New
Art Books / Videos
YALE
UNIVERSITY PRESS: Nineteenth-Century Art in the Norton Simon Museum
by Richard R. Brettell & Stephen
Eisenman. 496 pp.; 10 ¼ x 11 ¾; 466 Illus., 226 in
Color; Artists’ Letters; Bibliography; Index. $95.00 Hardcover. The
Collectible Moment: Catalogue of Photographs in the Norton Simon Museum
(Ed.) Gloria Williams Sander. 341 pp.; 10 x 11 7/8;
B/W & Color Illus.; Catalogue of the Collection; Selected Bibliography;
Index. $65.00 hardcover. The first catalogue, a sumptuously
produced and lavishly illustrated volume, meticulously catalogues the
138 artworks that make up the impressive collection of 19th-Century
art in the holdings of the Norton Simon Museum of Art. Each entry is
accompanied by a critical essay, provenance information, and history
of exhibition, as well as additional information on conservation and
bibliographic notes. Scholarly and comprehensive, this impressive undertaking
firmly places the collection of Norton Simon in the cultural context
of his time. The second, The Collectible Moment,
catalogues the photographs of the same institution. As with the first,
a host of scholars add critical commentary to the over 500 images included.
Combined, the two make an impressive presentation. *****
PRESTEL:
Picasso’s Collection of African and Oceanic Art: Masters of Metamorphosis
by Peter Stepan. 136 pp.; 8
½ x 11; 266 Illus., 136 in Color; Index. $85.00 Hardcover. If
you’ve ever wondered where the inspiration for Picasso’s Les Demoiselles
d’Avignon came from,
wonder no longer — Peter Stepan’s comprehensive overview of Picasso’s
private collection of African and Oceanic art in
Masters of Metamorphosis will more than enlighten you.
Excellent reproductions and informative text. ****
INDIANA
UNIVERSITY PRESS: Domenico Tiepolo: A New Testament by
Adelheid M. Gealt and George Knox. 888 pp.; 8 ½ x 11; 640
Illus., 339 in Color; List of Subjects Illustrated and Subjects Omitted;
List of Exhibitions; Bibliography; General Index; Biblical and Apocryphal
Reference Index. $75.00 Hardcover. Published in conjunction
with an exhibition currently at The Frick Collection, NYC, (thru Jan
7, ’07), A New Testament is a
stunning new study of Tiepolo’s drawings, a combination of artistic,
biblical, and Venetian culture that amplifies what is already a virtuosic
display of inspired draftsmanship by this Venetian master. Exhaustively
complete, this scholarly study is destined to become a treasured addition
to the library of the most discriminating book/art collector. Includes
full-color reproductions of some 313 drawings of biblical subjects from
the New Testament. Hugely impressive! *****
UNIVERSITY
OF PENNSYLVANIA PRESS: Romare Bearden: The Caribbean Dimension by
Sally Price & Richard Price. 192 pp.; 8 ½ x 11; 184 Illus,
79 in Color; Source Notes; References Cited. $49.95 Hardcover. With
enough color to impress the most fervent of fauvists, The Caribbean
Dimension features the pictorial flamboyance of Romare Bearden’s
impressive Caribbean oeuvre. A delightful visual voyage! *****
QUANTUCK
LANE PRESS: Paterson II: Photographs by George Tice Introduction
by A.D. Coleman. 128 pp.; 9 7/8 x 8 7/8; 99 B/W Photographs. $49.95
Hardcover. Focused on the environs of one city — Paterson,
New Jersey — Paterson II offers up a compelling array of images of city- and
landscapes by photographer George Tice, protégé and printer for the
equally legendary Edward Steichen. A visual treat and a great gift for
that budding photographer. ****
POMEGRANATE: The Art of Robert Bateman Introduction by Roger Tory Peterson, Text by Ramsay Derry. 180 pp.; 11 ½ x 11; Over 130 B/W & Color Illus.; Plates and Commentaries; Sketchbooks; Appendix. $45.00 Hardcover. Whether you are an art or a nature lover, The Art of Robert Bateman ought to be on a prominent shelf of your library. Handsomely produced and beautifully illustrated, this book is as charming as it is instructive. A wonderful gift! ***** David C. Driskell: Artist and Scholar by Julie L. McGee. 216 pp.; 8 ½ x 11; B/W & Color Illus.; Selected Bibliography; Chronology; Index. $45.00 Hardcover. However history eventually evaluates the work of David C. Driskell, it is a sure bet that his work as scholar and lecturer on his black heritage and culture will endure. This is the first comprehensive monograph published on his life and work. ***
