The Art of Looking Up

A desirable art book surveying 40 spectacular ceilings from around the world, including those that have graced the brushes of artists including Michelangelo, Marc Chagall and Cy Twombly.

The Art of Looking Up surveys 40 spectacular ceilings around the globe that have been graced by the brushes of artists including Michelangelo, Marc Chagall and Cy Twombly.

From the floating women and lotus flowers of the Senso-ji Temple in Japan, first painted in the year 645, through to the religious iconography that adorns places of worship from Vienna to Istanbul, all the way to bold displays like that in the lobby of Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, this book takes you on a tour of the extraordinary artworks that demand an alternative viewpoint.

Art History expert Catherine McCormack guides readers through the stories behind the artworks - their conception, execution, and the artists that visualised them. In many cases, these artworks also make bold but controlled political, religious or cultural statements, revealing much about the society and times in which they were created. First and foremost, this is a visual feast, but also a desirable art book that challenges readers to seek out fine art in more unusual places and question the statements they may be making.

About the Author

Catherine McCormack is a writer and art history lecturer based in London. She regularly teaches at Sotheby's Institute of Art, Dulwich Picture Gallery and UCL, where she completed her PhD and was a Teaching Fellow. Her writing has been published in The Independent, Architectural Review, Stylist, Glass magazine, LABEL magazine, and in international academic journals and museum exhibition catalogues. She is also resident art expert at Blacks Club Soho and has appeared on Sky News and BBC Breakfast talking about art. Catherine is also the author of Women in the Picture (Icon Books, 2020).