Imagine hurrying down the corridors of pre-revolutionary Versailles in the company of Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, the most sought-after portraitist of her day. Who will you meet as you drop in at her studio? The Duchess of Polignac, one of the great beauties of the Ancien Régime, or the ill-fated queen herself, Marie Antoinette? Or fast-forward to the 19th century, to the Provence of Cézanne and Van Gogh, then on to Jazz Age Paris, where a group of African American artists are setting the city alight. Next: the French Riviera, where for six months Picasso made his home. Wherever you roam, the Art of Travel series takes you into the heart of France’s great cities, in the company of the great artists.

With twelve chapters, each devoted to an artist or group of artists, and accompanying itineraries, you can immerse yourself in their world, wandering in and out of palaces, grand residences and artist's studios to admire their work in situ – all from the comfort of your armchair. A bespoke illustrated map with hand-drawn vignettes brings to vivid life episodes from the artists' often turbulent lives, as well as key landmarks and local colour. Set off on your own Grand Tour for the 21st century.

Imagine being led through the backstreets of 17th-Century Rome with the dazzling but dangerous Caravaggio as your guide. You call at the spectacular palazzo of his great patron, Cardinal Scipione Borghese, stop in a tavern to meet his lover and model, Fillide Melandroni. And then he leads you past the Pantheon to the church of San Luigi dei Francesi to see his latest painting, one which – we now know – is about to change the course of art history.

Four hundred years later, that painting – the Calling of St Matthew – is still hanging in the same place in the same church. And the Caravaggio trail is just one of a dozen itineraries through which this book traces the lives and works of more than twenty artists, from Giotto to Tiepolo and Raphael to Artemisia Gentileschi. By following their footsteps you will be immersed in their worlds and discover paintings and sculptures which are still in situ – in the churches and chapels, palaces and villas for which they were originally made.

These seminal works, some famous, many little seen or appreciated by visitors, offer an inspiring take on art history, as well as an imaginative travel guide. Illustrated with sumptuous photography, detailed reproductions and beautiful maps, and paired with contextual and engaging accounts of specific works, In the Footsteps of the Great Artists brings your travels vividly to life, as you stand where they stood, see what they saw, feel what they felt?

Whether in the throes of passion, enduring the pain of unrequited love, or basking in the joy of a wonderfully supportive friendship, What Art Can Tell Us About Love explores the myriad ways love has influenced artists, shaped the work they created, and altered the course of art history.

Beautifully illustrated with full-colour photographs of more than 70 artworks, this guide looks at how artists have painted, sketched and modelled their lovers – and how the theme of love has found its way into a broad range of works, from landscapes to still-life and self-portraits.

Artists include: Caravaggio, Georgia O’Keeffe, Sarah Bernhardt, Picasso, Rembrandt, Frida Kahlo, Tamara de Lempicka, Clifford Prince-King, Chagall, Lotte Laserstein and Niki de Saint Phalle.

This book offers a refreshing and fascinating narrative for those curious about why so-called ‘masterpieces’ are so important and how the story of art can be boiled down to flashes of fascinating brilliance.