The Challenge

Do you love art? Do you love reading about art? Join The Art History Reading Challenge and challenge yourself to read at least 6 books about art in 2009. These can be either fiction or nonfiction, and can span every genre from historical fiction to graphic novel. See the posts below for suggestions and reviews.

You can make your list in advance if you'd like, or you can read according to your whims. You may also overlap your selections with those for other challenges.

I will update this blog throughout the year with reviews and links to art history related books. If you'd like me to link to any of your reviews in my posts, leave a comment on any of the posts here.

UPDATE: It looks like Mr. Linky has gone missing. If you have just stumbled upon the challenge and want to join, go for it! Leave a comment if you'd like me to add your blog to the sidebar.

Happy reading!

Newest Art History Book Review Links

Lezlie read The Girl in Hyacinth Blue by Susan Vreeland. Check our her positive review by clicking on the link. She also finished Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling by Ross King. Although it is nonfiction, she writes, "I was so engrossed in the presentation that I often forgot it was non-fiction."

Lynda read The Immaculate Deception by Iain Pears. She gives it three stars and says, "The second book in this series I've read - quite interesting story - lighthearted reading."

The Mystery of the Third Lucretia by Susan Runholt is reviewed over at Nomadreader. She writes, "I cannot say enough positive things about this novel. I wish it existed when I was younger, but I still loved it as an adult. I laughed out loud often, learned things (in a delightfully unpreachy way) and eagerly awaited the mystery being solved." She gives it five stars!

Allie read Signora di Vinci by Robin Maxwell, and also interviewed the author! She gives the book a raving review: "Signora da Vinci is by far and away the best work of historical fiction I have ever read on Renaissance Florence."

Kim reviewed Giorgio Vasari’s The Lives of the Artists, which is a art history standard. It was written by a Renaissance artist about his contemporaries; "What better way to learn art history than to have it mixed with 500 year old gossip?" she writes. Kim also read A Journey into Michelangelo’s Rome by Angela K. Nickerson. She says, "The combination of both personal and professional, with photos and maps, results in an art history book that invaluable to the Roman visitor and a joy for the armchair traveler."

There's only a few more weeks to complete the challenge; happy reading everyone!

August Art History Book Links

New participant Allie posted a review of Leonardo's Swans by Karen Essex over at her blog, Hist-Fic Chick. She writes, "I loved this book in the beginning, the storyline in the middle section got monotonous at points, but overall it is a very good read, and the book’s many strengths more than make up for its flaws. If you like your hist-fic books heavy on the "hist," then this book is for you."

Amanda also reviewed Leonardo's Swans - click here for her review, complete with images!

Robin reviewed A.S. Byatt's The Matisse Stories. This collection consists of three stories, not about Matisse himself, but inspired by his paintings. Robin writes about each story separately, and includes the painting that inspired them.

Kim read The Return of the Prodigal Son by Henri J.M. Nouwen. This is a memoir-type book inspired by Nouwen's viewing of Rembrant's painting. Kim explains, "Nouwen divides his book into three primary sections which follow the primary players in the prodigal son parable: the younger son, the elder son, the father. In each section, he analyzes that character in the painting, in Rembrandt’s life, and in Nouwen’s spiritual journey."

Four more months left to go until the challenge ends - how is everyone doing?

July Art History Book Links

This past month:

Beth read The Painter From Shanghai by Jennifer Cody Epstein, and highly recommends it "for anyone who is interested in art, China, historical fiction, and women's issues." Click on her review link for a summary.

Katknit reviewed Stone Virgin by Barry Unsworth. She summarizes, "Simon Raikes is restoring an enigmatic stone Madonna that graces the front of a medieval church in Venice. As he prepares his work, he is overtaken by visions, and he soon becomes obsessed with discovering the history of the unusual, subtly erotic statue. Simon’s own fate becomes inextricably enmeshed with that of the original sculptor, and he finds himself making choices that would previously been abhorrent to him."

She also reviewed The Last Van Gogh by Alyson Richmond. This novel focuses on the romance between Van Gogh and Marguerite Gachet, the daughter of one of the artist's famous subjects. Unfortunately Kat reports, "The Last Van Gogh is a bittersweet love story, but those wishing to know more about the artist will find little of value here."

Bookgirl read another book on Van Gogh, this one nonfiction. The Letters of Vincent Van Gogh is just what the title implies: Vincent's letters to his brother Theo. She writes, "Still this book is excellent. There is much more about his struggle with poverty, his associations with other artists, his love affairs, and of course his battles with mental illness but I think this collection really gives us the creative force that drove him."

New challenge participant Jemima already read 2 books: The Girl in Hyacinth Blue by Susan Vreeland, and Luncheon of the Boating Party by Susan Vreeland. Of the former she writes, "It is obvious that not only has Vreeland done a lot of research, but she has also thought deeply about the nature of art and its potential to influence human life", and of the latter, "Luncheon of the Boating Party was a wonderful summer time read because of its setting and subject matter. It portrayed lovely summer Sunday excursions to the river-side as well as sailboat pleasure cruises and races. It tells us what interesting French produce was in season and describes the tempting dishes that were served each Sunday painting session." This book is also on my list, and I'll have to make sure I read it during these warm summer months to get the full effect.

