Silapin Atchariya(Genius Artists)

Published on October 22, 2007

When Benvenuto Cellini's "Saliera" was stolen from Vienna's Kunsthistorisches Museum in May 2003, the theft barely made the international headlines, even though the sculpture, valued at several million dollars, was considered a masterpiece.

Suthat Yoksan begins his book with this incident and continues with the biographies of each of the chosen artists before discussing the history and social situations that inspired the works of art.

Each of the 20 chapters is devoted to one of Suthat's favourite geniuses, among them the influential painter Rembrandt van Rijn, who died bankrupt; Englishman William Hogarth who mocked politics in his paintings; Parisian artist Edgar Hilaire Germain Degas who was passionate about ballet; and Renaissance artist Jacopo Robusti, who is better known as Tintoretto, and to whom Suthat refers as the Michaelangelo of Venice.

Paul Cezanne, Claude Monet and Pierre Auguste Renior are also included.

Anyone with an interest in art can't help but enjoy this informative book, which also includes illustrations of each artist and his works.

Suthat works full time as a physics professor at Srinakarinwiroj University and writes about art in his free time.