Did the Greek gods play tennis? What is the ambassador from the land of Alchemy telling us? What secrets are being told on the shores of the Island of Venus? What is a monk doing on the Ship of Fools? What Great Paintings Say has the answers to these and many other burning questions asked about the most important and famous paintings of all time. In two volumes, a selection of history`s greatest masterpieces is presented chronologically, including works by Botticelli, Breughel, Chagall, Courbet, Degas, Delacroix, Durer, Goya, Monet, Raphael, Rembrandt, Renoir, Rubens, Tiepolo, Titian, and many others. Each chapter focuses on one painting, with enlarged details and in-depth texts describing their significance. Taking apart each painting and then reassembling it again like a huge jigsaw puzzle, the authors reveal the history of art as a lively panorama of forgotten worlds. About the author: Rose-Marie Hagen was born in Switzerland and studied history as well as Romance languages and literature in Lausanne. After longer study periods in Paris and Florence, she lectured at different institutions including the American University in Washington D.C. Rainer Hagen was born in Hamburg and graduated in literature and theatre studies in Munich. He went on to work for radio and TV where his latest position has been chief editor of a German public broadcasting service. The two authors have worked together for TASCHEN on several books such as What Great Paintings Say and a monograph on Francisco de Goya. Издание на английском языке.