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The Best Books of 2023: Art, Architecture & Fashion
Boasting many a volume that is a work of art in itself, the best art, architecture and fashion books of 2023 offered fresh perspectives on artists, movements and different forms of artistic expression. Also encompassing crafts, interior design and photography, lose yourself in a world of creativity and innovation with our hand-picked selection below.
Whether exploring the artistic merits of pivotal cities through history with Caroline Campbell, delivering the definitive account of the European Renaissance with Jonathan Jones or diving deep into the legacy of feminist artistic expression with Lauren Elkin, innumerable facets of art history were illuminated this year. Check out our favourites below.
£20.00
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An inspiring new volume from the bestselling author of Think Like an Artist, See What You’re Missing guides the reader through the eyes and minds of great artists – from contemporary icons to old masters – on how to notice and experience beauty, colour and emotions in everything we see around us.
£25.00
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Taking the dramatic 1654 explosion in Delft that killed the painter Carel Fabritius as a springboard for a profound meditation on Dutch art and culture, the author of On Chapel Sands casts light on an era of astonishing artistic creativity and innovation.
£30.00
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Viewing the history of art through the prism of fifteen key cities rather than already-established artistic figures, Campbell's groundbreaking work envisages a radically new chronicle full of unexpected connections.
£30.00
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Spanning the whole of Europe in a captivating narrative that places the artistic innovation of the Renaissance in a broader context, Jones' authoritative history features not only Titian, Leonardo and Michelangelo but also Bosch, Bruegel and Durer.
£25.00
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Calling attention to the radical heritage of feminist art, this mesmerising book from the bestselling author of Flaneuse explores the great women artists and their transformative work that entwines the personal with the political.
£14.99
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Framed by the forced isolation and reflection of the pandemic, Neve's profound analysis of the late work of nineteen of his favourite artists contains exquisite essays on Michelangelo, Cezanne, Gwen John and others.
£30.00
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From Rembrandt to Vermeer and from de Hooch to van Ruisdael, Moser explores the majesty of the artists of the Dutch Golden Age in this delightfully personal and idiosyncratic investigation.
£30.00
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From the author of former Waterstones Non-Fiction Book of the Month Spring Cannot be Cancelled comes a sublime meditation on the enduring art that Venice has inspired over the past five centuries.
£22.00
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From the twelfth-century Hildegard of Bingen to the surrealist and occultist Ithell Colquhoun, the author of The Mirror and the Palette delivers her most biographical volume yet, tracing the lives, work and artistic influences of a group of women who were not afraid to explore spiritualism and other dimensions through their art.
£39.95
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From Botticelli to Beatrix Potter and beyond, this simply stunning volume illuminates the immense artistic and cultural significance of Christmas throughout the centuries through over two hundred intricate and evocative images.
From a landmark life of Impressionism's leading light from Jackie Wullschlager to an evocative recapturing of the Parisian streets that informed the genius of Alberto Giacometti by Michael Peppiatt, seek out the stories behind individual artists and artworks courtesy of our hand-picked selection.
£35.00
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Bringing life to the volatile and voracious genius behind the genesis of Impressionism, Wullschlager's definitive portrait of Claude Monet deftly balances keen-eyed artistic evaluation with vivid life writing.
£25.00
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The authors of Talk Art return with a selection of insightful and entertaining interviews with everyone from Pierce Brosnan to Tracey Emin, all culled from their celebrated eponymous contemporary art podcast.
£30.00
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The definitive account of the great twentieth-century sculptor, Peppiatt's lyrical and entrancing biography brings to life the vibrant and eccentric Paris streets that so informed Giacometti's art.
£50.00
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Boasting contributions from world-leading Vermeer scholars and printed on specially commissioned matte paper, this breathtakingly beautiful volume offers the perfect window into the Dutch master's famously intimate painting.
£30.00
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From Rod Stewart to the Industrial Revolution, Art is Magic collates all of acclaimed artist Jeremy Deller's cultural touchstones into one lovingly curated volume, balancing these artistic inspirations with examples of Deller's visionary work.
£25.00
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An exquisite celebration of the work of seventeenth-century German artist Adam Elsheimer, Natural Light captures the era when early modern science and new ideas of nature started reshaping Europe.
The transformative and healing attributes of art can be difficult to express in words but in the quartet of incisive books below - which includes a gorgeous re-issue of Bayles and Orland's seminal mid-90s work Art & Fear and Claire Dederer's widely acclaimed meditation on the art of monstrous men - the seemingly intangible has been perfectly captured in prose.
£12.99
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A classic meditation on artmaking and the creative process first published in 1994, Bayles and Orland's masterly volume explores the internal and external challenges to making art and elucidates ways these obstacles can be overcome to unleash creative productivity.
£20.00
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Based on the latest research, this insightful volume demonstrates how engaging in one art activity a day can reduce stress and enhance contentment.