BRIGHAM
YOUNG UNIVERSITY: The Intimate Eye: The Drawings of Burton Silverman
by Herman Du Toit w/Introduction
by Burton Silverman. Approx. 55 pp.; 11 3/8 x 14; 48
Illus. $45.00 Hardcover. Handsomely bound and elegantly over-sized, The
Intimate Eye offers up a gallery
of Silverman’s portrait studies. Silverman, the consummate humanist,
rarely disappoints — truly a collector’s item of some of his most
“intimate” takes on the ever-compelling human visage. *****
NATIONAL
GALLERY OF ART/TATE PUBLISHING: Constable’s Great Landscapes: The Six-Foot
Paintings (Ed.) Anne Lyles. 219
pp.; 11 1/8 x 9 5/8; Color Illus.; Notes; Bibliography; Appendix; List
of Exhibited Works; Index. $40.00 Softcover. The accompanying
catalogue to an exhibition of the same name currently on view at the
National Gallery of Art, Washington (thru Dec 31), The Six-Foot Paintings
serves as ample testament to the artistry of this great painter. Detailed
close-ups, extensive commentary, and insights into his sketching techniques,
all combine to offer the reader a comprehensive overview into the life
and work of John Constable. *****
UNIVERSITY
PRESS OF NEW ENGLAND: Nineteenth-Century Painting and Traveling in the
White Mountains (Ed.) Donna-Belle Garvin. 120 pp.; 9 x 12; 110 Illus., 50 in Color;
Notes; Recommended Further Reading. $39.95 Hardcover. As
much an art book as it is a traveler’s guidebook, Nineteenth-Century
Painting and Traveling in the White Mountains is
the accompanying catalogue to an exhibition currently on view at the
Museum of New Hampshire History (thru May 6, ’07). Wonderful reproductions
and a wealth of information about this picturesque region for the armchair
traveler. ****
UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA PRESS: Destination Art by Amy Dempsey. 272 pp.; 9 ¼ x 10; 406 Color
Illus.; Practical Information; Indices; List of Illustrations. $39.95
Hardcover. A practical and informative guide to over 200
art sites around the world, Destination Art is
a lavishly illustrated tour of places that if you cannot see then you
ought to be aware of. A great gift for that armchair traveler. *****
W.W.
NORTON & Co. INC.: Portrait: A Life of Thomas Eakins by
William S. McFeely. 256 pp.; 9 3/8 x 9 ¾; B/W & Color
Illus.; Notes on Sources; Notes; Index. $26.95 Hardcover. The
latest addition to the recent re-discovery of Thomas Eakins, Portrait
offers a sensitive new look at the
painter, his influence, his legacy, and his life. ****
UNIVERSITY
OF WASHINGTON PRESS: A Romance with the Landscape: Realism to Impressionism
by Janie M. Welker & Linda
Stratford. 80 pp.; 8 ½ x 10 ½; 41 Color Illus.; Checklist
of Exhibition; Index of Illustrations. $25.00 Softcover. The
accompanying catalogue to an exhibition that closed this month at the
University of Kentucky Art Museum, A Romance with the Landscape is
a delightful little potpourri of landscape painting by such masters
as Julien Dupré, Jean-François Millet, Nicolas Poussin, Charles-François
Daubigny, Paul Huet, Eugène Boudin, Paul Gauguin, Théodore Rousseau,
Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro, and others.
Informative as well as visually beautiful. ****
PHAIDON
PRESS, INC.: The Story of Art: Pocket Edition by E.H. Gombrich. 1064 pp.; 7 3/8 x 4 3/8; 408 Illus.,
335 in Color; Notes; Detailed Illustrations List; Index and Glossary.
$19.95 Softcover. Re-designed and re-formatted, this pocket-sized
edition of The Story of Art contains
all of the excellent features of the original hardbound edition (1950)
but now has the added attraction of easy transportation and use. A classic
stand-by for over half a century, this is a book that ought to be on
the shelves of all artlovers. *****
RULY
PRESS: Art Law Conversations: A Surprisingly Readable Guide for Visual
Artists by Elizabeth T. Russell.
127 pp.; 6 x 9; B/W Illus.; Appendix; Glossary; Index. $16.95 Softcover.
Everything you wanted to know — or didn’t even think
of — about art and law can be found on this latest guide to being
creative within the complex legal system that often confounds us. Compact,
informative, handy. **** |