Book Description

The best guidebook for those who want to experience the finest art in London. The first fully illustrated guide to the collections of London's Museums and Galleries that actually works the way people like to see art. Rather than taking the old fashioned approach of listing the city's various museums and then describing highlights, this book focuses on the art. Arranged chronologically from ancient art through today, the book is part guide and part art history - each section is devoted to a certain period, and then highlighted where the best works of that period are to be found. Rather than spending an entire day at the British Museum with its overwhelming collections, this book allows you to choose one period, style or individual artist and trace a tour through the city finding all the relevant masterpieces - museum by museum, gallery by gallery. This truly innovative organization mimics the way most people actually prefer viewing art and will make this guide the must have for any art lover - whether you are a beginner or a longtime connoisseur. The book is organized roughly chronologically into 25 chapters further grouped into three sections - Early Art (ancient Egyptian, classical antiquity, medieval art), the Western Tradition (Northern and Southern Renaissance, Golden Age of Dutch Painting, Realism, Romanticism, etc.), and Modern Art (Impressionism, Fauvism, Expressionism and up to today's contemporary scene). A fourth section provides references including maps, indices of museums and artists, and other helpful suggestions for navigating the city and finding the art masterpieces of you seek.