Biography
Early Freud beachscape painted on holiday with artist John Craxton—former friend, possible lover and bitter enemy—to be auctioned for £3.5m
Christie's will offer Scillionian Beachscape alongside a late garden scene by Freud, both of which were once in the collection of renowned patron Simon Sainsbury
A daring Sargent portrait and the millions that changed everything for Isabella Stewart Gardner
An extract from a biography of the US collector and museum founder looks at how her modest taste was transformed by her inheritance and why her husband was not pleased by a revealing painting
New biography and seven-volume catalogue raisonné bring order to the spiritual fascination of Hilma af Klint
These volumes on the Swedish artist will help cement her rightful place as a pioneer of abstract art
Van Gogh’s greatest marketing machine: new book uncovers how the artist’s sister-in-law managed his legacy
"Jo van Gogh-Bonger: The Woman Who Made Vincent Famous" is an altogether apt biography for the dutiful and determined woman
Jo Bonger: the woman who made Van Gogh famous as one of the greatest artists of all time
The definitive biography is now published in English—with a fresh explanation as to why the Sunflowers came to London
June book bag: the marvels of marble, the latest on Marina Abramović and the memoir of forgotten dealer Berthe Weill
Our roundup of the latest art publications
New biography of artist Florine Stettheimer looks beyond her seductively bright colours to the social commentary beneath
Thorough research into the American painter’s life and art reveals layers of meaning in her work that have been long overlooked
From bowler hats to bad forgeries: new biography offers a fresh look at René Magritte’s complex life—including his dodgier side hustles
The sympathetic book by Alex Danchev, acclaimed biographer of Braque and Cézanne, died before completing the final chapter of this publication
Pablo Picasso: personal and political collide in lively fourth volume of detailed biography
The Minotaur Years relays the artist's strife as he entered his 50s and one of the most turbulent decades of European history
Three books about Lucian Freud's life and work offer insights that do not always paint a pretty picture
Eccentricity and singled-mindedness were part of the great painter's character, but he had many unappealing traits
Lucian Freud the anti-hero: book relaying artist's philandering and impetuous behaviour is heavy on incident, light on insight
Second and last instalment of this two-part biography on the painter’s life fails to satisfy—but it does supply valuable first-hand records
Covid-19 delays long-planned documentary on Black Abstract Expressionist painter Beauford Delaney
The Tennessee-born artist, part of the Harlem Renaissance before settling in Paris, was largely neglected during his lifetime
Bryan Robertson: an engrossing book on a brilliant—but forgotten—maverick curator
This is the first publication about the man who put London's Whitechapel Gallery on the international map, but never gained the recognition he deserved
Extract | Philip Guston’s fascination with the ‘funnies’ was key to developing his distinctive later style
An exclusive excerpt from a forthcoming biography by art historian Robert Storr looks at the influence of comics as well as caricatures that the American-Canadian artist made of his contemporaries
Extract | The story of Ruth Asawa and the secret gift from her teacher Josef Albers
An excerpt and images from a new biography on the sculptor who studied at the famous Black Mountain College and was interned during the Second World War
The relationships of artists and their gardens are well illustrated in this book
Gardens have inspired artists in many ways, not least directly in the case of those who painted their own plots, as this new book shows
This was the most prolific year for Leonardo scholarship in history—here is a detailed guide to the best books
At least 250 volumes in European languages have been published in 2019, the year that saw the world commemorate 500 years since Leonardo da Vinci's death
From Rivera and Kahlo to Ulay and Abramović—this story book tells the tales of art world couples
Famous and not-so-famous pairs of artists from Picasso and Gilot to Idris Khan and Annie Morris are quoted about how relationships work
Books: Lambert Krahe as a collector for instruction, rather than pleasure
A biography of a perceptive 18th century collector
Portrait of Prince Nicholas II Esterházy as an avid collector, a bankrupt, and a womaniser
The Prince's passions cost him his fortune but gave Hungary a fine collection of art
Books: Raphael—all things to all ages
Three new monographs show the artist is still the equal of Leonardo and Michelangelo, if not so popular
Anthony Haden-Guest’s New York: Gallerist Eli Klein, Restoin Roitfeld's "Hue and Cry" at Sotheby's, Catherine Johnson's Warhol biography, and Steinway's artist-in-residence
“I think it’s interesting the way Warhol polarises people,” says Catherine Johnson. “Some people love to hate Andy”
Books: Lee Krasner biography shows her at the centre of her own life, for once
Krasner was more than Pollock’s acolyte, argues Gail Levin
Books: The amazing and flamboyant career of the US collector Norton Simon
Collecting outside of the box
"Painting the Absolute": Four volumes on Kazimir Malevich, the pioneering painter-priest of abstraction
Andréi Nakov, a leading expert on Malevich, has produced a large-scale study of the Russian avant-garde's art and life
A new film on Jean-Michel Basquiat ticks all the boxes
Archive interviews? Check. Cool soundtrack? Famous faces? Boost to the market? Check, check and check
Art on the big screen: When Dalí and Lorca were lovers—perhaps
"Little Ashes" tells one side of a very contentious story
Nazi crime revelations raise questions about the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum
The late collector Heini Thyssen forced himself to forget his family’s Nazi involvement, but so did the countries that vied for his and his father’s pictures in the 1980s. This well documented book gives the details
Contrary to expectation, these books provide new information about and expand our understanding of Picasso and his art
Was Picasso gay?
The art world’s Christmas reading
Artists, collectors, critics, museum directors and auction house executives pick their holiday books