Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Book Review: The Prado Masterpieces


I am a lover of art, and I'm sure that most of you are as well. I am also a lover of books, an obvious statement I know based on the number of book reviews that I've done here. I truly believe that books, stacked on a coffee table, on the floor next to a chair, under a table or a console, even collected in piles on top of an armoire or cabinet can be beautiful art, and so I don't have any problem keeping my favorite books out on top of the coffee table for anyone to pick up and thumb through. Lately, The Prado Masterpieces has been at the top of the stack!

The Museo del Prado is the main Spanish national art museum, located in central Madrid. It features one of the world's finest collections of European art, and is undoubtedly the steward of the most comprehensive and finest gallery of Spanish art ever produced. 

The Prado Masterpieces is a massive 494 page book showcasing in beautiful large format photography the Museo del Prado's permanent collection, from ancient sculpture to 19th century paintings. A comprehensive volume of work like this has never been published about the Prado collections before, so there are pieces in The Prado Masterpieces you've likely never seen. Let's take a look at a few of the pages within: 








Beyond beautiful photos of art, the book takes an in depth look at painters (Velazquez, Titian, and Bosch) and at the themes of the paintings in their world renown collection (portraits, religious paintings, etc.). Organized chronologically, the book allows you an appreciation for the different styles of art created throughout Europe and Spain in the same time period, and their unique dialogue. 

It's no wonder that The Prado is one of the most visited sites in all of the world. And now, thanks to Thames and Hudson, you can visit without the expense of a ticket to Madrid, in the comfort of your own beautiful home. Take a closer look, and buy your copy via the Amazon link below: 



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