Artist autobiography books

10 Artist Biographies To Read This Year

What would the winter holidays be without those warm, comforting afternoons spent under the blankets or close by the chimney? If you’ve exhausted all the classics of French literature and the summer’s bestsellers, why not try another genre: the artists’ biography? Since many artists have lived thrilling lives, Artsper suggests these biographies of artists whose lives make for a compelling novel!

Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Dazzling Epic of the Precursor of Street Art

Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960-1988), whose works can be found on Artsper, was undoubtedly one of the artists who made the biggest impressions on the New York underground art scene in the 1980s.

Born in Brooklyn, this African-American with a rebellious temperament left school when he was a teenager to devote himself to his passion: art. His personal graffitis were quickly noticed for their tribal signs and naïve characters. Criticizing consumerism and the exclusion of ethnic communities, Basquiat has his first exhibition at the age of 21. This remarkabl

13 of the greatest artist biographies to live vicariously through

With a third of the global population currently on coronavirus lockdown, life is likely to have turned a little monotonous.

Many museums, art galleries, and theatres are set to remain closed until further notice, meaning a daily dose of artistic inspiration can be rather challenging – especially if you’re not ready to settle for COVID-19-friendly digital exhibitions.

From performance artists to photographers, sculptors, directors, and more, we tally a list of biographies of some of the most influential artists you can get lost in during quarantine. Through intellectual discussions, entertaining anecdotes, previously unseen artworks, and shocking revelations, these books will help you cope with the lockdown while satisfying your hunger for art. 

JUST KIDS

Winner of the 2010 National Book Award for Nonfiction, Patti Smith’s Just Kids retraces the romance and long-lasting friendship between Smith and photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. Going back to their first encounter in 1967 New York, the memoir immer

Browse Books: Biography & Autobiography / Artists, Architects, Photographers

It's Lonely at the Centre of the Earth (Paperback)

By Zoe Thorogood, Zoe Thorogood (By (artist))

$12.99

Currently out of stock. Email webteam@harvard.com for more information.

Leonardo da Vinci (Paperback)

By Walter Isaacson

$23.00

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M Train: A Memoir (Paperback)

By Patti Smith

$19.00

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A Field Guide to Getting Lost (Paperback)

By Rebecca Solnit

$18.00

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Radiant: The Life and Line of Keith Haring (Hardcover)

By Brad Gooch

$40.00

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Irving Penn: Centennial (Hardcover)

By Maria Morris Hambourg, Jeff L. Rosenheim, Alexandra Dennett (Contributions by), Philippe Garner (Contributions by), Adam Kirsch (Contributions by), Harald E. L. Prins (Contributions by), Vasilios Zatse (Contributions by)

$70.00

Currently out of stock. Email webteam@harvard.com for more information.

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