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Art Up Close: From Ancient to Modern
Send children on a search for tiny details hidden in full-color reproductions of some of the world's most celebrated works of art. Lift-the-flap keys reveal the solutions to each puzzle and the fascinating stories behind the works that helped art develop throughout the ages.
64 pages, Hardcover
First published June 27, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
xx-dnf-skim-reference
December 21, 2025If you're interested, get it now before your eyes get any older. I had to skim.
Huge book, so you do have a good chance of finding the details (except maybe on the Pollock).
Lift-the-Flap answer key provided. 'Blurbs' for each work skimpy. I'm not a fan of most of them, though, I admit.
December 2025
Huge book, so you do have a good chance of finding the details (except maybe on the Pollock).
Lift-the-Flap answer key provided. 'Blurbs' for each work skimpy. I'm not a fan of most of them, though, I admit.
December 2025
November 19, 2017
This large format picture book invites readers into a Where’s Waldo type exploration of art. Exploring over twenty works of art, children can search for over 200 details, asking them to look more closely at art than they may have before. Along the way, they will discover new details too. The back of the book provides more information on each piece of art as well as a clever lift-the-flap way to give answers. This book is gorgeously done, the images are crisp and large and span a vast number of years and cultures. A great introduction to art through a vehicle that children will find irresistible. Appropriate for ages 6-9.
October 6, 2023
This book is set up as an I spy or find it book. Each page spread is of a painting from an artist and the viewer needs to find the hidden details. At the back of the book it gives information on the artist and the art.
July 9, 2018
I'm a teacher who now has to teach some basic art history (which I never learned myself) and this book taught me a lot! Some of the imagery is grotesque!
September 18, 2013
The book Art Up Close: From Ancient to Modern is, generally speaking, an inconvenient book. First off, it is an abnormally large size making it difficult to hold on one’s lap. This is not a text to curl up with on the couch. The size virtually forces the reader to spread it open on the floor or a large table to get a proper look at it. Considering the primary focus of the text is works of art, this makes sense. The experience of reading Art Up Close resembles the experience of going to an art museum: the art take center stage for the viewer and commands their attention.
On the first page of the book, a long “handwritten” introduction appears explaining the purpose of the text and layout of the text—images of famous artwork will be featured on each page along with magnified portions featuring specific details within the image. The reader is directed to try to find these detailed portions in the main image. Furthermore, the introduction explains where to find biographical information about the featured artists, cheat sheets for when the reader has difficulty finding the details, and additional information about the artwork itself.
The text focuses on 25 major works of art. They appear chronologically beginning with the oldest piece, a piece of Egyptian papyrus, and ending with selections of abstract modern art. Each piece of art appears on a double page spread with the art work being split by the binding, though the book is bound in such a way that the binding does not lose or hide any of the original art. Each piece is framed by colored border and placed against a colored background. The border and background colors are drawn from the primary colors found within the original work of art in an attempt to compliment the color scheme. However, in some cases the colors seem over-bright when compared with the more subdued hues of the original work.
Accompanying each piece of art work are magnified images of 10 to 12 details that the reader might normally overlook. Each magnification is framed in the same border color as the art. Each detail is a circular image reflecting the typical shape of a magnifying glass that an investigator or art enthusiast might use. Most of the details are easily found in the original art allowing the reader a Where’s Waldo like satisfaction in finding the hidden pictures within the larger image. However, some of the details cause a Magic Eye like frustration, as the reader can stare and stare at the image never finding the detail.
As an exercise, searching for these details starts off as a fascinating process, but can grow tedious as there are 25 original pieces of art with over 200 details to find. Also, I was personally frustrated by the lack of information provided about the details. While there is biographical information and some general information about each piece at the end of the text, there is no information about the details themselves. I feel that if the detail is pointed out, it must have some importance or relevance which I don’t get a sense for from this particular text. Finally, if you decide to explore this text, definitely don’t read the library edition as the answer key for finding the different details is not present in this version.
On the first page of the book, a long “handwritten” introduction appears explaining the purpose of the text and layout of the text—images of famous artwork will be featured on each page along with magnified portions featuring specific details within the image. The reader is directed to try to find these detailed portions in the main image. Furthermore, the introduction explains where to find biographical information about the featured artists, cheat sheets for when the reader has difficulty finding the details, and additional information about the artwork itself.
The text focuses on 25 major works of art. They appear chronologically beginning with the oldest piece, a piece of Egyptian papyrus, and ending with selections of abstract modern art. Each piece of art appears on a double page spread with the art work being split by the binding, though the book is bound in such a way that the binding does not lose or hide any of the original art. Each piece is framed by colored border and placed against a colored background. The border and background colors are drawn from the primary colors found within the original work of art in an attempt to compliment the color scheme. However, in some cases the colors seem over-bright when compared with the more subdued hues of the original work.
Accompanying each piece of art work are magnified images of 10 to 12 details that the reader might normally overlook. Each magnification is framed in the same border color as the art. Each detail is a circular image reflecting the typical shape of a magnifying glass that an investigator or art enthusiast might use. Most of the details are easily found in the original art allowing the reader a Where’s Waldo like satisfaction in finding the hidden pictures within the larger image. However, some of the details cause a Magic Eye like frustration, as the reader can stare and stare at the image never finding the detail.
As an exercise, searching for these details starts off as a fascinating process, but can grow tedious as there are 25 original pieces of art with over 200 details to find. Also, I was personally frustrated by the lack of information provided about the details. While there is biographical information and some general information about each piece at the end of the text, there is no information about the details themselves. I feel that if the detail is pointed out, it must have some importance or relevance which I don’t get a sense for from this particular text. Finally, if you decide to explore this text, definitely don’t read the library edition as the answer key for finding the different details is not present in this version.
January 9, 2010
What a great way to introduce children to a wide variety of art! Some of the details you're to search for are easy and obvious while others are fairly difficult to find - making it interesting for both you and your child. And I really appreciate the range of pieces...an Egyptian papyrus circa 1300 BC, an Aztec manuscript from the early 16th century, a Japanese wood block print from the 1800s, Renoir, Picasso, and Pollock, just to name a few. The back of the book has informative paragraphs on each painting, its artist and context, as well as lift-the-flap answers for all the details you're supposed to find. I loved it and so did my seven-year-old.
For more book reviews, come visit my blog, Build Enough Bookshelves.
For more book reviews, come visit my blog, Build Enough Bookshelves.
February 9, 2026
80%
This book wasn't quite as good as it's predecessor "Western Painting from the 14th to 20th Centuries". While this one had a larger scale both temporally and geographically, the lack of information accompanying each "find" was disappointing, as I felt that it took away a great deal of the educational aspect. That being said, I still think search-and-find is a fantastic method to further an appreciation for art of all styles!
This book wasn't quite as good as it's predecessor "Western Painting from the 14th to 20th Centuries". While this one had a larger scale both temporally and geographically, the lack of information accompanying each "find" was disappointing, as I felt that it took away a great deal of the educational aspect. That being said, I still think search-and-find is a fantastic method to further an appreciation for art of all styles!
August 5, 2009
A lovely oversized children's book showcase some wonderful pieces of art. There were about 10 items from each art work you had to find, like I Spy. Not real sure about the wisdom behind having the kids locate the detailed codpiece on the 15th century painting.
February 16, 2013
Both my preschool child and my elementary school child enjoyed looking at this.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews