A BELLY FLOP INTO ART HISTORY
Art is everywhere! It’s in company logos and movies, in video games and politics. Ever since humans have existed, they’ve been creating art—sometimes dazzling and colorful, sometimes dark and menacing. Museums and galleries are a vast reservoir of bubbling creativity. Here, horses can be blue and masterpieces can be made of trash. The world of art is an immense source of enrichment. At the same time, many people feel overwhelmed and put off by it. But that’s all over now! Jakob Schwerdtfeger captivates both art novices and experts alike with his unique perspective. What does Impressionism have to do with dog sweaters? Why does Cubism look like someone punched a mirror? And how did the Renaissance become the “nerd” among art eras? This book has a different vibe—Schwerdtfeger gets us excited about art.
1,000 years of art history, covering all the major eras from the Middle Ages to the present: PERIOD, COMMA, DASH—AND THERE YOU HAVE IT: ART HISTORY.

“THIS BOOK IS MY DECLARATION OF LOVE FOR ART.”
Stand-up comedian and art historian Jakob Schwerdtfeger brings together a wealth of masterpieces, hidden gems, anecdotes, and art scandals. Across 300 pages, Schwerdtfeger offers a contemporary and refreshing perspective on art history that isn’t limited to the Western canon. With playful ease, he conveys well-researched facts and passion. This unique blend of entertainment and knowledge lets us experience art in a new way. Like a truffle-hunting pig, Schwerdtfeger searches for fun facts and explores why the Mona Lisa ended up in a pizza ad and how one artist managed to outsmart Google Maps. “I wrote the book I’ve always wanted to read about art myself.”
After reading this book, every museum visit becomes a real treat. Finally, art is presented in a fun, lighthearted, and educational way. There are thousands of paths through art history, but Jakob Schwerdtfeger’s is certainly the most entertaining.

MORE ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE ART WORLD
Jakob Schwerdtfeger (born in 1988) is an art historian and stand-up comedian. After studying art history, he worked for several years in art education at the renowned Städel Museum in Frankfurt. Whether on stage, as a TV host, author, curator, or in online formats, Jakob Schwerdtfeger combines art knowledge with entertainment—in an innovative, insightful, and funny way. He has been performing on stage since 2012 and is currently touring with his show “Meisterwerk.” His first book, “Ich sehe etwas, was du nicht siehst – und das ist Kunst” (dtv 2023), became a bestseller. Schwerdtfeger lives in Frankfurt am Main.