Most of us don’t read books the way we used to—attention spans are short, BookTok recommendations populate our shelves and audiobooks are the new books. But there’s one type of book that will never go out of style, and that is the classic art book. By which we mean those sometimes hefty coffee table books filled with beautiful pictures.
When it comes to the best art books, however, the appeal transcends the visual. These aren’t auction catalogs, after all. Great art books are creatively curated and offer readers a deep dive into the movements, niche cultures and personal stories behind the works showcased on each page. There are fascinating career retrospectives and anthologies of major biennials, museum and gallery surveys and re-editions of obscure photo books—in other words, something for everyone,
Our autumn art book recommendations, all slated for release in the coming months, promise to be equal parts rich in detail, lovely to look at and insightful.
The German model-turned-photographer Ellen von Unwerth, well-versed in the fashion world, has a new photo book with TASCHEN called Heimat, which is the word for the feeling of belonging in German. This art book features high gloss, glamorous and sexualized photos of women romping around the south of Germany—riddled with Bavarian clichés from beer to dirndls. Considering that the south of Germany leans traditional, and not particularly adventurous, it offers a refreshing take on her home region.
For a throwback to pre-war Paris, check out Brilliant Exiles, which looks at the influential American women who lived, worked and participated in the culture of Paris in the early 20th Century. They each had their own way of expressing the freedom Paris afforded women, from singer Josephine Baker to muse Zelda Fitzgerald to writer Gertrude Stein or gallerist Peggy Guggenheim. All were trailblazers who ultimately changed culture, locally and abroad. The book coincides with the touring exhibition of the same name that’s on view at the National Portrait Gallery until February 23, 2025.
Balenciaga has seen better days. Their recent controversy with teddy bears in bondage has left many fashion aficionados dreaming of the days when the brand represented truth and authenticity. Balenciaga – Kublin: A Fashion Record by Ana Balda and Maria Kublin, set to release on October 22, is the first book to document the work of fashion photographer and filmmaker Tom Kublin and his collaboration with brand founder Cristóbal Balenciaga. This art book features over 140 photos from Balenciaga’s postwar heyday in Paris showing how Kublin captured Balenciaga couture in the 1950s and 1960s—there are behind-the-scenes shots of Balenciaga at work, as well as fashion editorials and street style shots.
Out this September, this anthology of art images and quotations compiled by Martin Gayford offers insight into the philosophy and life of British artist David Hockney. The book is part of publisher Thames & Hudson’s “The World According To” series and looks into Hockney’s artistic process. With quotable quotes like, “The eye is always moving; if it isn’t moving you are dead” and artistic insights such as “Painted color always will be better than printed color because it is the pigment itself,” Hockney shares his thoughts and discusses how he was inspired by icons like Paul Cezanne, Walt Disney and his fellow artists.
Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Decisive Moment, co-produced by Cartier-Bresson and Clément Chéroux, is a new edition of an already groundbreaking photo book. The Decisive Moment (Images à la Sauvette in French) features over 200 photos from the first twenty years of Cartier-Bresson’s career as a photojournalist. It was first published in 1952, with depictions of postwar Paris, and is referred to as a “bible for photographers.” It comes out on September 10.
Fans of magic, look no further. Conjuring the Spirit World: Art, Magic, and Mediums by Peabody Essex Museum curator at large George H. Schwartz, neuroscience researcher Tedi Asher and others explore the art and objects related to magicians and their practice. From posters to “spirit photography,” this book looks back on an era when magic was beyond convincing. There are photos and paraphernalia belonging to Harry Houdini, Margery the Medium, Howard Thurston and the Fox Sisters, among others, in chapters that peel back the illusions and the artistry of their stages that made them prime performers of their day. It will be released by Rizzoli on September 17.
101 Surrealists by Desmond Morris looks at the lives and the works of some of the most compelling artists from the now century old Surrealist movement. It all starts with Andre Breton’s Surrealist Manifesto from 1924 and follows the works of Salvador Dali, Frida Kahlo, Max Ernst, Joan Miro and Francis Pacabia, as well as the overlooked artists who were part of the movement, like Kay Sage. Morris is one of the last surviving Surrealist artists and knew many of the artists whose work is featured in this art book. It’s out with Thames & Hudson on October 29.
While the title of this year’s Venice Biennale was nothing short of controversial (just look at what Anish Kapoor had to say about it), this world-renowned festival of the arts is always a must-see affair. For those who couldn’t make it to Venice in person, there is the multi-book survey of the Biennale coming out on October 15. The set features over 1,000 artworks and illustrations in what curator Adriano Pedrosa explains is “a celebration of the foreign, the distant, the outsider, the queer as well as the Indigenous.”
