Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
Art Up Close: From Ancient to Modern
Nonfiction Picture Book
For ages 6 to 8
Chronicle Books, 2006 ISBN: 978-0811854641
Sometimes when we look at a painting or illustration, we fail to see that there are lots of details in the picture, fascinating details which tell us something about the subject, the period in which it was painted, and about the artist who created it. In this oversized, colourful and well researched book we are going to investigate twenty-three paintings and try to find some of the details that the author has found for us to explore. For each painting we are asked to find between eight to twelve details.
Each of the paintings represents a period in the world?s history of art. We begin with a picture that was painted on a papyrus in Egypt in 1300 B.C and end with a Jackson Pollock abstract which was painted in 1948.
In the back of the book the author provides a lift-the-flap key for the reader to use if he or she needs help finding some of the details. The author has also written excellent histories for each of the twenty-three paintings which describe the period in which the painting was created, information about the painter, and the significance of the painting in the history of art.
This would make an excellent introduction to the world and history of art.
