The Most Famous Art Books

We can get a lot of knowledge from the books, books have always been a source of inspiration for all kinds of artists. Though there are endless collections of books that can be recognized for today's modern art painting, this article intends to enlist the top 5 art books that have inspired the multiple generations of art and portrait artists till date.

Renaissance Art Pop-Up Book: As the name of the book suggests, this book renders an insightful information on the art and architecture of the Renaissance era. The book also discusses the way in which the portrait artist was inspired from the Gothic art in the early Renaissance period and started creating ingenious works of art. The book also features the minutest details of the great works of art of those times like the frescoes of Giotto, Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel, and the works of Caravaggio.

The Sound of One Hand: Paintings and Calligraphy: written by Hakuin Ekaku, one of the most renowned Zen artists and this book features some of his substantial teachings and paintings and calligraphy designs. This book makes use of Buddhist images and sayings and ancient folklores to help the reader understand the concepts in an easier manner. This book is a must-buy for any artist who wants to master the painting and calligraphy skills of the Zen era that are nearly 500 years old.

The Hermitage Collections: Volume I: Treasures of World Art: This book exhibits all the collections of the Hermitage Museum that has been in existence for nearly 250 years. The eminent works of art that have been showcased through the medium of this book succeed at inspiring any newcomer to the field of art. Some of the prominent works of art that can be found in this book are Michelangelo's Crouching Boy, The Gonzaga Cameo and The Raphael Loggias.

Caravaggio: This book is based on the life of Caravaggio who was a famous Italian portrait artist in the 17th century. The paintings of Caravaggio are so inspirational that even after four decades after his death, there are many modern painters who receive inspiration from his art from photos published in this book.

The sheer beauty of art from photos printed in these books can inspire anyone to take a brush in their hand & begin painting his first strokes. The aim of listing the top 5 art books out of thousands of art books that exist in the world is of rendering the quality and value to the new artists who look up to this list as an unbiased review of the books that they have been looking for.