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I am looking for books that contains photos of paintings and/or statues, historical buildings. These books are typically used as a sort of art gallery on high-quality paper, but I don't know the specific name in the English language.

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In the industry they're called "art books", but everyone actually calls them "coffee-table books".

(Because people leave them on their coffee tables -- the long, low table in front of the couch -- to make guests think they're cultured.)

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Are you slightly biased im saying that? I'm joking, I know that such books are rarely even browsed through after getting them, I have a whole sheld of them and I don't remember when I last opened one... – Paola Aug 5 '12 at 1:23
@Paola -- maybe I can't prove what the books are really used for but what other purpose do they serve? Have you ever been leaving the office on a blustery day and said to yourself, "I can't wait to get home and curl up with a huge picture-book about pre-Columbian Venezuelan pottery? – Malvolio Aug 5 '12 at 5:22
To name a few uses: research (writing, design, film making), reference (painting, 3d modelling), inspiration (example art books of a particular artist or style), or general appreciation (astronomer having books of galaxies and stars). – WSkid Aug 5 '12 at 9:20

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