Martin Myrone Book order

The book delves into the historical development of the "modern artist" in Britain, challenging conventional narratives that place its origins in 19th-century Paris or 20th-century New York. Through an extensive biographical analysis of nearly 1,800 Royal Academy students from 1769 to 1830, it uncovers the influence of family, social networks, and mobility on artistic identity. By linking the rise of the artist to the evolution of capitalism, it explores the intersections of personal freedom, liberal individualism, and the social challenges of the modern age.

In a career that ranged over an era in European history, William Blake (1757-1827) produced one of the most singular body of works in the history of art. This title provides introduction to the life and work of this man. It draws on an array of contemporary scholarship, providing an overview of Blake's writings and paintings.

Gainsborough is widely acknowledged as one of the masters of eighteenth-century art. Published to accompany a major exhibition at Tate Britain in the Autumn of 2002, this book demonstrates the sheer range, quality and originality of Gainborough's ouevre, from his engagingly naturalistic landscapes to his glamorous yet highly sophisticated portraits. Alongside some of the most familiar images in British art, epitomising the elegance and charm of the age, are rarely seen examples that contibute a new and perhaps surprising vision of the artist's work.