Brett Whiteley died in 1992 at the age of fifty-three, ending one of the most prodigious careers in the history of Australian art. Whiteley's early paintings startled critics and fellow artists. With their sensuality of colour and erotic under-drawing, two basic subjects were evident: the landscape and the nude.

This book presents an illuminating evaluation of Whiteley's achievement. Works dating from the 1950s until the last years of his life, illustrated in 180 colour plates, allow Whiteley's fascinating career to be surveyed in its entirety. Three accompanying texts provide different perspectives on his life and art: Barry Pearce, Head Curator at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, gives a comprehensive overview of the artist and his work; Bryan Robertson offers an impression of Whiteley's years in London; and Wendy Whiteley, his model and wife for over three decades, contributes an intimate portrait of the man behind the work.

Superbly illustrated and produced, Brett Whiteley: Art & Live is a fitting tribute to one of Australia's most significant artists, a man whose outstanding work will continue to influence and inspire for many years to come.