The Power of Art

*'Greatarthasdreadfulmanners...'SimonSchamaobservesatthestartofhisepicexplorationofthepower,andwholepoint,ofart.'Thehushedreverenceofthegallerycanfoolyouintobelievingmasterpiecesarepolitethings,visionsthatsoothe,charmandbeguile,butactuallytheyarethugs.Mercilessandwily,thegreatestpaintingsgrabyouinaheadlock,roughupyourcomposureandthenproceedinshortordertore-arrangeyoursenseofreality...'*Withthesamedisarmingforce,PowerofArtjoltsusfarfromthecomfortzoneofthehushedartgallery,asSchamaclosesinonintensemake-or-breakturningpointsinthelivesofeightgreatartistswho,underextremestress,createdsomethingunprecedented,alteringthecourseofartforever.*Theembattledheroes-Caravaggio,Bernini,Rembrandt,David,Turner,VanGogh,PicassoandRothko-facedcrisiswithsteadfastdefiance.Themasterpiecestheycreatedchallengedconvention,shatteredcomplacency,shiftedawarenessandchangedthewaywelookattheworld.Withpowerfullyvividstory-telling,Schamaexploresthedynamicpersonalitiesoftheartistsandthespiritofthetimestheylivedthrough,capturingtheflamboyanttheatreofbourgeoislifeinAmsterdam,thepassionandparanoiaofRevolutionaryParis,andthecarnageandpathosofcivil-warSpain.*Mostcompellingofall,PowerofArttracestheextraordinaryevolutionofeightworld-classworksofart.Createdinaboltofillumination,suchworks'tellussomethingabouthowtheworldis,howitistobeinsideourskins,thatnomoreprosaicsourceofwisdomcandeliver.Andwhentheydothattheyanswer,irrefutablyandmajestically,thenaggingquestionofeveryreluctantart-conscript..."OK,OK,butwhat'sartreallyfor?"'