Publisher's Synopsis
Each book in Taschen's Basic Art movement and genre series includes a detailed introduction with approximately 30 photographs, plus a timeline of the most important events (political, cultural, scientific, sporting, etc.) that took place during the time period. The body of the book contains 35 of the most important works of the epoch; each is presented on a 2-page spread with a full page image and, on the facing page, a description/interpretation of the work, portrait of the artist, and biographical information. Art Imitates life in the work of the realists. Through painting, photography, and sculpture, 20th century realists invoke reality in works that capture what Freud called "the uncanny" - the inexplicable strangeness of something which seems at once real and not real.
