Daily Life in Art

In "Daily Life in Art" the French author Beatrice Fontanel examines the particulars of daily life through close observation of paintings. These works range in time from the Medeival period to the contemporary. She is most interested in the small details of material culture. Fontanel's take on ordinary things as diverse as fireplaces and beds are very interesting. This is an enjoyable book but a potential purchaser needs to understand that this is not an academic art book. Ms. Fontanel is a children's book illustrator. She is not an anthropologist or art historian. The book is well printed but it is not a "coffee table", highly quality art book. This book can be purchased new at a reasonable price and I believe it is a good value. Recommended.

I'm a professional artist, and have made a definitive hobby of browsing art books for inspiration and education. Written concisely, Fontanel's book is absolutely unique - in the vast, uncommon selections of artwork displayed and in the hearty illustration of western civilization's evolution, as experienced in the home. In adding together the quiet details documented in paint, she produces a fascinating and highly personal glimpse into the past six hundred years. I finished this book feeling grateful to live today, and feeling a sense of awe about the shifts and changes in life... sometimes ugly... but ever-blossoming into greater overall vitality.