Art education isn’t just about learning how to paint, cut and draw. It’s also about going back through history, and getting a better understanding of how the greatest artists of their times changed the way we look at our world, and also how to look beyond the iconic artworks we see in books and museums and delve further into the often fascinating stories behind them.

For instance, we love visiting famous museums like the Musee d’Orsay in Paris or the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia, and just getting lost in the beauty of the landscapes of such now revered paintings as Van Gogh’s 'Starry Night Over the Rhone', or Henri Cross’ 'Two Women by the Shore, Mediterranean'. But did you know that the first exhibit of Impressionist paintings in 1874 in the French capital brought only scorn and derision from both the public and the critical establishment? History, of course, would prove the critics wrong.

A pair of books in the wonderful DK The Met Series focus on two of the movement’s earliest figures, Paul Cezanne and Claude Monet. Vividly illustrated (as are all of the titles in this series), the latter tells the story of how young Claude was surely destined to become an artist, as he was doodling in his classes instead of paying attention - and then by 15 years of age was making cartoon drawings of people in his neighborhood and selling them for a little pocket money. It also includes a timeline of his most famous works, as well as a how-to on painting the Japanese style bridges he so loved to depict.

We especially love that women are greatly represented in the series, with books about Georgia O’Keefe (renowned for her enigmatic flower paintings), Louise Bourgeois, Frida Kahlo and Faith Ringgold. The latter’s is subtitled 'Narrating the World in Pattern and Color' for good reason. Born in Harlem in 1930, the pages follow Faith on a visit to West Africa in the 1970s, where she was profoundly inspired by all the beautifully colorful fabrics she discovered there - which afterwards found her more deeply exploring her African heritage, and incorporating aspects of what she learned into her work. 

But if you’re just looking for an idea for a fun family Saturday morning, we most definitely recommended titles like ‘Where Did Van Gogh Go?’, a kind of Where’s Waldo for art lovers; 'Lost in The Museum', which follows a 7-year-old girl on a journey through the galleries of The Met Museum as she tries to reunite with her parents; and finally 'The Met Dress-Up Paper Dolls', inspired by the museum’s Costume Institute, which revisits 170 years of beautiful fashion trends, with pop-out paper dolls to dress up in some of those iconic styles. 

With twenty-three titles in the series, including ABCs and counting board books for the little-little ones, and the riveting, best-selling 5000 Awesome Objects - which gives a unique peek into The Met's centuries-spanning collection - there's something for everyone here. Just don't be surprised if spending time with these books ultimately inspires a trip to the museum in person.