Lana posted a review of Murder at the National Gallery by Margaret Truman. Lana summarizes it best when she writes, "What there wasn't for 300 pages, was a murder. I don't know about you, but when I see a title like Murder at the National Gallery - I think there's going to be a murder. And then that the main character is going to investigate said murder... I would give this one a miss - or at least go into it with very different expectations. It's not so much a murder-mystery as a story of a double-cross." So, good art content, but not so much excitement on the mystery front. Thanks for the review, Lana!

Jeanette read Posters for the People: Art of the WPA by Ennis Carter. (Make sure you click over to her blog and check out her cool banner!) This is nonfiction, and focuses on posters created by the Works Progress Administration during the great depression. Jeanette writes, "This book gave me an interesting introduction to an art form that I'd never really thought much about, poster making. And of course, I loved the historical aspect of these posters that were created in the 1930s and 40s. Some of them made me laugh and I must admit there were a few that confused me."

Robin posted an interesting art-related poem, "Monet Refuses the Operation" by Lisel Mueller. It's fairly short, so click on over to read it. Robin also included a beautiful Monet painting which really complements the poem.

June Art History Book Links

This month:

Katknit at You're History reviewed The Painter by Will Davenport. She writes, "It’s a fascinating story, filled with secrets and mysteries, and based upon the question surrounding Rembrandt’s “missing” year."

Still Life by Louise Penny was reviewed over at A Fondness For Reading. This is the first book in the mystery series featuring Armand Gamache. This description really piqued my interest: "At the center of this mystery is a controversial painting by the victim, Jane Neal, retired school teacher and amateur artist. It is a painting of Fair Day in the village, and hidden within the painting are answers…"

Violette read Artist's Proof by Lander Marks, an art mystery that takes place on a cruise ship! Despite the exciting premise, Violette wasn't thrilled. She wrote, "After spending a week on it and only getting to page 80, it might take me 8 years to finish the entire book. I could not follow the plot. The dialogue between the characters was good but I am not sure if there was a crime before page 80."

The Painter From Shanghai by Jennifer Cody Epstein is historical fiction based on the life of nineteenth-century Chinese painter Pan Yuliang. Jodie reviewed it, saying "I have some conflicted feelings about ‘The Artist from Shanghai’. I enjoyed my trip through the book and the way it quietly guided me around early-twentieth century China, but I came away dissatisfied, without experiencing any kind of emotional response towards the characters." (There is another review of this book here.)

Also, for any of you living in Jacksonville, FL, the Jacksonville Public Library is hosting an adult summer reading program called Master the Art of Reading! (Thanks to challenge member Kema, who is the librarian hosting the program.)

Art History Book Review Links - May

Richard at Caravana de reuerdos reviewed The Bone Gatherers: The Lost Worlds of Early Christian Women by Nicola Denzey. He writes that this book is "Less a work of history in the traditional textual sense than an exercise in "reading" visual evidence from funerary art and epigraphic sources, Nicola Denzey's The Bone Gatherers offers up some fresh, interdisciplinary perspectives on the role(s) of Christian women in 4th-century Rome."

Holly reviewed The Museum Vaults: Excerpts from the Journal of an Expert by Marc-Antoine Mathieu, which is a graphic novel. She summarizes: "The basic storyline follows Monsieur Volumer, an expert in his field of indexing, cataloging, and evaluating museum collections as he travels through the Museum. He enters the Museum and begins to go through its holdings, making his way through each and every storage area, traveling deeper and deeper into the depths of the museum." Hop over and read the rest of the review - it's great!

The Private Lives of the Impressionists by Sue Roe is reviewed over at BooksPlease. Click over to the review to see some of the paintings by artists featured in the book.


Tea posted on The Forest Lover by Susan Vreeland, which focuses on artist Emily Carr.

Lana recently read The Art Thief by Noah Charney. Check out her review, which has a ton of great links.

April Art History Book Links

Books 'N Border Collies reviewed not one, but three books this month: The Forgery of Venus by Michael Gruber, Girl With a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier, and Luncheon of the Boating Party by Susan Vreeland.

Luncheon of the Boating Party was also reviewed by katknit at You're History! She writes (in an excellent sentence, by the way), "A joyous commingling of street scenes and cafe society, artists and models, dealers and yachtsmen, Luncheon is an earthy, incandescent evocation of one of the art world’s most momentous eras. Enjoy!"

Bride of the Book God posted on Flora Symbolica: Flowers in Pre-Raphaelite Art. This is an art book - it's "not a huge book but a lovely selection of Pre-Raphaelite paintings featuring flowers and a page on each one explaining what the various plants actually mean."

