THE DEVIL IN THE GALLERY How Scandal, Shock, and Rivalry Shaped the Art World

Listeners will feel they are sitting in a museum gallery, hearing narrator Julian Elfer lecture in his cultured British voice about the positive effects of scandal, shock, and rivalry on the art world. While these subjects are enticing, the content of this audiobook is serious art history. Elfer has a lot of ground to cover in three lengthy chapters, each devoted to a single theme. The artists discussed range from Renaissance to contemporary, each examined for their ability to shock or create scandal. Rivals include conceptual artists Damien Hirst and Jason deCaires Taylor, along with Caravaggio and Giovanni Baglione. As engaging as Elfer is and as descriptive as the writing is, the listener would benefit from seeing the illustrations in the print version of the book. J.E.S. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2022]