501 great artists

Great art has the power to express emotions, to provoke arguments, to change the way we see the world, or simply to entertain. 501 Great Artists is a comprehensive, single-volume guide to the artists down the centuries who have influenced our world through their art and whose achievements have shaped the course of art history.

Students of art and non-specialist readers alike will find 501 Great Artists an informative and entertaining read.

Concise and comprehensive, the book is an accessible guide to both major and lesser-known artists from around the world.

Each entry provides a concise description of a particular artist's life and work, and assesses the nature of their creative insight and cultural impact.

An insightful image of the artist accompanies the text, which is also supplemented by a galleries and museums listing of the artist's most famous works, and an illuminating quotation by the artist or an art critic.

Superb reproductions of many of the masterpieces discussed are also featured throughout the book.

About the General Editor Steven Farthing is a painter and the Rootstein Hopkins Research Professor in Drawing at the University of Arts, London. He has been teaching fine art since 1977. His paintings are exhibited in galleries throughout the world.