The Art of Air and Space

The first book exclusively dedicated to the renowned art collection at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum

Explore the sky and space like never before through 275 artworks spanning realism, abstraction, surrealism, photorealism, pop art, and more, including many works that have never been seen by the public

The National Air and Space Museum is home to a surprisingly expansive art collection, and The Art of Air and Space invites readers to delve into the sky—and beyond—through the eyes of those who have captured the human impulse for flight. Spanning the late 18th century to present day, the collection reveals the wonders of flight in a range of media and styles, from etchings, paintings, lithographs, and sculpture to contemporary photography, including:

• Francisco Goya’s 19th century fanciful etching of flying men 
• Norman Rockwell’s Americana paintings of the early space program

• Georgia O’Keeffe’s aerial painting after her first commercial flights
• Alma Thomas’s vibrant abstract paintings inspired by the Moon missions

• Henri Farré’s first-hand aerial combat drawings made during World War I
• Annie Leibovitz’s portrait photography from the NASA Art Program
• Morris Graves’s cosmic conceptual sculptures

• Robert McCall’s promotional paintings for 2001: A Space Odyssey and Star Trek
• An impressive total of 275 artworks from renowned and contemporary artists including Ay-O, Chesley Bonestell, Alexander Calder, Howard Chandler Christy, Honoré Daumier, Richard Estes, Audrey Flack, Morris Graves, Malcolm Morely, Anne Noggle, Robert Rauschenberg, Étienne Trouvelot, and William Wegman.

The 13 chapters explore the theme of flight through art movements, individual artists, and subjects ranging from early flight, aviation, atmospheres, and space exploration. The artists in The Art of Air and Space interpret not merely machines, but also the human experience tied to flight—curiosity, ambition, fear, and wonder. This innovative intersection of art, science, and technology invites everyone to reflect upon their own aspirations and relationships with the skies above.