The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant is reviewed by Jodie over at her blog, Book Gazing. She writes, "This novel has scandal, strong women, striking descriptions of artistic technique, religious turmoil and faith, as well as a bit of a love story. Sarah Dunant continues to make me want to buy her books and talk about them to everyone."

Zetor reviewed The Cat Who Could Read Backwards by Lillian Jackson Braun. Unfortunately, this was a disappointing book - click on the link for more!

There is also a great post over on Citizen Reader titled "My new favorite subgenre: Art Thrillers." Check it out - there are several books mentioned.

Joseph of the Book Design Review recently posted on The Mysterious Theft of Mona Lisa by R.A. Scotti.

Although not about books, challenge participant Alex posted about two really neat fashion exhibitions that are currently showing in/around Paris.

If you haven't checked out participant blog Tuesday in Silhouette, you should! Her posts are full of art, which she pairs with the books she's currently reading.

*Finally, a note: I've decided to make these update posts an official once-a-month thing. I will generally try to post around the middle of the month, so the May post will contain all the reviews written mid-April to mid-May. Remember to leave a comment if you want your review mentioned; while I try to keep up with all of your blogs, it definitely is possible that I may miss a post about this challenge.

Art History Book Links, March 16th

Adrienne posted the comment: I haven't seen it posted, might have missed it, but 'The Judgment of Paris' by Ross King is a great book to read. Its a great journey through the Salon de Refuses and early impressionism. Great non-fiction read! Linda Nochlin is another author to look at. Especially for those interested in Feminism in art! Good Luck All!

Susan also wrote in: "I just finished reading "The Forger's Spell: A True Story of Vermeer, Nazis, and the Greatest Art Hoax of the 20th Century", by Edward Dolnick. It offers great insight into the state of society during World War II - and how easily duped uneducated art "connoisseurs" were - as well as into the deranged mind of a forger. Found it riveting."

Robin reviewed The Lost Painting: A Quest for a Caravaggio Masterpiece by Jonathan Harr. She writes, "It was a fascinating story of research and detection, and read like a good mystery novel."

Ana T. read and reviewed The Passion of Artemisia by Susan Vreeland. She gave it a 4/5!

Historia reviewed Making the Mummies Dance by Thomas Hoving. "If you really want to know what life is like in a museum, then this is the book to read," she writes.

Amanda reviewed Van Gogh's Bad Cafe: A Love Story by Frederic Tuten. It seems like this book is more fiction than fact. Amanda says, "I am pretty torn. I think I've decided that I liked it. But let me warn you...this isn't really all that accurate about Van Gogh. And it's a little fanciful. Ok. Very fanciful. But the writing...the writing is beautiful."

Zetor posted on The Raphael Affair by Iain Pears, writing "I thoroughly enjoyed this book."

Holly reviewed a young adult book, The Mystery of the Third Lucretia by Susan Runholt. Her review made me want to read this one!

Eva reveiwed some more non-fiction, this time Loot: The Battle over the Stolen Treasures of the Ancient World by Sharon Waxman. She concludes, "this was a fascinating peek into the world of ancient art, and one I’d highly recommend!"

Review Links - February 21

Save Ophelia has posted her review of Loving Frank by Nancy Horan. She writes, "I picked up Loving Frank on the recommendation of every art and architecture lover that I’m acquainted with. And I wasn’t disappointed."

Eva took on The Story of Art by E.H. Gombrich, the first work of non-fiction to be reviewed for the Art History Challenge. She posted a great, in-depth review complete with her favorite images at the link above. Eva writes, "You know how, sometimes, when you have really high expectations, the book falls flat? Well, The Story of Art lived up to every single one of my expectations."

Borrower of the Night by Elizabeth Peters is reviewed over on Mog's Blog, and comes highly recommended.

Mog also reviewed The Brutal Art by Jesse Kellerman. This one is a thriller - and who said art wasn't exciting?

Violette reviewed both Hebrew Illuminations and Embroidered Textiles. She read these books for different challenges, but I'd say they're both applicable here.

And finally, there's a neat post about medieval art over at You're History!

What we've been reading - January 27th

Kim reviewed My Name is Red by Orhan Pamuk. Kim writes, "I loved this book, but to give fair warning, it isn’t an easy read. Superficially, it’s a murder mystery and love story in the world of 16th century Ottoman miniaturists." Click on the book's title to read the full review.

Robin writes about The Forest Lover by Susan Vreeland, and even includes some images by Emily Carr, who is the book's main character. For this challenge especially, description can only go so far!

Ana reviewed both The Needle in the Blood by Sarah Bower and Girl With a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier.

Lezlie recommends The Raphael Affair by Iain Pears. She writes, "While it didn't keep me on the edge of my seat or riveted to the pages, it was a cute book -- that is, if "cute" can be applied to fraud and murder..."

Katherine reviewed both The Miracles of Prato, and The Needle in the Blood.

Arleigh reviewed The Serpent Garden by Judith Merkle Riley, which I had not heard of before. This book is about a female portrait painter during the time of Henry VIII.

And finally, Lena reviewed An Artist of the Floating World by Kazuo Ishiguro.