The Art Museum, by the Editorial Team at Phaidon, published by Phaidon Press Limited, London, UK, 2011 — 454 pages, then followed by 58 Information pages which include: 27 maps, Glossary, Rooms, Galleries and Collections, Museums, and an Index — book measures: 13" x 17" x 2 1/2" (Elephant Folio) — ISBN: 9780714856520 — to ship boxed.


Synopsis:

The Art Museum, published by Phaidon Press, Ltd. in 2011, is a richly illustrated, wide-ranging guide to the world’s greatest paintings, sculptures, and decorative arts as encountered in major museums. Organized thematically and geographically rather than as a strict chronological survey, the book pairs high-quality reproductions with concise, accessible descriptions that explain each work’s historical context, artistic technique, and cultural significance. Entries span ancient to modern art and include canonical masterpieces alongside lesser-known but revealing pieces, offering readers both familiar touchstones and surprising discoveries. The volume emphasizes how objects function within museum displays—how curators shape narratives through selection, juxtaposition, and presentation—and includes curatorial insights and practical notes that help readers appreciate provenance, attribution, and conservation issues. Overall, the book serves as both an attractive coffee-table compendium for casual browsing and a dependable reference for students and museum-goers seeking clear, authoritative introductions to major works and the institutions that hold them.