The private life of a masterpiece

This companion volume to a BBC2 series of the same name delves into eight famous artworks selected by freelance author Bohm-Duchen: one Renaissance statue, Michelangelo's "David"; one Renaissance painting, Leonardo's "Mona Lisa"; four 19th-century paintings, Goya's "Third of May, 1808," Manet's "Olympia," Van Gogh's "Sunflowers," and Munch's "Scream"; and two 20th-century paintings, Picasso's "Demoiselles d'Avignon" and Pollock's "Autumn Rhythm." Interesting aspects of their production are noted; for example, American artist Pollock cited Navajo sand painters as an influence on his drip technique. While Bohm-Duchen acknowledges that others might not agree with her particular choices, she does succeed in showing why these eight artworks have become iconic if not in their own time, then through time, as illustrated by "Sunflowers," which set a record in 1987 when it sold for almost $40 million. Bohm-Duchen also discusses the paintings' influences on commercial culture; for instance, the advertising poster for the film Home Alone shows Macaulay Culkin in the same screaming pose as Munch's image. Mainly intended for the lay reader, this is recommended for larger public libraries that collect comprehensively in art. Anne Marie Lane, American Heritage Ctr. Lib., Laramie, WY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.