"This year has been a big one for coffee table books. If you want a conversation-starter or simply a beautiful book of inspiration, these are the new ones that caught our eye in 2025," according to My Modern Met. The art coffee table book is a unique genre. Part book, part object, part gift. It sits on a table and announces something about the owner's taste. It is opened, browsed, put down, picked up again. It is not read cover to cover. It is lived with. The best art coffee table books of 2025 span every theme. "Monet and Venice" (Rizzoli/Brooklyn Museum, $51.26) accompanies a groundbreaking exhibition of Monet's overlooked Venetian cityscapes, "correcting that fact through stunning reproductions, newly commissioned texts, and maps of Monet's views from Venice." Phaidon's "Butterfly: Exploring the World of Lepidoptera" ($55.87) gathers "more than 250 examples of how this beloved insect has inspired paintings, sculptures, photography, textiles, jewelry, and so much more throughout history." "Gabriele Münter: Contours of a World" (Guggenheim, $51.26) captures the German Expressionist's "singular style through both significant and lesser-known works, including examples of her photography." "David Hockney: My Window" (Taschen, pocket ed., $18.64) spans "120 of his iPhone and iPad paintings that capture the views outside of his Yorkshire home." "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" (Met, $69.90) offers "an unforgettable and wholly extraordinary overview of Black menswear and style since the 18th century."
Coffee table books are different from art history textbooks. Textbooks teach. Coffee table books inspire. The best ones combine scholarship with production values, heavy paper, rich color reproduction, thoughtful design, that make the art on the page as close to the art on the wall as a book can get. This guide covers the best art coffee table books by theme, from Impressionism and modern art to contemporary art, photography, fashion and style, architecture and design, nature and science, and the luxury splurge, with specific titles, prices, and publishers for each category. For more on specific works, see our guide to famous paintings.
Art books on a library shelf. Coffee table books are objects as much as texts, "a conversation-starter or simply a beautiful book of inspiration" (My Modern Met). Image via Wikimedia Commons
Impressionism and Modern Art
"Monet and Venice" (Rizzoli/Brooklyn Museum, 2025, $51.26) accompanies a groundbreaking exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum. "These works have long been overlooked, if not forgotten, by the art world since their original debut in 1912. This catalog corrects that fact through stunning reproductions, newly commissioned texts, and maps of Monet's views from Venice." For the Impressionist lover who thinks they have seen everything, they have not seen this. Monet's Venetian cityscapes are a corner of his work that most people do not know exists, and this book brings them back into focus.
"Gabriele Münter: Contours of a World" (Guggenheim, 2025, $51.26) is the other standout. "German Expressionist Gabriele Münter was a force to be reckoned with, standing at the forefront of her country's avant-garde scene thanks to her introspective portraits, vivid landscapes, and illustrative forms." The book includes her photography from extensive travels in the U.S. "This expansive volume is not to be missed, especially given its focus on a trailblazing woman artist." Münter has been historically overshadowed by her partner Wassily Kandinsky, and this volume is part of the broader revision of art history that is finally giving her the attention she deserves.
Gombrich's "The Story of Art" (16th edition, Phaidon, $25-30) is not a coffee table book in the traditional sense, but it is the best one-volume art history book ever written. "A gift that keeps giving for decades," as Austin Gallery puts it. The essential foundation for any art library, and at under $30, the best value on this list.
Claude Monet's Venetian cityscapes, long overlooked since their 1912 debut, are the subject of "Monet and Venice" (Rizzoli/Brooklyn Museum, 2025, $51.26). Image via Wikimedia Commons
Contemporary Art
"David Hockney: My Window" (Taschen, pocket ed., 2025, $18.64) spans "120 of his iPhone and iPad paintings that capture the views outside of his Yorkshire home. For Hockney fans, this wallet-friendly keepsake is a no-brainer." The pocket edition makes Hockney's digital art accessible and proves that a great coffee table book does not have to cost $100. Hockney has been making digital paintings on his iPhone and iPad since 2009, and this is the most affordable way to see them collected.
"Iván Tovar: The Legends Collection" (Assouline, 2025, $195) is the first-ever monograph of the Dominican surrealist. "The Dominican artist created psychedelic, bizarre, and altogether imaginative paintings, many of which are gathered for the first time ever in Assouline's Iván Tovar monograph. As well-constructed as it is unexpected, this decadent tome might just be home to your new favorite surrealist." For the collector who has Dalí and Picasso but not Tovar.
Taschen's "Art of the 20th Century" (840 pages, $40) is a steal. "At around $40, this is a steal for a book of this quality and scale. It's the kind of gift that makes people say 'where did you find this?'" according to Austin Gallery. It covers every major movement from Expressionism to Pop Art to Conceptualism. For more on what is current, see our guide to contemporary art trends.
David Hockney's iPhone and iPad paintings are collected in "David Hockney: My Window" (Taschen, pocket ed., $18.64). "For Hockney fans, this wallet-friendly keepsake is a no-brainer" (My Modern Met). Image via Wikimedia Commons
Photography
"Black Photojournalism" (Carnegie Museum of Art, 2025, $60.58) is the most important photography book on this list. "This evocative survey journeys from 1945 to 1984, a critical time period in the Civil Rights Movement throughout the United States. Black Photojournalism weaves stories of resilience through Black photojournalists, each of whom played a pivotal role in advocating for social change and transformation. This volume proves that Black photojournalism and its impact reverberates through the centuries." For anyone interested in the intersection of photography, journalism, and social history.
"Butterfly: Exploring the World of Lepidoptera" (Phaidon, 2025, $55.87) is part of Phaidon's Explorer series, "gathering more than 250 examples of how this beloved insect has inspired paintings, sculptures, photography, textiles, jewelry, and so much more throughout history. Even a short skim will reveal that this survey is as richly researched as it is delightfully vibrant." Not strictly a photography book, but the photographic reproductions are remarkable. For more on the camera as an art form, see our guide to photography as art.
Fashion and Style
"Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" (Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2025, $69.90) is published on the occasion of the Met's latest Costume Institute exhibition. "Superfine offers an unforgettable and wholly extraordinary overview of Black menswear and style since the 18th century. At the book's core is an exploration of dandyism, whose influences emerge in everything from hip streetwear to sleek suits. For those unable to shake the impact of the exhibition, this catalog is indispensable." The Met's Costume Institute exhibitions produce the best fashion books in the world, and this is one of them. For more on how art reflects culture, see our guide to art and society.
Architecture and Design
"Archigram: The Magazine" (Distributed Art Publishers, 2025, $195) is a feat of book engineering. "Many consider Archigram to be architecture's most influential, innovative, and beloved underground magazine, originally founded in 1961. Now, DAP revives the magazine through an outstanding feat of book engineering and design, complete with exact facsimiles of all 10 issues of Archigram. Accompanying the facsimiles are fully illustrated reader's guides, tributes from the architectural community, an index of key concepts, a scrapbook of unseen archival images, a bibliography, and biographies." At $195, this is a splurge, but it is also a work of book art in itself.
"The Reimagined Home: Sustainable Spaces Created with Joy" (Quadrille, 2025, $50) lets "interior stylist and journalist Nicole Gray lets readers peek into 16 of the world's most sustainable homes, belonging to such creatives as Shelley Simpson, Kally Ellis, and Jules Haines." For the design lover who cares about sustainability. For more on living with art, see our guide to how to decorate with art.
Nature and Science
"Almost every year, Phaidon releases a new addition to its renowned Explorer series, which considers topics like trees, birds, and the ocean through an art historical lens," according to My Modern Met. The Explorer series is the best nature-through-art series being published. Each volume is a visual feast that crosses disciplines. "Butterfly" ($55.87) is the 2025 entry, with 250 artworks inspired by lepidoptera.
