The Art of Love: The Romantic and Explosive Stories Behind Art’s Greatest Couples

BBC presenter and art curator Bryan showcases 30 love stories of some of the most famous couples from the modern art world in this inviting illustrated volume. In straightforward prose, Bryan demonstrates how these couples collaborated on their artwork and consequently how their relationships would affect their careers and personal lives. For instance, Bryan notes that Camille Claudel had learned “a great deal about sculpting” from her mentor Auguste Rodin, and her sensual nature inspired Rodin to create The Kiss, one of his most famous sculptures. Meanwhile, Surrealist photographer Man Ray’s muse-turned-photographer Lee Miller accidentally discovered the photographic technique called solarization, which would become prevalent in Man Ray’s work. Some of these stories are much more tumultuous: minimalist sculptor Carl Andre may or may not have murdered his wife, feminist artist Ana Mendieta, who, after a night of drinking, was found dead on the street below their Manhattan high-rise. There are also charming stories of long-lasting love: Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s nearly 60-year-old collaboration produced memorable, large-scale artworks, such as wrapping a 1.5-mile stretch of Australian coastline near Sydney in fabric. While colorful pen-and-ink artist portraits appear throughout, the book lacks reproductions of the original artworks, which robs Bryan’s otherwise insightful essays of context. Still, this lovely volume makes for an enjoyable gift for art lovers. [em](June) [/em]