There are many great works of art, but what makes a genuine masterpiece? Find the answers in this captivating book, which looks at the fascinating stories behind the world's most famous artworks - the ones that can truly claim that label. Starting with Botticelli's The Birth of Venus, travel through time periods and styles to Warhol's Campbell's Soup Cans, and into the twenty-first century with Amy Sherald's portrait of Michelle Obama. Each work reveals that making a masterpiece involves much more than just artistic skill: their paths to fame are filled with stories of theft, scandal, artistic reputation, politics and power. Making a Masterpiece looks beyond the frame to show that the journey from the easel to popular acclaim can be as compelling as the art itself. Book jacket.