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A forensic and incisive exploration of the relationship between creativity and morality, Dederer's volume questions to what extent it is acceptable to appreciate the art of monstrous individuals in a supposedly compassionate society.
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This intimate, human and deeply moving book from a former journalist who became a guard at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art is a breathtaking meditation on beauty, solace and the capacity of art to illuminate life.
From the deft interweaving of architectural theory and socio-political investigation that is Kieran Yates' All the House I've Ever Lived In to visually stunning coffee-table books packed with sumptuous interior design from Shira Gill, look at your abode with fresh eyes courtesy of our favourite architecture and interiors books of 2023.
£14.99
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Mixing memoir with social commentary and perfect for fans of Poverty Safari and The Social Distance Between Us, Kieran Yates' powerful and perceptive book is an intimate, unflinching examination of the UK's chaotic housing system.
£22.00
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The author of A Year of Living Simply delivers a resounding love letter to home, exploring our relationship with our living space and how to make the most of our time there.
£18.99
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A born storyteller with a remarkable story to tell, Mark Ellison is regarded as New York's finest carpenter and in this rollicking memoir he describes his journey from drop-out to working on the homes of the rich and famous.
£27.00
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Organizer of organizers' Shira Gill offers readers a rare glimpse inside the homes of the ultra-organized in this gorgeous book, perfect for those who believe a tiny home equals a tidy mind.
Discover the secrets behind the intriguing pasttimes of pottery and globemaking thanks to two beautifully presented craft volumes from Florian Gadsby and Peter Bellerby, as well as paying a hugely enjoyable visit to the Repair Shop with some of our top craft book picks of 2023.
£25.00
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A stunning book about the history of a truly beautiful object, Bellerby's exquisite volume is a fitting tribute to the art and craft of creating bespoke globes.
£30.00
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Social media's favourite potter opens up about his life, his craft and his worldview in this beguiling and beautifully presented memoir-cum-coffee table book.
£22.00
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Filled with indispensable tips and featuring various crafts, this wonderful volume from the experts of the much-loved TV hit The Repair Shop showcases more exciting restoration projects, from a Ukrainian suitcase to a matchstick clock.
£25.00
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Blending searing history with arts and crafts, Miles tells the story of an embroidered sack that originally belonged to an enslaved woman in deeply affecting and erudite prose.
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A powerful read exploring stonemasonry, myth, and what we choose to carry with us, Stone Will Answer follows the author’s personal journey that began on a medieval pilgrim path from the UK to Southern Norway and yields fascinating insights into her beguiling craft.
Revitalise your wardrobe with Hannah Kane's Style Thesaurus, use fashion as a source of inner confidence thanks to Trinny Woodall and explore the enthralling sartorial stories of the Bloomsbury group courtesy of Charlie Porter, then top it all off with some jaw-dropping images from the natural world and the seasoned lens of the legendary Steve McCurry.
£30.00
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A genius concept aimed at enhancing everybody's wardrobes, Kaye's brilliantly structured Style Thesaurus models a wide range of fashion combinations for all occasions.
£20.00
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The renowned fashion stylist celebrates the individuality of style in this empowering volume which references the sartorial codes of well-known cultural figures, alongside providing bold and exciting wardrobe options.
£20.00
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With dazzling insight and novelistic flair, renowned fashion writer Charlie Porter traces the sartorial revolution of the early twentieth century through six members of the Bloomsbury group, revealing the myriad connections between art-making, philosophy, intimacy and the clothes we wear.
£26.00
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Brimming with accessible, actionable and holistic advice, this empowering book from presenter and fashion and makeover expert Trinny Woodall focuses on the essential tools for improving one’s self-confidence.
£18.99
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Blending fashion and coming-of-age memoir, The Closet charts journalist and editorial director van den Broeke's journey to self-knowledge through the clothes they have owned or coveted.
£25.00
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Eye-opening and thrillingly original, Professor Jill Burke’s captivating book reveals the countless creative ways Renaissance women used make-up as a tool for power and resistance.
£22.00
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Mixing life writing with history and using the meticulous journal entries on cloth and clothes by the titular Mrs Sykes, Strasdin’s fascinating volume traces this Victorian woman's journey from the mills of Lancashire to the port of Singapore against the backdrop of the wider story of nineteenth-century fashion.
£20.00
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Celebrating the beauty of age through tips and techniques that really work, the beloved beauty columnist for The Sunday Times Style Magazine provides empathetic and relevant advice to help readers look their best.
£28.00
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Boasting all one hundred entries in the 2023 competition, this stunning volume of wildlife images captures incredible animal moments and astonishing natural environments.
£50.00
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From Burma's Golden Rock to the evangelicals of heartland America, this transcendent collection of spiritually inflected images from one of the world's greatest photographers is culled from the entirety of McCurry's forty year career.
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