Library for the Arts Club of Washington


Books allow you to see the world through the eyes of others. Reading is an exercise in empathy; an exercise in walking in someone else’s shoes for a while.
— Malorie Blackman, writer and former Children’s Laureate

The Appreciation of Art

Neuhaus wrote of this book, “Primarily this book aims to be of service to students who feel the need for a reasoned presentation of the fundamental principles that underlie the theory and the practice of all the arts.”

Handbook of Furniture Styles

This work, Handbook of Furniture Styles, focuses on the history of European and American furniture styles, offering a broad view of furniture from the Italian Renaissance, Louis XV, Jacobean, Georgian and American styles for example.

A Text-Book on the History of Painting

John Charles Van Dyke is primarily known for being an art critic and historian, but he had many interests, as he was also a nature writer and intrigued by the law. Van Dyke was admitted to the bar in New York in 1877,…

Art in Buffalo

Lars Gustaf Sellstedt was born in Sundsvall, Sweden, and then immigrated to the United States, working on the Great Lakes. He became a prominent Buffalo painter.

Historic Styles in Furniture

by Virginia Huntington Robie Purchase Virginia Huntington Robie was born on October 18, 1868 in Salmon Falls, New Hampshire. She enjoyed the immense benefits of education throughout her childhood, and she went on to attend the School of Decorative Design at the Boston…

Ancient Stained and Painted Glass

by Frederick Sydney Eden Purchase Frederick Sydney Eden (1859-1950) became well known for his significant writings on the subject of stained glass. Previously, he was a lawyer, but had gotten caught up in some fraud regarding an estate, which landed him in jail…

The Art of England: Lectures Given in Oxford

by John Ruskin Purchase John Ruskin (February 8, 1819 – January 20, 1900) was a brilliant English writer, artist, thinker and philanthropist. He was born into a family of means, which afforded him an excellent education. His parents were very encouraging of him,…

Sir David Wilkie

by Lord Ronald Sutherland Gower Purchase Sir David Wilkie RA was born on November 18, 1785 in Scotland. Although he family was not terribly pleased with his devotion to the arts, they supported his choice to become a painter, and he went on to…

The Genesis of Art-Form

by George Lansing Raymond Purchase When on July 12, 1929, George Raymond died of pneumonia at the age of 89 he had enjoyed a crowded life as a professor and popular author of esthetics. He was born into fortunate circumstances, having a father…

History and Mystery of Precious Stones

by William Jones FSA Purchase William Jones takes on the difficult tasks of collecting and categorizing the many ways that precious gems have taken on value in different cultures. For example, he studies pearls and the appeal that they have had in different…

The Rise of the Book Plate: An Exemplative of the Art

by W. G. Bowdoin, Introduction by Henry Blackwell Purchase through Amazon  Bookplates were made to denote ownership and hopefully steer the volume back to the rightful shelf if borrowed. They often contained highly stylized writing, drawings, coat of arms, badges or other images…

The Etchings of Rembrandt: A Study and History

by P. G. Hamerton Purchase through Amazon  Philip Gilbert Hamerton (1834-1894) was an Englishman who was devoted to the arts in numerous forms. He became an orphan at the age of ten; his mother died giving birth to him, and he ended up…

The History of Men’s Raiment

by The Edson Lewis Company Purchase through Amazon  Strouse & Brothers, originating out of Baltimore, published this unique tract on the history of men’s fashion in the European world. The work begins with a very brief history of fashion, and then links the…

Peasant Art in Sweden, Lapland and Iceland

by Charles Holme Purchase through Amazon  Art made by those not traditionally trained has several terms, including outsider art, folk art, raw art and peasant art. This particular work offers a carefully chosen selection of both the decorative and fine arts of Sweden,…

Lankes, His Woodcut Bookplates

by Wilbur Macey Stone, Illustrated by J. J. Lankes Purchase through Amazon  Julius John Lankes was born in Buffalo, New York in 1884, and became a prolific woodcut print artist, as well as an author and professor. As a child, he enjoyed working…

Lankes, His Woodcut Bookplates

by Wilbur Macey Stone, Illustrated by J. J. Lankes Purchase through Amazon  Julius John Lankes was born in Buffalo, New York in 1884, and became a prolific woodcut print artist, as well as an author and professor. As a child, he enjoyed working…

The Basket Maker: An Illustrated Guide to 20th Century Basket Weaving

by Luther Weston Turner Purchase through Amazon Basket weaving is a long-practiced art form around the world, used in practical and decorative manners. Author Luther Weston Turner developed this illustrative manual to explain how to develop a variety of simple, melon shaped, and…

Understanding Art

Purchase on Amazon Edited and Introduced by Daniel Gutierrez-Sandoval Hendrik Willem van Loon was a Dutch-American professor, journalist, prolific writer, and illustrator. His most famous work, “The Story of Mankind” earned him the prestigious John Newbery Medal, extended by the American Library Association…

The History of Photography

Purchase through Amazon  Edited and Introduced by Daniel Gutierrez-Sandoval The life of George Eastman is very much a part of the history of contemporary photography. Founder of the Eastman Kodak Company, Eastman was an enthusiastic photographer himself who became instrumental in bringing photography…