Private Life of a Masterpiece, The

Product Description

The world's most well-known works of art are both instantly familiar and profoundly mysterious. What has made these images so popular, and how did they come into existence?
The Private Life of a Masterpiece answers these questions by delving into the secrets of eight iconic works of art dating from 1501 to 1950. Piecing together a trail of clues, it examines each work from conception through completion to afterlife, detailing how the commission came about, the preparation undertaken by the artist, the way the work was executed, how the finished work was received and its influence on other artists.