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Rainer Hagen
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What Paintings Say: 100 Masterpieces in Detail Hardcover – March 17, 2016

by Rose-Marie Hagen (Author), Rainer Hagen (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 544 ratings
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This important addition to our understanding of art history’s masterworks puts some of the world's most famous paintings under a magnifying glass to uncover their most small and subtle elements and all they reveal about a bygone time, place, and culture.

Guiding our eye to the minutiae of subject and symbolism, authors Rose-Marie and Rainer Hagen allow even the most familiar of pictures to come alive anew through their intricacies and intrigues. Is the bride pregnant? Why does the man wear a beret? How does the shadow of war hang over a scene of dancing? Along the way, we travel from Ancient Egypt through to modern Europe, from the Renaissance to the Roaring Twenties. We meet Greek heroes and poor German poets and roam from cathedrals to cabaret bars, from the Garden of Eden to a Garden Bench in rural France.

As we pick apart each painting and then reassemble it like a giant jigsaw puzzle, these celebrated canvases captivate not only in their sheer wealth of details but also in the witness they bear to the fashions and trends, people and politics, loves and lifestyles of their time.

Previous page
  1. Print length
    785 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Taschen America Llc
  4. Publication date
    March 17, 2016
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 2 x 8 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    3836559269
  7. ISBN-13
    978-3836559263
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“An informative, stylish book, full of intriguing detail. The authors’ sheer love of art shines through each text and the reproductions are sumptuous.” ― The Good Book Guide

About the Author

Rose-Marie Hagen (1928 - 2022) was born in Switzerland and studied history, Romance languages, and literature in Lausanne. After further studies in Paris and Florence, she lectured at the American University in Washington, D.C.

Rainer Hagen was born in Hamburg and graduated in literature and theater studies in Munich. He later worked for radio and TV, most recently as chief editor of a German public broadcasting service. Together they have collaborated on several TASCHEN titles, including Masterpieces in Detail, Pieter Bruegel, and Francisco de Goya.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Taschen America Llc (March 17, 2016)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 785 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 3836559269
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-3836559263
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.59 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 2 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 544 ratings

About the author

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Rainer Hagen

Rainer Hagen

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
544 global ratings
Pleasantly aupeiswd by the quality of this book.
5 Stars
Pleasantly aupeiswd by the quality of this book.
First of all, I loved both the paper weight and the print quality. The textual description that goes attached to each work of art is equally outstanding.
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Top reviews from the United States

pen name 1
5.0 out of 5 stars The best art overview book!
Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2023
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There is no other book like this one! The most interesting and knowledgeable overview of art I have read. I am constantly amazed at the writers' breadth of knowledge and feel like I am learning something new on every page. Only request I have for the Hagens is - could you write another book about 100 more paintings? Perhaps more of Rembrandt's also? Or really, any other 100 paintings- because all descriptions of art works written by the Hagens (and I also read their Egyptian and Goya books) are pure gold and unlike anything else you'll find on the topic! If I see another Set of Masterpieces discussed by the Hagens, I will get it in a heartbeat!
17 people found this helpful
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Razzmatazz
5.0 out of 5 stars Great "social history" book
Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2022
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This book tells a lot about what information is contained in the paintings--what they show about life during their age. I really liked the painting with the washerwoman in the background and the long rap about the status of white clothing in the middle ages. the whiter you could get your cuffs and collars, the better. Folks actually sent some of their washing to Bruges, Belgium, because it had the purest water.

It also talked about the evolution of soap.

Why do old Dutch paintings show glasses with knobby stems?? Because people grabbed cuts of meat bare-handed and they got so greasy they wouldn't be able to hold on to their beer!!

A great "social history" book.
16 people found this helpful
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Liz
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book, came fast, perfect gift!
Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2023
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Super excited to get this for my grandmother for Christmas. She will be thrilled!
2 people found this helpful
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Christine Pellegrino
5.0 out of 5 stars What do you like about art?
Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2023
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This book gives you some ideas that other artists explain different works and why they mean so much
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Kristin
4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book to educate you on some art
Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2020
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Great book, we’ll written, very informative and you also get a small history lesson with it. I have the book on Bosch by the same publisher and it sucks, but this book is great if you want to easily expand your art knowledge. Only drawback is the super small print.
3 people found this helpful
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Candace Drimmer
5.0 out of 5 stars Gorgeous, informative (even about paintings you may think you know all there is to know)
Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2016
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Having seen this book in a well known museum in Washington DC, I was drawn to the marvelous reproductions and information (background and foreground in a sense) about the paintings. It's like having an express tour focused on one painting, at your convenience.

