By following the trail of clues through each masterpiece this book explores the life of the artist and the masterpiece from its conception through to its unveiling and afterlife. The focus is mainly on David by Michelangelo and The Scream by Edvard Munch. The book covers a broad range of themes: the process by which a work was made - who commissioned it, the people involved in making it; the historic context; the reception of the work when unveiled; the theft of artworks; and the restoration of damaged works; dramatic discoveries, such as some of Rembrandt's works, which were painted over when out of fashion in previous centuries.