11/01/2016
Gr 7 Up—The works of visual artists profiled are reproduced in numerous richly colored illustrations. For premodern subjects (Mozart), images are no less copious, including paintings, engravings, maps, and, especially in the case of Michelangelo, high-resolution photographs of 16th-century sculptures. Each title concludes with a section outlining the artist's approach as noted in lengthy quotations from interviews, letters, or published works. While the narratives are detailed and clear-eyed, they occasionally skip over long stretches of time. In Picasso, the text moves from the early to mature artist in only a few pages. All of the subjects are male and either European or American. Back matter is somewhat sparse, with each volume including an adequate time line and glossary but only a brief print bibliography. VERDICT Lushly presented overviews of influential artists in many fields, especially appealing for the artistically inclined.
