A new book from James Payne, creator of the hit channel Great Art Explained, explores 30 masterpieces with clarity, wit and a refusal to hide behind jargon.
Want to know more about art history delivered with epic storytelling? From Goya to Klimt, to Basquiat to Schiele — Great Art Explained is the YouTube channel to watch.
James Payne, the founder of the channel, has now turned his attention to print. His new book of the same name sets out to uncover the stories behind 30 of the world’s most celebrated works of art, from Renaissance paintings to modernist icons.
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Each chapter delves not only into the work itself but also into the artist’s life and the painting or sculpture’s place within their wider oeuvre — in short, what makes it great.
Payne’s interest in art stretches back more than three decades. After training as an artist at Central Saint Martins in London, he worked as a curator before opening his own gallery in East London. He has also written as a critic and essayist for a number of art publications.
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In a world of noise and distraction” Payne says, “great art slows us down. It demands attention, reflection, and interpretation. It doesn’t exist to give us easy answers – but it does give us better questions
James Payne
When the pandemic forced him to pause his career, Payne began producing short films on YouTube as a way of keeping his engagement with art history alive. What began as a stopgap quickly gained momentum. Within a year the channel had become the largest of its kind on the platform, amassing more than two million subscribers and over 60 million views worldwide.
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The best introduction to the lifelong pleasure and rewards of looking at pictures since Gombrich. An instant classic
Stephen Fry
The book follows the same plain-speaking approach as his films, steering clear of jargon and academic detours. Instead, Payne aims to explain why certain works have endured, and how they continue to resonate across cultures and centuries.
About James Payne
James Payne is a writer, curator and educator, as well as the creator of popular YouTube channels Great Art Explained and Great Books Explained. Payne’s videos have been shown at museums and galleries such as the Albertina Museum in Vienna, and the National Gallery in London. He has given talks in several countries, including South Korea, Portugal and Italy. Payne was also co-owner and Head Curator of PayneShurvell gallery (2010-14).
Great Art Explained
James Payne
223 illustrations | £30
Publisher : Thames and Hudson Ltd
Publication date : 2 Oct. 2025
Edition: 1st
Language: English
Print length: 320 pages
ISBN-10: 0500025959
ISBN-13: 978-0500025956
Item weight : 1.55 kg
Dimensions : 21.84 x 3.3 x 25.4 cm
©2025 Thames and Hudson Ltd
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