{"product_id":"the-secrets-of-painting-the-hidden-art-of-the-masterpiece-from-prehistory-to-today-9780500025116","title":"The Secrets of Painting: The Hidden Art of the Masterpiece from Prehistory to Today","description":"\u003cp\u003eAn engaging history of painting as told through the eyes and hands-on insights of a practicing artist.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA new history of painting as told through the eyes and hands-on insights of a practising artist.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The first question that Lachlan Goudie asks himself when he sees a work of art is not 'why' it was created but 'how'. For this book he poses that question of artworks created by the earliest humans to artists today, focusing on the technical inventions and turning points that at each stage have marked a new chapter in the history of art.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Goudie knows from experience that masterpieces don't emerge serenely from an artist's studio. They are the result of a long tussle between dirty hands and crushed pigment, hog's-hair brushes and linseed oil, rabbit-skin glue and pulverized chalk. Great paintings are always the product of a struggle involving artists and their materials, one that pushes the practitioner to the very limits of technical ability.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The secrets of painting lie above all in the physical elements from which an image is crafted. The nature of these elements has changed over time and across continents. And as each generation of painters exploits the new material and technical innovations of their era, they transform the character of their work and help propel the course of art history.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Goudie traces this story all the way back to the original 'big bang' in the story of art: the very first painting pigments, made from charcoal and minerals, that were used to paint extraordinary art on the walls of the caves at Chauvet 36,000 years ago. He goes on to explore the impact of numerous new inventions and discoveries over the centuries, including ink, fresco, egg tempera, oil paint, canvas, watercolour, gouache, impasto, tubes of manufactured oil paint, collage, household gloss, acrylic, digital media and AI. Each chapter focuses on a technical turning point as embodied in the work of particular artist, including Giotto, Artemisia Gentileschi, Alma Thomas, Anselm Kiefer, David Hockney and many more.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch4\u003eDetails\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003eISBN13: 9780500025116\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFormat: Hardback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNumber of Pages: 384\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEdition: \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePublication Date: 02 Apr 2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePublisher: Thames \u0026amp; Hudson Ltd\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePublication City, Country: London, United Kingdom\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDimensions (cm): 24.6(H)x18.6(L)1240\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWeight (gm): 1240\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch4\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h4\u003eLachlan Goudie is a Scottish painter and arts broadcaster. He has presented many BBC TV programmes including 'Mackintosh: Glasgow's Neglected Genius', 'Painting the Holy Land' and 'The Story of Scottish Art'. He is the author of \u003ci\u003eThe Story of Scottish Art\u003c\/i\u003e, published by Thames \u0026amp; Hudson in 2022.\u003ch4\u003eReviews\u003c\/h4\u003eStupendous ... An epic of what humanity is capable of, written at the exact moment when we've already assumed machines can or will, do everything better ... a wonderful gift to the world of art lovers * Simon Schama *\u003cbr\u003eNot only one of the best books you'll read on the history of art, but a fascinating history of mankind. Captivating, original and enlightening * Sathnam Sanghera *\u003cbr\u003eA painter charts a dazzling path through the story of his art. You can touch the canvases and feel the brush strokes. A brilliant achievement * James Naughtie *\u003cbr\u003eAs both an exceptional artist and a brilliant writer, Lachlan Goudie is able to explain from an entirely new perspective how some of our greatest paintings have been made, and what they're all about * Bendor Grosvenor *\u003cbr\u003eAcross Goudie's 20 chapters - each one bringing an artist's studio and practice to life through the lens of a practitioner - a concise history of art unravels that doesn't just document the evolution of painting, but the course of human creativity * Christie's Magazine *\u003cbr\u003eOver the past thirty years of making arts films for cinema and TV, I have read hundreds of art books. \u003ci\u003eSecrets of Painting\u003c\/i\u003e is unquestionably one of the very best. I was educated and entertained on every page. It is, indeed, a work of great art for anyone from beginner to expert. 10\/10 * Phil Grabsky, BAFTA award-winning producer, director and author *\u003cbr\u003eA good read. Accessible without being simplified, serious without being airless ... a substantial, well-designed, well-produced book that works both as a sustained argument and as a reference * Artlyst *","brand":"Lachlan Goudie","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48544268189913,"sku":"9780500025116","price":85.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0502\/9530\/8441\/files\/9780500025116.jpg?v=1776452140","url":"https:\/\/www.arielbooks.com.au\/products\/the-secrets-of-painting-the-hidden-art-of-the-masterpiece-from-prehistory-to-today-9780500025116","provider":"Ariel","version":"1.0","type":"link"}