Summer Reading List: 15 Classic Art Books to Rediscover in August 2026
Artribune has published a curated list of 15 classic art books to rediscover during the summer of 2026, specifically for Ferragosto (August 15th). The list includes works by Carla Lonzi, Roberto Longhi, Nicolas Bourriaud, Erwin Panofsky, George Grosz, Valentina Tanni, Alberto Arbasino, Rosalind E. Krauss, Tatiana Bazzichelli, Paul Klee, Aby Warburg, Heinrich Wölfflin, Vasilij Kandinskij, Walter Benjamin, Georges Didi-Huberman, Meyer Schapiro, and Francis Haskell. The selection spans art history, criticism, visual culture, and digital aesthetics, aiming to provide essential reading for art enthusiasts. Each entry includes publication details and prices, with some available for purchase via Amazon affiliate links. The list highlights both foundational texts and more recent works, such as Valentina Tanni's 'Memestetica' (2023) and Aby Warburg's 'Atlante delle immagini' (2026 edition). The article emphasizes the importance of revisiting classics to better understand contemporary art and visual culture.
Key facts
- The list includes 15 classic art books to rediscover in summer 2026.
- Featured authors: Carla Lonzi, Roberto Longhi, Nicolas Bourriaud, Erwin Panofsky, George Grosz, Valentina Tanni, Alberto Arbasino, Rosalind E. Krauss, Tatiana Bazzichelli, Paul Klee, Aby Warburg, Heinrich Wölfflin, Vasilij Kandinskij, Walter Benjamin, Georges Didi-Huberman, Meyer Schapiro, Francis Haskell.
- Carla Lonzi's 'Autoritratto' was first published in 1969 and reissued by La Tartaruga in 2024 (416 pp., €22.00).
- Roberto Longhi's 'Caravaggio' was first published in 1952 and expanded in 1968; the edition listed is from Editori Riuniti, 2006 (XXXVIII + 245 pp., €18.00).
- Nicolas Bourriaud's 'Estetica Relazionale' was published by Postmedia Books in 2010 (144 pp., €16.90).
- Erwin Panofsky's 'La prospettiva come forma simbolica' was originally published in 1927; the edition listed is from Abscondita, 2013 (173 pp., €21.00).
- George Grosz's autobiography 'Un piccolo sì e un grande no' was published by Longanesi & C. in 1975 (337 pp.).
- Valentina Tanni's 'Memestetica' was published by NERO in 2023 (303 pp., €18.00).
- Alberto Arbasino's 'Le Muse a Los Angeles' was published by Adelphi in 2000 (286 pp., €18.00).
- Rosalind E. Krauss's 'L'originalità dell'avanguardia e altri miti modernisti' was published in Italy by Fazi in 2007 (367 pp., €44.50).
- Tatiana Bazzichelli's 'Networking. La rete come arte' was published by Costa & Nolan in 2006 (333 pp., €21.00).
- Paul Klee's 'Confessione creatrice e altri scritti' was published by Abscondita in 2024 (112 pp., €14.00).
- Aby Warburg's 'Atlante delle immagini' was published by Carocci in 2026 (456 pp., €59.00), curated by Maurizio Ghelardi and Monica Centanni.
- Heinrich Wölfflin's 'Concetti fondamentali della storia dell'arte' was published by Abscondita in 2023 (304 pp., €29.00).
- Vasilij Kandinskij's 'Lo spirituale nell'arte' was published by SE in 2005 (168 pp., €19.00).
- Walter Benjamin's 'L'opera d'arte nell'epoca della sua riproducibilità tecnica' was published by Einaudi in 2014 (106 pp., €11.00).
- Georges Didi-Huberman's 'Immagini malgrado tutto' was published by Raffaello Cortina Editore in 2005 (228 pp., €24.00).
- Meyer Schapiro's 'Parole e immagini' was published by Pratiche in 1992 (€15.00).
- Francis Haskell's 'Mecenati e pittori' was published by Einaudi in 2020 (696 pp., €32.00).
Entities
Artists
- Carla Lonzi
- Roberto Longhi
- Nicolas Bourriaud
- Erwin Panofsky
- George Grosz
- Valentina Tanni
- Alberto Arbasino
- Rosalind E. Krauss
- Tatiana Bazzichelli
- Paul Klee
- Aby Warburg
- Heinrich Wölfflin
- Vasilij Kandinskij
- Walter Benjamin
- Georges Didi-Huberman
- Meyer Schapiro
- Francis Haskell
- Carla Accardi
- Lucio Fontana
- Jannis Kounellis
- Giulio Paolini
- Pino Pascali
- Cy Twombly
- Caravaggio
- Rodin
- Picasso
- Duchamp
- Giacometti
- Maurizio Ghelardi
- Monica Centanni
- Tommaso Tozzi
- Giacomo Verde
- Federico Bucalossi
- Jaromil
Institutions
- Artribune
- La Tartaruga
- Editori Riuniti
- Postmedia Books
- Abscondita
- Longanesi & C.
- NERO
- Adelphi
- Fazi
- Costa & Nolan
- Carocci
- Einaudi
- SE
- Raffaello Cortina Editore
- Pratiche
- Amazon
Locations
- Italy
- Los Angeles
- California
- Malibu
- Pasadena
- San Simeon
- San Francisco
- Getty Center
- Auschwitz-Birkenau
- Berlin