Thames and Hudson's "Hokusai's Fuji" (2025) is "another stunning book... the attention to detail, the sheer beauty of the object, perfectly complements the art within," according to Vogue. For the Japanophile or the ukiyo-e enthusiast. For more on Hokusai and the floating world, see our guide to Japanese woodblock prints.
The Luxury Splurge: $150+
"Archigram: The Magazine" (DAP, $195) gives you exact facsimiles of all 10 issues, with reader's guides, tributes, and archival images. A work of book art about a work of magazine art. "Iván Tovar: The Legends Collection" (Assouline, $195) is the first-ever monograph of the Dominican surrealist. "As well-constructed as it is unexpected." Caran d'Ache Alpine Frost Ballpoint Pens ($77.50 to $742.50) are not a book, but they are the most luxurious art-adjacent gift in the ARTnews 2025 guide. "Swiss precision writing tools... winter-inspired finishes are a pleasure to look at, and the weight feels ideal in hand."
The principle: luxury splurge gifts are about exclusivity and craftsmanship. The recipient should feel that the object was made with care, in limited quantities, for people who appreciate the difference. For more gift ideas across price points, see our guide to art gifts.
How to Choose the Right Art Book
Match the book to the person's specific interest, not to a general category. For the Impressionist lover: "Monet and Venice" ($51.26), overlooked works, newly commissioned texts, maps of Monet's views. For the contemporary art fan: "David Hockney: My Window" ($18.64), affordable, pocket-sized, digital art from a master. For the photography enthusiast: "Black Photojournalism" ($60.58), social history through the lens, 1945 to 1984. For the fashion lover: "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" ($69.90), the Met's Costume Institute exhibition in book form. For the architect or designer: "Archigram: The Magazine" ($195), a feat of book engineering and design. For the nature lover: "Butterfly" ($55.87), 250 artworks inspired by butterflies, across history and media. For the art history beginner: Gombrich's "The Story of Art" ($25-30), the foundation. Start here.
The more specific the match, the more thoughtful the gift. The Impressionist lover does not want a book on contemporary art. The photography enthusiast does not want a book on fashion. For more on building an art education, see our guide to teaching yourself art history.
Final Thoughts
The best art coffee table books of 2025 span every theme and every budget, from "David Hockney: My Window" (Taschen, pocket ed., $18.64, 120 iPhone and iPad paintings) to "Archigram: The Magazine" (DAP, $195, exact facsimiles of all 10 issues). "Monet and Venice" (Rizzoli/Brooklyn Museum, $51.26) corrects the oversight of Monet's Venetian cityscapes, "long overlooked... since their original debut in 1912." "Gabriele Münter: Contours of a World" (Guggenheim, $51.26) captures a "trailblazing woman artist" of German Expressionism. "Butterfly" (Phaidon, $55.87) gathers "more than 250 examples" of butterfly-inspired art across history. "Black Photojournalism" (Carnegie Museum of Art, $60.58) journeys from 1945 to 1984 through the Civil Rights Movement. "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" (Met, $69.90) offers "an unforgettable and wholly extraordinary overview of Black menswear and style since the 18th century." "Iván Tovar: The Legends Collection" (Assouline, $195) is "the first time ever" the Dominican surrealist's work has been gathered in a monograph. "Archigram: The Magazine" (DAP, $195) is "an outstanding feat of book engineering and design." Gombrich's "The Story of Art" ($25-30) remains "a gift that keeps giving for decades." For a broader selection of art-focused gifts, see this curated selection from East West Bank.
Think about the person you are shopping for. What kind of art do they love? Impressionism? Contemporary? Photography? Fashion? Architecture? Nature? Find the book that matches their specific interest, not a general "history of art" book, but a book about the thing they already love. The right art book is not just a gift. It is a recognition. It says: I see what you care about, and I found something that will deepen that care. That is what the best art books do. They deepen our caring.
