Secret Knowledge (New and Expanded Edition): Rediscovering the Lost Techniques of the Old Masters

The ability to see classic works of art through the eyes of one of the most interesting and influential artists of our time is why I bought this book. It is one art history that I have not been able to put down, and it has caused me to look at many of the classics in an entirely different ways. Even though I knew about many of the mechanical drawing apparatuses that have been employed at various times throughout history, Hockney explains them so well and shows so many examples that I feel as though I am learning about them anew. I was also intrigued that he touched upon one of the things that has forever intrigued me - why a reversed image looks so different from the original and that seeing an image one way and be infinitely more pleasing than seeing it reversed. He goes into much detail about this, and shows multiple examples, when he ponders over the high numbers of left-handed subjects in many old paintings. And that is just for starters. The number of visuals in this book rivals any that I have seen and, even though I have not counted, it certainly appears that visual examples outnumber text blocks by quite a bit. The visuals accompanying Holbein's "The Ambassadors" show exactly what so many people miss about it, and illustrates why the painting is mounted in such a way that makes it possible to view from the upper right corner. If you sit in that room in the National Gallery, you will notice that hardly anyone ever walks to that spot and looks - they have no idea what fun they are missing! On a personal note, it was delightful to read that Hockney has the same fascination with the Arnolfini portrait as I, and doubtless many other people, do, and also to learn why. And I think that's what art lovers will like most about this book - that they have occasionally noticed the same exact details that a great artist has also seen, and that indeed is a very exciting thing.

David Hockney is one of the greatest living artists today; not only for his art but also for his contribution to our understanding of art history. This book is testament to that very understanding. David breaks down the techniques of the masters and dispels most of the fictions of how art was made in ancient times. As an art student we wrote learned many things and were taught that the masters were just gifted individuals with divine powers. This is just not true. As an artist this fiction has gotten in my way for years when it came to making images. Why do things the hard way. David thinks there was another way. By showing us how with the use of different drawing aids and early projection techniques that the masters utilised the latest technology of their times as any rational professional would. Written in David's words the book is easy to digest and has no typical stuffy academic hubbub surrounding it. He is witty and informative making the book a pleasure to read. The book is a paperback and I wish I had a hardcover now, oh well. That said though the print quality is good and the paper stock is nice. Well laid out which helps you race through the content. A great book from a great man. Perfect for every student of art today.

I have been enjoying this book SO much! It is an exploration of optics, perspective and the history of how scientific innovations have affected how artists work. David Hockney has an academic approach to speculating that the Great Dutch and Renaissance masters of art used lenses and optics to generate images. Fascinating and well written!

Seldom do you see such a beautiful book that is also informative. The book is hard to read because I get lost in the prose and the illustrations. This book makes me wish I had a coffee table.

The first half of the book is filled with photos of art work to support the thesis that artists were using camera obscura and camera lucida. The progression is fascinating to follow. The second half uses documentary evidence.

If I understand it correctly Hockney's hypothesis is that optical instruments like the camera lucida have strongly influenced the development of art over the ages. I found it a fascinating read and his conclusions very interesting. I'm not particularly interested in art history but found this account really insightful. He builds a very strong visual case for his ideas. Well worth a read.

What a good and educational read

This book presents very interesting observations on the "technology" that was available to painters to help them work faster, more efficiently, and to see more accurately. There is no reason to think that the great artists of the past would not have taken advantage of any technology available - from finer brushes to better pigments for paints to lenses or mirrors. The observations and theories posed by Hockney are astute, and even when I questioned specific examples, they did contribute to a bigger picture. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys looking at great art and desiring an insight into how artists of the past may have worked.

Excellent book, describes how early artists most likely used lenses to assist them in their painting and shows plenty of evidence. It also shows how photography influenced and changed the trend from realistic painting in some cases to a more abstract approach. Fascinating book for photographers and artists.

por unos años quise tener este libro, es una investigación sorprendente, no esperaba que el libro fuera tan grande de tamaño.

Beautiful images, fabulous content

Very interesting to read how David Hockney compare notes with old and more recent masters...he opens your eyes to sooo many interesting things...

Excellent Book, great illustration and fast shipping!