This article first appeared in The National Book ReviewCOLUMN: THE BIBLIOPHILEThe Art of the Affair: An Illustrated History of Love, Sex, and Artistic Influence by Catherine Lacey and Forsyth HarmonBloomsbury USA, 96 pp. An eminently well-read friend, with a glint in her eye, turned me onto The Art of the Affair: An Illustrated History of Love, Sex and Artistic Influence. A self-professed "Illustrated History of Love, Sex, and Artistic Influence" promises a certain amount of thrill and titillation, and this one delivers. The visual effect is light and luminous, reminding us of the transient, almost flitting beauty of love that inspires and evaporates. But the book offers satisfyingly panoramic insights, exploring the fertility of friendships and love affairs that spanned across multiple continents and art forms.

Source: Huffington Post February 05, 2017 18:24 UTC