Books in the National Gallery London Publications series

Andrea Mantegna (c. 1431-1506) and Giovanni Bellini (active c. 1459; died 1516) each produced groundbreaking paintings, marked by pictorial and technical innovations, that are among the masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance. Exploring the fruitful dynamic between Mantegna's inventive compositional approach and interest in classical antiquity and Bellini's passion for landscape painting, this fascinating volume examines how these two artists, who were also brothers-in-law, influenced and responded to each other's work. Full of new insights and captivating juxtapositions-including comparisons of each of the artist's depictions of the Agony in the Garden and the Presentation to the Temple-this study reveals that neither Mantegna's nor Bellini's achievements can be fully understood in isolation and that their continuous creative exchanges shaped the work of both.

In 2014, the contemporary painter George Shaw (b. 1966) began a two-year post as associate artist in the National Gallery, London. This book documents his experiences there, as well as the work he produced in response to the Gallery's collection. Shaw is known for his minutely detailed and luminously atmospheric depictions of the urban landscape and woodlands of central England. Painting scenes from his native region, Shaw meditates on the central themes of relationships, ancestry, and love. His preferred medium, Humbrol enamel paint, is a deliberate means of distancing himself from the traditions of oil painting-and, it might seem, from the values embedded in the National Gallery itself. Yet as a teenager in Coventry, Shaw was fascinated by the Gallery, traveling regularly to London to draw from those artists he found inspiring. This engaging volume reproduces his first series of paintings on canvas, together with working drawings and an essay by the artist himself. Published by National Gallery Company/distributed by Yale University PressExhibition Schedule:The National Gallery, London (05/11/16-10/30/16)

Tells the story of the founding and growth of one of the world's greatest collections of western European painting, dating from 1250 to 1900. This book brings together stories behind the development of the National Gallery: the generous benefactors; the architectural controversies; the acquisitions; the dedicated staff; and, the visiting public.

Titian is acknowledged as the greatest of the sixteenth-century Venetian painters. The author's carefully chosen comparisons of paintings, prints, drawings and details of works by the young Titian, Durer and their contemporaries suggest that Titian was as innovative and as influential in his unique view of nature as he was in portraiture.

Includes illustrations that encourage the reader to consider how artists distil the essence of Christian values and how works of art can motivate reflections on the Christian faith.

The English romantic artist Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775-1851) was hailed as the painter of light for his brilliantly coloured landscapes and seascapes. This book examines the ways in which Turner consistently strove to confront Claude's achievement and legacy.

Materials and working practices influence a painter just as much as contemporary intellectual and cultural developments. This title helps readers develop a painterly eye by learning to recognize different materials and methods of application and to appreciate how these features contribute to how a painting looks.

An engaging look at how the middle classes of fin-de-siecle Vienna used innovative portraiture to define their identity

Recounts the story of a marriage arranged between the son of a spendthrift nobleman who needs cash and the daughter of a rich City of London merchant who hopes to buy social status.

How do experts spot masterpieces? Paintings are not always signed or noted in historical records, so how can we tell an obscure gem from an altered image? Through a series of examples and processes, this title draws the reader into the complex issues confronted by gallery professionals.

Frames often catch the eye of visitors to galleries, yet labels and catalogues rarely comment on them. This informative guide offers insight into the various forms of frame housing some of the finest paintings in the National Gallery Collection. It includes some of the finest examples of the frame-makers craft.

If the painting could talk... what tales would they tell? This art book is designed to be read like a novel. It gets you up close and personal to individual masterpieces in the National Gallery, London. It unlocks the paintings' hidden histories, which have often been buried in articles, archives or reports.

On Wednesday 23 August 1939, the National Gallery closed its doors to the public, not knowing when they would open again. The paintings were to be secretly evacuated in a relocation that took only eleven days. The last shipment left Trafalgar Square on 2 September, the day before war was declared. This book tells the story of the National Gallery.

Discusses and describes the material nature of paintings, how they age and the main types of conservation treatment carried out on panel and canvas paintings, along with some of the problems involved in cleaning and restoration.

How faces are captured shows in striking ways the artistic aims of those who painted them. But how can the depiction of a face suggest a personality? This book tackles this and other questions, and introduces such issues as the ideals of beauty and how portrait painters have captured a likeness and convey character.

Accompanies the National Gallery's display of its Italian Renaissance paintings - one of the richest collections of its kind in the world. This book focuses on Italian masterpieces made between 1250 and 1500. It includes highlights such as Leonardo's "Virgin and Child with Saint Anne" and "Saint John the Baptist".