Lives of the Artists: Masterpieces, Messes (and What the ... (ISBN 015200968X)

Art book without art:
I have mixed feelings about this book. I enjoyed it because it puts some of the humanity back into a subject many of whose personalities have been so lionized that they have become icons, non-people. However, I'm not certain to whom I might recommend it. To begin with, the book has the direct, simple style of books written for children, grades 4-8. The language is a little too complex for those under age 8, the style a little too simple for those over age 13. Since I occasionally read children's books anyway, this did not stop me as an adult from reading the book and taking satisfaction from doing so. Nor would I have had any problem with recommending the volume for a school or public library, except.... I enjoyed the book primarily because I had already had a rather extensive exposure to art of all types through my mother, who was a working artist herself. Our house was littered with books about artists and their art works, and I started visiting museums in her company from the age of six. When Lives of the Artists: Masterpieces, Messes (and What the Neighbors Thought) discussed Rembrandt, I already possessed a pretty clear impression of his style and of some of his more famous works. The possibility that the he did not paint Man with a Golden Helmet surprised me, because I have a very clear picture of the work-one of my favorite Rembrandts-in my head. Someone who didn't would find it difficult to care; it would be just another bit of free-floating information. In short, the book fails to fulfill a goal as a vehicle of teaching young people-or any people-about art because there are no illustrations of it. While there are entertaining anecdotes about a nice selection of famous people who perform a variety of styles of art, they might be anyone with eccentric behavior. I'm not certain where the fault for this glaring defect lies. Perhaps it arises from an attempt to produce an interesting and attractive book that is still affordable, especially for children. Perhaps it was a matter of inability to procure a right to reproduce a work of art belonging to someone who has exclusive rights over it. Still, I find it difficult to believe that the museums of the world would be unwilling for their masterpieces to be represented in a book on famous art, especially for children, if only because it represents free publicity for their establishment. Certainly if any given museum is unwilling, there are other works of art from which to choose: therein lies a certain degree of leverage. Whatever the reason for the lack of art in an art book, I can only suggest this book to schools that provide a thorough grounding in the subject. An art teacher might give lectures on periods of art, their characteristic works and personalities, and suggest that this book might be fun to read. For a young person who has been prepared, this might return "great" art once again to the realm of human endeavor.

What a fun, fun, book.. is it really for children?:
I found this book in the children's section of the library, but this is not a children's book; although children might enjoy it. This book is very reminiscent of the "Politically Incorrect Bedtime Stories" series. It's a wonderfully campy little book full of facts about just how bizarre artists are. It would make a great coffee table book. I just loved it! I can't wait to read the companion book about musicians.

A Nice Introduction:
I found this book while looking for a way to get my children more interested in art and famous artists from various periods. This book was exactly what I needed. It tells a little about each artist without being boring giving them a glimpse at each one. After reading this book to my 3 year old and then letting the 11 and 15 year old look it over, I was asked about various artists in the book which led us on hunts at the library for more information. So this book makes a good introduction if you're wanting to just give your kids an idea of all the artists that have come and gone. I do agree with another reviewer that it would have been nice if they had included at least one piece of their artwork in the pages. Of course, that just means we will have to find them on our own which for us homeschoolers is part of the "thrill of the hunt".

what we should all know:
I loved the concise nature of the book. It gives enough information to let you know more than dates about the artist but doesn't bog a younger reader down in details like, "during their 32 year of life....". It is fast paced and interesting enough to want to sit down and read the whole thing through during the first reading. I got this for my dd, 10, and she loved that it was good compliment of male and female artists. They even mentioned a female Renaissance female artist I had never heard of and was able to teach my art students about.

Artists' Private Lives: An amusing book:
Lives of the Artists is light reading with approx. 2 pages of facts per artist, so it is not an in-depth look at their private lives; however put it on your "Fun" reading list. It is a highly amusing book and a great source of dinner conversation. Also Check out Lives of the Musicians:Good Times, Bad Times (and What the Neigbors Thought)