1001 Paintings You Must See Before You Die by Stephen Farthing is a handy guide to a wide variety of styles and periods. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea, since choice is so very subjective, but it certainly makes for a decent place to start, especially in conjunction with trip planning. A brief history of the painting and its artist is provided, along with its current location and a bit about the artistic movement. Of course, one need not any further than a comfortable chair to take this extensive tour from 4000 BC to the present at a leisurely pace.
Hardcover, 960 pages. Universe, 2007. $23.07 at Amazon.
+ 1001 Paintings at Amazon