New
Art Books / Videos
YALE
UNIVERSITY PRESS: Sickert: Paintings and Drawings by Wendy Baron. 544 pp.; 10 ¼ x 12 ½;
1000 Illus., 200 in Color; Bibliography; Lists of Exhibitions; Indices.
$125.00 Hardcover. Surely the most definitive book yet published
on the life and work of Walter Richard Sickert, Sickert: Paintings
and Drawings is the result of nearly
fifty years of research on the part of author Wendy Baron, dormer director
of the British Government Art Collection. Divided into two sections
— the first dealing with Sickert’s stylistic development, the
second an illustrated catalogue of over 2800 drawings and paintings
— Baron reveals Sickert to be among the most forward-thinking
of Victorian artists, anticipating the much-vaunted “Ashcan School”
of Robert Henri and his coteries with his renditions of life’s seamier
sides as well as jump-starting Warhol and his photo-based imagery by
decades. A triumph of scholarly research. *****
PHAIDON
PRESS INC.: Josef Albers: To Open Eyes by Frederick A. Horowitz and Brenda Danilowitz. 287
pp.; 10 ¼ x 11 ¾; 350 Illus., 150 in Color; Notes; Bibliography;
Sources; Illustrations; Index. $75.00 Hardcover. Lauded for
his blending of applied and fine art — an accomplishment that,
to many eyes, might have been better left undone — Josef Albers
is here given full treatment as an innovative and visionary teacher,
To Open Eyes an exhaustive study of his work and of his influence
on his followers. Published in conjunction with an exhibition that recently
closed at the Whitney Museum of American Art, this book covers the entire
range of his teaching. *****
PALGRAVE/MACMILLAN:
Pissarro: Creating the Impressionist Landscape by
Katherine Rothkopf. 224 pp.; 10 x 11; 100 Color Illus.; Map; Appendices;
Notes; Chronology; Bibliography; Index. $45.00 Hardcover. Published
to coincide with an exhibition of the same name presently at The Baltimore
Museum of Art (thru May 13) and then travel to the Milwaukee Art Museum
(Jun 10-Sep 9) before closing at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art (Oct
7-Jan 6,’08), Creating the Impressionist Landscape closely
looks at Pissarro’s landscapes painted between 1864 and 1874, the years
in which his style changed from Barbizon influence to his revolutionary
“impressionist” works. Beautifully and lavishly illustrated, this catalogue
celebrates Pissarro, a founder of the impressionist movement who is
often given short shrift in light of his substantial accomplishments.
Katherine Rothkopf, Curator of European Painting and Sculpture at The
Baltimore Museum of Art, does yeoman’s service by bringing greater attention
bringing to this seminal artist. ***** UNIVERSITY
OF WASHINGTON PRESS: Rembrandt and the Golden Age of Dutch Art: Treasures
from the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam by Ruud Priem. 144 pp.; 9 x 11 ½; 122 Color
Illus.; Bibliography; Index. $29.95 Softcover. Rembrandt
Face to Face by Stephanie S. Dickey.
76 pp.; 6 ½ x 8 ½; 24 Illus., 4 in Color; Notes; Bibliography.
$20.00 Softcover. Although published for two separate exhibitions,
the former for the Portland Art Museum, the latter, the Indianapolis
Museum of Art, both, because they feature Rembrandt, are here treated
together. Treasures from the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam is
a more ambitious presentation, covering as it does not only Rembrandt,
but also a wide range of Dutch art from artifacts to paintings. Handsomely
illustrated, the catalogue presents a comprehensive overview of typical
Dutch subjects, such as self-portraits, still lifes, city- and countryscapes,
religious topics, portraits and genre studies. The second book, Rembrandt
Face to Face, focusing on Dutch
and Flemish portraiture, is, though a more modest book, equally informative.
As companion publications, these books can well serve as excellent insights
into Netherlandish art. Both deserve **** NORTH
LIGHT BOOKS: Lessons from a Lifetime of Watercolor Painting by
Donald Voorhees. 144 pp.; Color Illus.; Metric Conversion Chart;
Index. $29.99 Hardcover. Tips, guidelines, and information
on the materials and practice of watercolor are here offered up in 20
step-by-step demonstrations by a 50+-year veteran of the medium. Spiral
bound for easy access and reading, this guide will find plenty of service
in the studios of both novice and master watercolorist. A wealth of
practical information at a modest cost. **** VIKING
STUDIO: Saints: Ancient & Modern by Barbara Calamari and Sandra DiPasqua.
150 pp.; 5 3/8 x 9 ¼; B/W & Color Illus.; Index. $24.95
Hardcover. A compendium of twenty-two
saints — many celebrated in art by some of the finest painters
in history — are here brought to vivid life through both legend
and biographical detail. Beautiful reproductions. *** ROSE
DOG BOOKS: A Dictionary of Colours & Pigments by Peter Baker. 270 pp.; 6 x 9; Bibliography. $24.00
Softcover. This is one of the most comprehensive dictionaries
of “colours & pigments” that I have yet to come across. Baker, a
“country GP” in Australia, applies his scientifically informed background
to the extensively rich world of words pertaining to the world of color.
Although the book contains far more information than any artist might
actually need, it is nevertheless a handy guide to have around one’s
studio. **** FOX
CHAPEL PUBLISHING: Great Book of Celtic Patterns by Lora S. Irish. 200 pp.; 8 ½ x 11; Over
200 B/W & Color Illus.; Glossary of Terms; Index. $19.95 Softcover.
Whether you are a designer, a craftsperson, or an artist,
the Great Book of Celtic Patterns will
offer you not only an historical overview of the origins of Celtic art
but also a vast choice of designs from which you may create your own
work. **** |