But the book was so heavy. How was I, should I, carry this (almost) 3 pound book with me all day. No.
So given that, I took a picture of the cover and resolved to look into where I could find it later. When home once again.
Yep, there on Amazon it was.
If only the well known museum had free shipping, I'd have bought from them at retail--but they didn't, so neither did I.

Once at home, I bought it and am delighted that I did. For people who need a book to read before sleep, but who eschew electronics--given the interference they can have upon your sleep--this is the read for you. Short, but long enough informational read--but not a full book. So you won't be up all night reading a "can't be put down" book.

And no, I am NOT saying it will put you to sleep. But to say sweet dreams, is true. What better than art to dream on, with the addition of more knowledge than you started with? Having volunteered at a large museum in Chicago, this basically is like one of the "express" tours. So before bed, take a tour...and sleep well.
38 people found this helpful
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Jen
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, informative, but too small to be a coffee table book
Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2023
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if you're looking to learn, the paintings are covered in detail and the images are beautiful. But the book needed to be about 3-4 inches taller so the text and images can be larger because as is you need a magnifying lens. I am very happy with the book
10 people found this helpful
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MH
5.0 out of 5 stars This is the book to get
Reviewed in the United States on December 5, 2021
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I love art. I am always fascinated by the stories behind the pictures and this book has that. I didn't pay attention to the size and weight when I ordered it, but it's a 10 lb book! I really enjoy that it includes the entire painting and the breaks down different sections of the painting to explain it. I also appreciate that some of the paintings are not the artists most well known.
8 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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MeowMeow
5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST HAVE
Reviewed in Canada on August 19, 2023
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I knew nothing about art or art history before picking up this book. The subject itself seemed so overwhelming given the variety of timelines, popular artists, types of arts etc. I only have 4 more pintings to go till I finish this book and I AM SO GLAD I have this book in my collection. It not only tells us about the painting, but the artist, the social lifestyle at the time and what influenced the design choices and how it was perceived by the masses and how art styles evolved across the centuries. No book is gonna give you this much insight across the human history in a more comprehensive manner. I actually ended up learning more about world history as well thanks to this book. I plan on passing this book down to my family so learn more about art and the world.
One person found this helpful
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paulo correia
5.0 out of 5 stars Versão gigante!
Reviewed in Brazil on January 28, 2021
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Um livro para se deleitar, uma verdadeira obra de arte descrevendo obras de arte. Diferente do anunciado é uma edição de capa dura. Chegou em perfeito estado e antes do prazo.
4 people found this helpful
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Norma
5.0 out of 5 stars Calidad!
Reviewed in Mexico on December 14, 2020
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 Hermoso libro! Tapa dura, de tamaño yo creo que esta bien ya que no está muy grande entonces no está muy muy pesado, imágenes de calidad y tiene mucha información, la verdad que todo me encanto
One person found this helpful
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David-e
5.0 out of 5 stars Astounding!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 13, 2021
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This book exceeded my expectations and I treasure it. The selected paintings are unusual and a fantastic surprise. It is a very discerning collection accompanied by engaging reading that articulates interesting details and context to each work of art. The large size of the book allows the reader to experience the content in detail and the quality of the print is very high - I can take a magnifying glass to explore further the images and barely see any pixelation. To be honest, I am very passionate about art, and this book gets my pulse racing like few others in my collection. The book has an atmosphere to it and I am astounded by its content. It is my desert island book. I am returning to it time and again and it is prompting me to research further some of the most striking works. I feel very lucky to own it. I highly recommend the extra expense of obtaining this larger format copy.
10 people found this helpful
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Alexander Gardics
5.0 out of 5 stars well done
Reviewed in Germany on April 3, 2021
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The book is well written, though it is not really about 'what paintings say', but rather about the historical context behind the paintings. I would also argue that not all the pictures included are masterpieces, but most of them are really good. Overall, the book was put together attentively, the close ups are wisely chosen, the text is abundant and to the point, it is a joy to read if you are into history. I have read the first 500 pages and it took me lots of time to get there, a month or so, but you don't have to turn the pages to follow visually what is written, everything is right there, in front of your eyes. There is lots of work behind creating a book like this, and I don't mean only the text but also the choice of paintings. I was so happy to see that artists like Michelangelo, Botticelli, Grunewald and Bruegel were not left out. Taschen is a great publisher and with this edition they have proven it again. Job well done.
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