New Art Books / Videos
Compiled By RAYMOND J. STEINER
ART TIMES June, 2006

PRESTEL: Florilegium Imperiale: Botanical Illustrations for Francis I of Austria by H. Walter Lack. 336 pp.; 11 ½ x 16 ½; 160 Illus., 150 in Color; Bibliography; Plates; Notes; Appendices; Index. $165.00 Hardcover. Having visited both the Hofberg and Schönbrunn Palace gardens only recently, it was with particular delight to have received Prestel’s gorgeously bound and slip-covered new edition cataloguing Francis I’s floral holdings as depicted by the botanical illustrations of Mathias Schmutzer. A visual treasure, Florilegium Imperiale is more than just another “coffee table” addition, but a source of pleasure and information for both art and exotic plant/tree lover. *****

YALE UNIVERSITY PRESS: European Furniture in the Metropolitan Museum of Art: Highlights of the Collection by Daniëlle O. Kisluk-Grosheide, et al. 292 pp.; 9 3/8 x 12 3/8; 249 Illus., 134 in Color; Notes; Glossary; Bibliography; Index. $90.00 Hardcover. The first comprehensive volume cataloguing its holdings of European furniture (from such countries as England, Italy, Germany, Austria, Russia, Spain, and the Netherlands), Highlights of the Collection includes reproduced images and commentary on over 100 examples presently held by The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Includes extensive information about such manufacturing details as veneering, joining, gilding, inlaying, etc. Beautifully illustrated. ****
Samuel Colt: Arms, Art, and Invention by Herbert G. Houze, et al. 272 pp.; 12 x 9 ¾; 327 Color Illus.; Appendices; Glossary; Select Bibliography; Index. $65.00 Hardcover. Often viewed as one of modern society’s pernicious banes, the firearm is here viewed as an admirable relationship between art and commerce. Author Herbert G. Houze presents an in-depth look into the history of Samuel Colt and his lifelong quest for the “perfect” revolver. Handsomely produced and beautifully presented, this book is designed to please the aesthetic eye — in spite of any or all misgivings about the gun and its more lethal consequences. *****
The Société Anonyme: Modernism for America (Ed.) Jennifer R. Gross. 252 pp.; 9 ½ x 12; 364 Illus., 302 in Color; Appendices; Index. $65.00 Hardcover. Published as the accompanying catalogue to a traveling exhibition (presently at the Hammer Museum in L.A. (thru Aug 20) and which will close at the Yale University Art Gallery in New Haven (2010), The Société Anonyme was the brainchild of Marcel Duchamp, Katherine Dreier and Man Ray who felt that contemporary art ought to be selected and presented by artists rather than curators, critics or historians. Ultimately bringing together over 1000 works of art by over 100 both well- and little-known European and American artists, the collection now belongs to the Yale University of Art Gallery, the sponsor of this exhibition. Lavishly illustrated, the catalogue includes commentary about the art and artists and many works that have never been published. *****
Eva Hesse: Sculpture by Elisabeth Sussman, et al. 192 pp.; 9 7/8 x 11 7/8; 162 Illus., 136 in Color; Appendices; Notes; Exhibition Checklist; Selected Bibliography; Index. $50.00 Hardcover. Published to coincide with an exhibition of the artist’s works at The Jewish Museum (NYC) (thru Sep 17), this is the first of several books on Hesse that Yale University will be publishing in the upcoming months, including an all-important 2-volume Catalogue Raisonné. Eva Hesse: Sculpture features Hesse’s large-scale fiberglass and latex sculptures and includes extensive analyses of her impact and influence in art-historical context. Lavishly illustrated and handsomely produced. **** Emulation: David, Drouals, and Girodet in the Art of Revolutionary France by Thomas Crow. 372 pp.; 7 ¼ x 9 7/8; B/W & Color Illus.; Coda; Notes; Bibliography; Index. $35.00 Softcover. One of the few books that presents an exhaustive and erudite analysis of what it meant to be an academic painter — indeed any painter — in Revolutionary France, Emulation offers up a wealth of information and insights into the life and works of Jacques-Louis David and his student/followers. A masterful study that deserves a wide readership by those who would be called “artists”. *****

UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON PRESS: German and Netherlandish Paintings 1450-1600: The Collections of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art by Burton L. Dunbar. 368 pp.; 9 x 11; 286 Illus., 78 in Color; Notes; Indices. $75.00 Hardcover. The second in a series of catalogues documenting the extensive holdings of The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (the first, published in 1996, documented Italian paintings), this beautifully produced volume catalogues the Museum’s German and Netherlandish paintings. Lavishly illustrated with excellent reproductions, the book also includes an overview of the history of collecting in the Midwest and extensive commentary about each of the works included. *****

OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS: Leonardo da Vinci: The Marvellous Works of Nature and Man by Martin Kemp. 432 pp.; 7 ¾ x 10; B/W & Color Illus.; Bibliography; Index. $40.00 Hardcover. Scholarly, comprehensive, and insightful, Martin Kemp’s Leonardo da Vinci brings to the reader a complete picture of the man, the artist, the thinker. A masterpiece of careful study and creative reconstruction that deserves a careful reading. *****

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS: Pop L.A.: Art and the City in the 1960s by Cécile Whiting. 268 pp.; 7 x 10; 97 Illus., 20 in Color; Notes; List of Illustrations; Index. $39.95 Hardcover. A n in-depth analysis of the relationship between the artists of the ‘60s with their cultural milieu. Whiting’s solid scholarship lends credence to her clearly-stated arguments. Not for the casual reader. ***
Seeing High & Low: Representing Social Conflict in American Visual Culture by Patricia Johnston. 308 pp.; 7 x 9 ¼; List of Illustrations; Index. $29.95 Softcover. In Seeing High & Low, author Patricia Johnston offers up a revealing look at the intricately revealing relationship between a society and its visual images by using specific cases in point. An interesting and important new look at the long and sometimes surprising course of American art. ****

PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS: Good & Plenty: The Creative Successes of American Arts Funding by Tyler Cowen. 196 pp.; 6 ½ x 9 ½; Notes; References; Index. $27.95 Hardcover. A rare and much needed objective look at the topic of government funding for the arts. Avoiding the hyperbole often heard on both sides of the argument, Cowen offers a balanced overview of publicly-funded art. A must for the biased advocate. ****

WATSON-GUPTILL PUBL.: The Oil Painting Course You’ve Always Wanted: Guided Lessons for Beginners & Experienced Artists by Kathleen Staiger. 176 pp.; 8 ½ x 10 ½; 200 Color Illus.; Index. $24.95 Softcover. Watson-Guptill’s latest addition to its long list of popular “How-To” artbooks, The Oil Painting Course You’ve Always Wanted is replete with information and suggestions on getting started, proper materials, technical advice, and methods of procedure. Helpful, informative, and modestly priced. ****

INTERWEAVE PRESS: Hand Felted Jewelry and Beads: 25 Artful Designs by Carol Huber Cypher. 120 pp.; 8 ½ x 10 ¼; Color Illustrations; Gallery; Resources; Index. $21.95 Softcover. An eye for color, form, and whimsy is presented in this new “How-To” book on how to create your own jewelry designs. Easy to read and lavishly illustrated, 25 Artful Designs shows all you need to know on getting started with materials, ideas, suggestions, and resources by a gifted hands-on practitioner. ****

W.W. NORTON & CO., INC.: The Guide to the Art of Rockefeller Center by Christine Roussel. 159 pp.; 4 ¾ x 7 ¼; Color Illus.; Artists’ Biographical Notes; Index. $19.95 Softcover. Compact, concise, and complete, The Guide to the Art of Rockefeller Center offers all you want to know about the Center’s art decorations in handy format. A great gift for both visitor to and native of New York City. ****

Compiled by Raymond J. Steiner

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