The Yale Dictionary of Art and Artists

I was aware that the famous portrait of Goethe sitting in the Campagna in a flamboyant hat was painted by Tischbein, but I could not tell you the artist’s forenames. I learned from this dictionary that the forenames are important here, because there was actually a “dynasty” of artistic Tischbeins, including Johann Heinrich the Elder, “Kassel” Tischbein, Johann Friedrich August, “Leipzig” Tischbein, and Johann Heinrich Wilhelm, “Goethe” Tischbein.

The Yale Dictonary of Art and Artists aims “to act as a reference book for travellers and gallery visitors” and “to provide at‐home information to students of Western art and general...