The Private Life of a Masterpiece: Uncovering the Forgotten Secrets and Hidden Life Histories of Iconic Works of Art

by Monica Bohm-Duchen

The world's most well known works of art are both instantly familiar and profoundly mysterious. What has made these images so popular, and how did they come into existence? The Private Life of a Masterpiece answers these questions by delving into the secrets of iconic works of art dating from 1501 to 1950. Piecing together a trail of clues, it examines each work from conception through completion to afterlife, detailing how the commission came about, the preparation undertaken by the artist, the way the work was executed, how the finished work was received, and its influence on other artists. We learn, for example, that Leonardo devised a new form of perspective when painting the Mona Lisa, and that four centuries later Picasso was detained for stealing the portrait from the Louvre; that Goya painted The Third of May 1808 as a criticism of the monarchy but nonetheless offered it to the king as a gift; that Van Gogh's Sunflowers owes much to improvements in the postal system; that Munch's The Scream was influenced by the Incas; and that Jackson Pollock's paintings were promoted by the CIA. Along the way, we also learn about each artist's life, including the struggles with family, lovers, patrons, and critics.

The works featured in this book met with a variety of reactions when first unveiled, and the author details them all, from admiration and respect to horror and contempt. Now readers can judge for themselves.

Beautifully illustrated and lucidly written, The Private Life of a Masterpiece offers an innovative and compelling introduction to the extraordinary stories contained in the history of art. It will enthrall all those who wish to know more about this fascinating subject.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, History

240 pages, Hardcover

First published November 8, 2001

Reviews

[Christine]

This book is a tie-in to the BBC series of the same name. Three of the works (Mona Lisa, Olympia, and Autumn Rhythm) in the book were not included in the television (or at least in the American DVD release of the series). The chapters for the five works that were included in the television series add additional information. Each work has a "Closer Look" section. If you saw the series, this is an excellent companion book and is not a waste of money.

[Lewis]

This is a fascinating book that delves into the stories behind several of the world's most famous artworks, including the Mona Lisa and Edvard Munch's The Scream. It's an excellent read: the style is informative, yet neither patronises nor baffles, and the book is full of interesting details. Highly recommended.

[Laura]

Some good anecdotes and basic information for the non-specialist, but not much new here for me as a teacher of art history. The images and details are excellent quality.

The works and artists covered are
David by Michelangelo
Mona Lisa by Leonardo
Third of May by Goya
Olympia by Manet
Sunflowers by van Gogh (Read "The Sunflowers are Mine" instead)
The Scream by Munch
Les Demoiselles d'Avignon by Picasso
Autumn Rhythm by Pollock.

[Steve]

A nice art history primer for folks who need or want one. Hard to escape the subjective here, because, after all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. However, it nicely frames some of the details around the circumstances that led to the creation of each of the works featured - from Michelangelo's David to Pollock's Autumn Rhythm - vis a vis brief explorations of the artists' lives. The book also gets into some of each work's technical aspects in terms of what each artist did to accomplish their respective tasks.

[Christopher]

An excellent book done by BBC as a companion volume to their TV series. Focuses on 8 works of art-- one sculpture (Michelangelo's David) and 7 paintings (from Da Vinci to Pollock)-- and gives historical and artistic context while examining the creation of the work itself. A must-read for any art lover.

[Calvin]

The first two chapters, on David and the Mona Lisa, were quite interesting. I think they other sections might not have measured up as the first two pieces both had a couple of centuries to accumulate a history and some travels, which made their "Life" more interesting.