• Who decided what's in 250 Masterpieces?
Art history experts and authors! Here's how: we got 25 art history books used in AP art history, art appreciation, and college art history courses, as well as some "best of" books. Think 17,000 pages of art history! We recorded which art paintings were reproduced and discussed by this pool of art historians, and then counted the "votes" for each art painting. These resulting 250 works constitute a consensus about what are (and aren't) famous paintings in art history. Simple (and very time-consuming).
• Why shouldn't people make their own cards?
1. Downloading, cutting and pasting take tons of time with iffy quality. As one customer said, " I tried making my own cards by gluing pictures onto index cards, which was very time-consuming. Also, I wasn't able to put all of the key information I needed onto my home-made cards, and the quality wasn't very good." (H. McDonald).
2. Our Cards feature noteworthy paintings from 25 textbooks, not just one (see Art Books Used).
3. Each painting is analyzed by an art historian (or two), offering diverse interpretations! And then...
4.Our Cards are sturdy and portable, designed for a lifelong appreciation of art. By anyone. Anywhere.
• Are these THE most famous and best paintings in Western art?
That's too bold! Some art paintings aren't here, although our methodology included them. Sadly, their art museums would not grant image and reproduction rights. These are Warhol's Marilyn Diptych; Frankenthaler's Mountains and Sea; van Gogh's The Starry Night; Schlemmer's Bauhaus Stairway, and Magritte's The Menaced Assassin.
• What's the time period covered?
From Renaissance art through Pop art paintings, from the Limbourg Brothers to Victor Vasarély.
• Who made Masterpiece Cards?
Susan Benford, who lives outside Boston with her husband and faithful dog, Orion, and as often as possible with their teenage sons. Consulting was by art historian David Nolta, Ph.D., professor extraordinaire at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. The idea for Masterpiece Cards came from my wanting to learn about the best paintings QUICKLY, from watching students (still!) making art history cards, and from wanting a focused itinerary in art museums.
For those who believe this is the better way, endless thanks!