The Best Books on How to Read Art

The Annotated Mona Lisa is a must-have for those interested in learning about art. In its third edition, this bestseller is the perfect crash course for beginner art historians because it spans prehistoric times to contemporary art. If you want to discover Ancient Egyptian art, Pre-Columbian art, the Renaissance, Impressionism, and Pop Art all in one volume, pick up this bad boy. I still have my original copy from the early 2000s—it was one of my first introductions to the wonderful world of art history.

Have you ever looked at a painting and thought, “Huh?” If you’re one of those people who just doesn’t “get art,” How to Read Paintings is for you. This guide examines famous paintings from various art movements and covers the basics like composition, color, form, symbolism, and subject matter. It also encourages you to get up close and personal to find tiny details that make all the difference in understanding what’s happening on the canvas. After reading this book, you’ll be able to drop some knowledge on your friends the next time you’re at an art museum.

Another great book for beginners, The Joy of Art, is all about appreciating art. It teaches you how to look—I mean, really look—at art so you can interpret it and enjoy it. With this book, you’ll build an art vocabulary, learn about art genres and artists, and have a checklist of criteria to look out for when examining art in the wild. It even has a fun game section to test your new knowledge.

Let’s get medieval. Dive into the Middle Ages by exploring stained-glass windows, tapestries, sculptures, paintings, and illuminated manuscripts. Since we’re in medieval times, be prepared to learn a lot about religious iconography. We’re talking Bible scenes, angels, and Jesus. But don’t worry, we’ve also got some artworks from secular literature. And of course, How to Read Medieval Art includes the famous Unicorn tapestries, depicting these poor creatures trapped and hunted. Dark times…

Get ready to look at nudes! The Ancient Greeks were obsessed with depicting nude, idealized human bodies in art, and honestly, I’m not mad about it. Explore free-standing Greek sculptures along with reliefs, vases, and jewelry made from marble, bronze, gold, and terracotta. Ranging from the Geometric period through the Archaic and Classical periods to the Hellenistic era, these objects tell us all about life in Ancient Greece, from the everyday to the sacred.

Ancient Greek vases were not just utilitarian objects; they were also beautiful works of art showcasing masterpieces by well-known painters. How to Read Greek Vases teaches you how to connect the vases’ shape and function to their decorative imagery. You’ll examine painted scenes of Greek gods and mythology, everyday life, athletic competitions, symposiums, and funerary rituals from the 7^th to the 4^th century BCE.

When your knight in shining armor finally rides up to save you, don’t you want to know what the heck he’s wearing? Alternatively, if you’re your own savior, discover what you would’ve worn if you lived between the Middle Ages and the 17^th century. Going off to war? There’s a suit of armor for that. Attending a fancy ceremony? Gotta pick your most decorative suit. Jousting for a lady’s hand? Best look good while doing it. Ah, the days of yore when chivalry was alive and well.

Pick up How to Read European Armor to learn what pieces make up a suit of armor, how they work together, and how they were decorated. Thousands of men may have died gruesome deaths on medieval battlefields, but at least they were stylish about it.

What’s so special about an old chair or a vase, you might ask? Well, How to Read European Decorative Arts provides insight into just how artistic furniture, tableware, and accessories can actually be. You’ll examine 40 objects to get a glimpse of everyday life from the High Renaissance to the Industrial Revolution. Decorative objects are special because, in addition to serving as functional objects, they shed light on significant social and cultural issues of the past. Also, they’re really pretty. After reading this book, you’ll finally understand why guards yell at you when you try to sit in one of those fancy chairs at a museum.

Go beyond the selfie to explore how various cultures across time captured the likeness, nay, essence, of people through portraiture. You’ll learn how to “read” Ancient Egyptian mummy portraits, abstract paintings, and contemporary photographs to gain valuable information about artists and sitters. Portraits are more than just capturing a person’s features; they’re about exploring identity and conveying character and culture. As you learn to examine this art genre, think about what your duck lips pose says about you the next time someone takes your picture.

Let’s head over to China to learn about some beautiful art. Let’s be honest, we generally learn about Western art in the United States and have major knowledge gaps concerning art from around the world. It wasn’t until grad school that I took my first-ever course in Chinese art. So, grab How to Read Chinese Painting to learn how to read paintings and calligraphies spanning over a thousand years, from 8^th–17^th-century China.

How many movies and TV shows have you seen where someone screams, “Be careful! That vase is from the Ming Dynasty!” If you have no idea what that means, pick up How to Read Chinese Ceramics to learn exactly why you should put down that vase. Slowly.

Explore the world of Chinese ceramics, from bowls to plates to sculpture. You’ll travel from the Neolithic Period to the 20^th century, and see decorative imagery ranging from flowers to dragons. Ceramics—and porcelain in particular—showcase one of China’s most well-known artistic and cultural achievements. It’s also the reason your grandma calls her fancy plates for special guests the “good china.”

Dive into Buddhist thought by examining paintings, sculptures, and reliquaries from China, the Himalayas, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia. You’ll learn to identify major Buddhist deities (there’s more than just The Buddha), and discover how this sacred philosophy spread across Asia in the first millennia.

Do you just absolutely love that area carpet you bought from Wayfair? Odds are, it was inspired by the real thing—handwoven carpets from the Islamic world. Dive into this technically innovative art form by analyzing carpets from Persia, India, Turkey, and North Africa. You’ll become well-versed in textile designs and learn about historical carpet-weaving techniques and traditions. I love myself a good Islamic carpet. So much so that when I went to Turkey, I bought a gorgeous silk hanging carpet that cost more than my rent. #NoRegrets.

Discover the wonderful world of African fiber arts, where textiles are more than just functional. From clothing to interior hangings, these hand-made textiles tell stories about communities and traditions. Whether they be spiritual protectors or signs of wealth and status, you’ll learn all about how these gorgeous artworks were made, consumed, and exchanged.