One Hundred Great Paintings

by Louise Govier

The National Gallery in London houses one of the richest collections of Western European paintings in the world, ranging from the 13th to the 20th century. In this beautiful book, one hundred of the greatest works from the collection, each by a different artist, are presented in chronological order, and accompanied by a lively, informative text and full-page color reproductions. From the earliest—a remnant of an Italian altarpiece dating from around 1265—to the most recent—Paul Cézanne’s great Bathers , of about 1894–1905—each painting has been carefully chosen for the unique significance it holds; whether representing a particular artist, place or time, or simply for its beauty and the pleasure it provides to the viewer. The painters featured here include some of the most famous names in European art—Duccio, Giotto, Dürer, Holbein, van Eyck, Botticelli, Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael, Titian, Rubens, Rembrandt, El Greco, Velázquez, Zurbarán, Goya, Caravaggio, Claude, Poussin, Hogarth, Gainsborough, Reynolds, Constable, Turner, Courbet, Manet, Monet, Renoir, Degas, Rousseau, and Van Gogh—and some of the most iconic paintings in the world— The Wilton Diptych , The Arnolfini Portrait , The Ambassadors , and Sunflowers. These selected highlights introduce some of the most inspiring paintings ever made. The reader can dip in to explore individual paintings, or read from cover to cover for a full survey.

Published by the National Gallery Company/Distributed by Yale University Press

Genres: Art

216 pages, Hardcover

First published December 16, 2010

Reviews

[Joni · Rating 5 out of 5]

beautiful paintings from England's national gallery, Impressionists, Christian art and more, lovely.

[Andrea Engle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A magnificent overview of the paintings in London’s National Gallery ... limited to 100 paintings by 100 artists, it entices the reader to visit and see these marvelous works “up close and personal” ... a visual delight ...

[Serge Pierro · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the title states, this book contains one hundred paintings from the National Gallery in London. The paintings are ordered chronologically and feature the greatest European painters. As expected, there were paintings by the giants, but of more interest were some incredible paintings done by "lesser" known artists. A wide range of pieces are presented, ensuring that there is at least one that you would find interesting. Excellent commentary throughout!