The great lockdown has many of us homebound at the moment, with our beloved bookstores and favorite libraries closed. what’s a bookworm to do? well, dear reader, we decided now is the perfect time to take a journey through some of the most beautiful and thought-provoking works of art about books, libraries, and reading. our star correspondentabbie martin greenbaum has selected a list of some of the most famous, beautiful and influential paintings on books, libraries, reading and writers.
the most beautiful paintings on books and libraries
For the bibliophiles among us, there’s nothing like a good book. There is no better pastime than losing yourself in the landscape of an impossible story, or enjoying the rhythm of incredible writing.
You are reading: Famous paintings of books
And part of that joy is in acquiring new reading material. Whether it’s a trip to the public library, or a loved local bookstore, or even a good to rummage through our own bookshelves in search of treasures, part of the fun of a good read is the process of discovery.
which is why among the many micro-losses that many of us are suffering right now is the impossibility of getting lost in a bookstore. or to spend a few hours in the library.
It can be no coincidence that one of the first types of retail stores allowed to reopen after the coronavirus hit Italy were book stores.
evocative paintings on books, libraries and reading
As we await the glorious day when our libraries and bookstores will reopen, and work to support them by shopping online to reopen, let’s take a mental journey, shall we?
For those of you who love books and love art too, we have a special treat: twenty iconic works of art about books, libraries, readers, and writers.
many of them are fantastical in some way, and many of them use their warm color palettes to evoke a bit of the cozy magic that’s unique in embracing a great story.
1. ryūryūkyo shinsai books
shinsai was a well-known Japanese artist who lived during the 19th century. this particular woodcut is currently in the possession of the metropolitan museum of art.
2. landscapes and beauties: looking forward to reading the next volume of utagawa kuniyoshi
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In each work in this series, kuniyoshi depicts a woman performing an activity in front of the frame, with a painting hanging on the wall behind her. these were completed during the edo period, in the 19th century.
3. pieter meijer warnars bookseller’s shop at vijgendam in amsterdam by johannes jelgerhuis (1820)
also editorial, the warnars store was a meeting place for much of the intellectual society of amsterdam. the painter, jelgerhuis, was an actor as well as an artist, performing on the stage of the stadsschouwburg. you can see this work at the rijksmuseum today.
4. carl spitzweg’s bookworm (1850)
spitzweg art is considered to be part of the beidermeier period, which was typical of the atmosphere in europe during the aftermath of the napoleonic wars . Spitzweg completed three versions of this work, one of which is part of the collection of the Georg Schäfer Museum in Schweinfurt.
5. the bibliophile by jean louis ernest meissonier (1862)
A French classicist, Meissonier was well known for his romantic depictions of historical figures, such as Napoleon. This work was originally purchased from the artist by Baron d’outhoorne and is now on display at the National Gallery of Ireland.
6. the yellow books by vincent van gogh (1887)
Now part of the bridgeman art library’s private collection, this painting by the Dutch master is a giclée print, which means that a thin paper was sprayed with ink droplets, maximizing the richness and realism with which the image appears.
7. still life with books and candles by henri matisse (1890)
This work by the French Neo-Impressionist is currently in a private collection.
8. walter firle’s fairy tale (1900)
one of the best-known works of the German painter, it shows two things the artist was known for: dramatic lighting and the positioning of his subjects against a window.
9. thorvald boeck’s library by harriet backer (1902)
the jurist thorvard boeck was a book collector, famous for having the largest private library in all of oslo at that time, as narrated here by harriet backer. the painting is on display today at the oslo national museum of art, architecture and design.
10. portrait of gertrude stein by pablo picasso (1905-1906)
This painting is not from a book, of course, but from an author. A significant piece of Picasso’s Pink Period, the portrait is on display at the Metropolitan Museum of New York.
11. child reading adventure story by norman rockwell (1923)
This painting is currently in the george lucas private collection, and was featured in the smithsonian american art museum’s exhibit “telling stories: norman rockwell from the collections of george lucas and steven spielberg” in 2011.
12. book transforming into a nude woman by salvador dalí (1940)
this fantastic work by the surrealist painter was exhibited in chicago, new york, venice and london before reaching a private collection, where it currently resides. It was during this year that the artist first came to the United States.
13. jacob lawrence’s library (1960)
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It is speculated that the space portrayed in lawrence’s painting is the reading room of the schomburg center for research on black culture, in new york city. the painting is currently in the smithsonian museum of american art.
14. the william tolliver reader
The Mississippi artist was known for his love of reading, having read more than 4,000 books on a variety of subjects.
15. the critique of pure reason ii by alireza darvish (2002)
Iranian painter Alireza Darvish was interviewed about his fantasy book-themed paintings in 2011, by the huffington post. In this one, a modern man of stain has been reimagined in new york city, protecting his beloved books.
16. sob, kerry james marshall sob (2003)
this painting by contemporary icon kerry james marshall is considered a significant example of a work that incorporates black aesthetics. It is on display at the smithsonian museum of american art.
17. fantastic work by andre martins debarros
barros was born in 1942 in pau, which is a small town near the spanish border, in france. His work is reminiscent of optical illusions , as well as the art of the Italian painter Giuseppe Arcimboldo.
18. the great wall of guy laramée (2009-2012)
book paintings take on a new meaning with guy laramée’s incredible creations, which are literally painted on books. This beautiful piece is part of a series depicting an alternate future imaginedin the 23rd century.
19. too much information on jordan buschur (2012)
From a family of collectors, buschur often paints pieces that portray an amalgamation of significant objects. he describes the use of closed books in his works as “ blank slate open to any interpretation.”
20. present past future by pierpaolo rovero
The Italian artist often features magical images of books in his work. this seems something like a portal to another time period, through the power of reading.
the most beautiful paintings on books
that’s it: our selection of some of the most beautiful and moving paintings that show his love for books. What is your favorite painting on this subject?
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Abbie Martin Greenbaum grew up in New York City and currently lives in Brooklyn, where she drinks a lot of coffee and matches roommates together for a living. At Oberlin College, she studied English and Cinema, which are still two of her favorite things, along with dessert and musical theater. She believes in magic.
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