workers"; presumably the writer has been confused by the fact that 19th century labourers were sometimes called "navigators" or "navvies" because they worked on building the canal network. Other contributors show that they do not know the difference between a cross and a crucifix, or the distinction between a fresco and a mural. None of these things are overly important in themselves, but they do raise doubts about any unfamiliar fact one comes across in the text.
The book is well worth looking at for the interesting and wide-ranging selection of paintings (5 stars) but it could have been so much better with a bit more care put into the text (2 stars)
33 of 35 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
The concept behind this book is an intriguing one: If you had seen most of the best paintings in the world, which 1001 would you recommend that others see if at all possible? My initial reaction was that there probably aren't 1001 paintings that I would recommend to everyone else.
With that perspective in mind, I first read through the book to identify which paintings would be on my list. I came up with 72. Almost all of those were on my mental list when I started reading the book. I was also missing about 100 of my favorites, but few of the artists were omitted. So if I had been new to paintings and became familiar with the 65 artists who did the 72 paintings, I would have eventually uncovered almost all of the other 100. That experience confirmed my impression that this book would be of most value to those who have seen relatively few great paintings and want to get a sense of what they like.
The images were quite well done for such small reproductions. Most paintings are represented on one page (a few are two to a page) with the minimum size being about one inch by two inches. But the printing was done well enough that you get a decent idea of the painting. I have seen more than 600 of these works in person and found that the reproductions often looked better than the originals: So don't be too disappointed when you see the real thing. Naturally, others look at lot better in person: You cannot capture the Sistine Chapel's paintings very well in a small image, for example.
The nice surprise for me was to find that the book contains works from private collections, several of which were new to me. This made me feel like I was visiting a blockbuster traveling show, especially when the works were by some of my favorite artists.
One of the most impressive aspects of the book was its equal emphasis over 1400 to the present with some representation even earlier than that. As a result, you get a good cross-section of different styles among Western artists (other artists are underrepresented, as they are in major Western museums).
Those who want to travel to see these works will be pleased to see that their locations are noted. There is a missed opportunity to index the works by museum to make trip planning easier. But most good museums today have extensive online catalogs of images that you can scan to plan what you want to see in advance. Simply jot down museums you should visit, but haven't been to yet. Then go online to see which art there will appeal to you.
I would love to see someone take this same concept and apply it to each century of paintings, sculptures, and graphic art.
Take a good look!
With that perspective in mind, I first read through the book to identify which paintings would be on my list. I came up with 72. Almost all of those were on my mental list when I started reading the book. I was also missing about 100 of my favorites, but few of the artists were omitted. So if I had been new to paintings and became familiar with the 65 artists who did the 72 paintings, I would have eventually uncovered almost all of the other 100. That experience confirmed my impression that this book would be of most value to those who have seen relatively few great paintings and want to get a sense of what they like.
The images were quite well done for such small reproductions. Most paintings are represented on one page (a few are two to a page) with the minimum size being about one inch by two inches. But the printing was done well enough that you get a decent idea of the painting. I have seen more than 600 of these works in person and found that the reproductions often looked better than the originals: So don't be too disappointed when you see the real thing. Naturally, others look at lot better in person: You cannot capture the Sistine Chapel's paintings very well in a small image, for example.
The nice surprise for me was to find that the book contains works from private collections, several of which were new to me. This made me feel like I was visiting a blockbuster traveling show, especially when the works were by some of my favorite artists.
One of the most impressive aspects of the book was its equal emphasis over 1400 to the present with some representation even earlier than that. As a result, you get a good cross-section of different styles among Western artists (other artists are underrepresented, as they are in major Western museums).
Those who want to travel to see these works will be pleased to see that their locations are noted. There is a missed opportunity to index the works by museum to make trip planning easier. But most good museums today have extensive online catalogs of images that you can scan to plan what you want to see in advance. Simply jot down museums you should visit, but haven't been to yet. Then go online to see which art there will appeal to you.
I would love to see someone take this same concept and apply it to each century of paintings, sculptures, and graphic art.
Take a good look!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A lot of art for a little money...
I was pleasantly suprised by the quality of the prints selected for this book..The information supplied with each picture is informative without being too academic. Read more
Published 13 months ago by munchkinsraves
A very good book
I have been looking to purchase this book for some time but have found the cost to be prohibitive, purhasing this book on Amazon made it affordable & I would say I have definitely... Read more
Published 17 months ago by P. Surridge
1001 paintings to see before you die?
Read Geoff Dyers preface first. This makes you want to begin an odyssey to visit all the great galleries of the world and tick off the list. Read more
Published on 22 April 2010 by Mr. K. Winks
A good introduction to pictorial art which could do with some...
Chosen by a number of art critics, curators, artists and art collectors, the 1001 paintings span a time period from prehistory to the present day; the chronological bias is not... Read more
Published on 8 Nov 2009 by E. L. Wisty
An Excellent book
1001 Paintings You Must See Before You Die (1001 Must See Before You Die)
This is an excellent book. Read more
This is an excellent book. Read more
Published on 10 Aug 2009 by Blythe
1001 Paintings You Must See Before You Die by Stephen Farthing
This was a Christmas present for my wife -who is absolutely delighted with it; she comments:-
"A most comprehensive selection of 1001 paintings, with an illustration and... Read more
"A most comprehensive selection of 1001 paintings, with an illustration and... Read more
Published on 3 Feb 2009 by Mr. A. Moor
An eclectic painting collection, predominantly Western
There is a glaring contradiction between the audacious, absolute and ultimately untenable claim of the book title and the flexible, nuanced, insightful and convincing texts of both... Read more
Published on 29 Nov 2008 by Serghiou Const
Good read but not pratical for gallery visiting
I agree with the previous viewer in that the informaiton within the book is great and covers a wide scope of painings and is an interesting book to dip in and out of. Read more
Published on 12 April 2007 by Thayer
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