Great Art Explained by James Payne

Last updated: 25 October 2026

What is in Great Art Explained

Each of the thirty chapters takes one famous work. Payne looks at the object itself, then at the artist's life and where the work sits in the rest of their career. The aim is to show what makes it worth the fuss, without art-theory language.

The works come from around the world and across five centuries. Alongside the obvious names, he includes Hilma af Klint, the Swedish painter whose abstract work was largely unseen until long after her death. Because each chapter stands alone, it works as a book to dip into rather than read cover to cover.

The YouTube channel behind it

Payne is a writer and curator, and his Great Art Explained channel built a large worldwide audience before the book came out. The book follows the same approach as the videos, one artwork at a time. Stephen Fry, quoted on the cover, calls it "the best introduction to the lifelong pleasure and rewards of looking at pictures since Gombrich".

Thames & Hudson also sells a signed edition, but when I checked, Bookshop.org had the signed copy out of stock, so the standard hardback is the one to buy. The publisher's details are on its page for Great Art Explained.

Key facts

• Author: James Payne
• Publisher: Thames & Hudson
• Published: 2 October 2025
• Format: hardback, 320 pages, 223 illustrations
• Size: 24.5 x 21cm and about 1.5kg, a little smaller than a sheet of A4 and as heavy as a full 1.5-litre bottle
• ISBN: 9780500025956

Who it suits as a gift

It suits someone who likes going to galleries but finds the wall labels hard going. It is also a good fit for anyone who already watches the channel, since the book lets them keep the explanations on a shelf. And for a teenager starting art at school, the one-work-per-chapter format is an easy way in.

The limits

Thirty works is a small number for a subject this big, and most of them are already famous. A reader who knows art history well will find little that is new. It is also a large, heavy hardback, so it is a book for a table or a shelf rather than a bag. For a wider survey, Phaidon's Great Women Artists covers more than 400 artists.

Where to buy it in the UK

Amazon UK had the hardback at £22.81, in stock. Bookshop.org had it at £28.50, ready to despatch, and every order there supports independent bookshops.

Buy from AmazonBuy from Bookshop.org

FAQs

What is Great Art Explained?

It is James Payne's book of his YouTube channel, explaining thirty famous paintings and sculptures one chapter at a time.

How much does Great Art Explained cost?

On 24 October 2026, Amazon UK had the hardback at £22.81 and Bookshop.org at £28.50.

How many artworks does it cover?

Thirty, from Botticelli and Monet to Hilma af Klint.

Is there a signed edition?

Yes, Thames & Hudson sells one. It was out of stock at Bookshop.org on 13 October 2026.

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