Old Masters Rock: How to Look at Art with Children

When i think of all the years i spent schlepping my four unenthusiastic, complaining furious children around museums and galleries and art exhibitions in the hope that something might stick..... Old Masters Rock is the most brilliant and yet most simple concept. A book that engages children in the business of fine art. Each page carries a picture of an old master and then takes the reader straight into the story behind the picture, bringing it alive with questions and observations that breathe narrative life through the image. Whether it's John Singleton Copley's Watson and the shark - which is now stamped PG13, and thus guaranteeing excitement from every small child, to Van Goph's 'Self-portrait with Bandaged Ear and Pipe' described as a 'Vincent's Selfie' the author has blown the dust off any child's idea that learning about art is dull and stiff.absolutely brilliant and i'm ashamed to say that i've learnt rather a lot myself.

Old Masters Rock gets children (and their parents) to look at paintings as a detective might - looking for clues, details, and references to other works of art. The author suggests how to get the most out of a short visit to a gallery (focus on 5 paintings), letting children take the lead and helping them explore what interests them. As a result, nobody gets tired or bored, and everyone goes home having had fun and ready for more. I wish I'd had this book as a child, but it's never too late to learn! Plus the book looks beautiful and is a pleasure for the armchair artlover (or even for a bedtime story...).

How do you encourage your child's curiosity for Art - Old Masters Rock is a wonderful book to help you do that.

The perfect book to introduce your children to Art History!