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New Art Books / Videos
Compiled By RAYMOND
J. STEINER
ART
TIMES March, 2006
YALE UNIVERSITY PRESS:
Willem Drost: A Rembrandt Pupil in Amsterdam and Venice by Jonathan
Bikker. 224 pp.; 10 x 11 ½; 170 Illus., 20 in Color; List of
Abbreviations; Notes; Documents; Bibliography; Indices. $95.00 Hardcover.
Jonathan Bikker, researcher at Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum, re-assesses
and re-evaluates one of the more elusive students of Rembrandt van Rijn
in this excellent new study. Beautifully illustrated and cogently argued,
Willem Drost: A Rembrandt Pupil in Amsterdam and Venice covers
the whole of the artist’s oeuvre — both actual and attributed. Includes
a catalogue raisonné. *****
Building the Bank of England: Money, Architecture, Society 1694—1942
by Daniel M. Abramson. 320 pp.; 10 ¼ x 13; 257 Illus., 77
in Color; Notes; Selected Bibliography; List of Illustrations; Index.
$95.00 Hardcover. A scholarly and in-depth look into one of England’s
major institutions, Building the Bank of England is a handsomely
produced book that takes the reader behind scenes that begin in the 17th-century
and end in the 20th. A major undertaking and a comprehensive
look into the interconnection between architectural design and social
history, this volume will stand as a standard in the study of architecture
for some time to come. *****
Sir Thomas Lawrence by Michael Levey. 256 pp.; 9 3/8 x 11 3/8;
200 Illus., 60 in Color; Notes; Select Bibliography; Index. $75.00 Hardcover.
Michael Levey, author and past Director of the National Gallery, London,
re-evaluates the work of Sir Thomas Lawrence, British portrait painter
and one-time president of the Royal Academy of Arts. As with many famously
successful portraitists, Lawrence suffered the casual dismissal of critics
as being lightweight. Levey, by reassessing the painter’s life, work (especially
his drawings), and influence, reclaims Lawrence as a major figure whose
accomplishments need reconsideration. A comprehensive and scholarly study.
*****
Bodybuilding: Reforming Masculinities in British Art 1750-1810 by
Martin Myrone. 352 pp.; 7 7/8 x 10 3/8; 170 Illus., 30 in Color; Notes;
Selected Bibliography; Index. $75.00 Hardcover. A fascinating study
of how culture, history, society, wars, and the artworld exert influence
on the depiction of the ‘heroic’ male. Includes the work of such artists
as Benjamin West, Henry Fuselli, William Blake, and others. Breaks ground
on several and various fronts. ****
Circa 1700: Architecture in Europe and the Americas (Ed.) Henry A.
Millon. 248 pp.; 9 ¼ x 11 ¼; 201 Illus., 6 in Color;
Index. $65.00 Hardcover. In Circa 1700, twelve noted scholars offer up an exhaustive overview and commentary
on the transformation of architecture in such major cities as Rome, Vienna,
Stockholm, Saint Petersburg, Amsterdam, Lisbon, Quebec City, Lima, and
a host of others during the worldwide influence of baroque architecture
on both public and private buildings. Comprehensive and scholarly. *****
Cézanne in Provence (Eds.)
Philip Conisbee, Denis Coutagne et al. 312 pp.; 9 7/8 x 11 ¾;
345 Illus., 315 in Color; Checklist of Exhibition; Notes; Selected Bibliography;
Index. $60.00 Hardcover. This lavishly illustrated and gorgeously
produced book is the accompanying catalogue to an exhibition of the same
name presently at the National Gallery of Art, Washington (thru May 7)
that will then travel to the Musée Granet, Aix-en-Provence (Jun 9 —
Sep 17). Published on the centenary of Cézanne’s death, Cézanne in
Provence offers a comprehensive look into the artist’s explorations of his native
Provence. A visual treat richly enhanced by scholarly research. *****
David Hockney Portraits by
Sarah Howgate et al. 248 pp.; 9 x 11; 295 Illus., 260 in Color; List
of Plates; Notes on Sitters; Select Bibliography; Index. $60.00 Hardcover.
Published to coincide with a traveling exhibition — Museum of
Fine Arts, Boston (thru 14 May); Los Angeles County Museum of Art (11
June — 4 Sep); National Portrait Gallery, London (12 Oct —
21 Jan, ’07) — David Hockney Portraits claims him as “one
of the most significant artists exploring and pushing the boundaries of
figurative art today”, but I confess to not appreciating either the exploration
or the boundaries sought. For Hockney admirers, however, this catalogue
offers over 250 of his “portraits” gleaned (with his help) from the past
50 years of his career and commentary from several of his friends and
admirers. ***
Harry Callahan: The Photographer at Work by Britt Salvesen. 192
pp.; 9 ¾ x 12 1/8; 225 Illus., 213 Duotones, 12 Color; List of
Plates; Select Bibliography. $50.00 Hardcover. An overview of Callahan’s
work, The Photographer at Work offers a comprehensive look into
his work and life. A man of vision, Callahan took the photograph to new
heights, his often Hopperesque city scenes bringing the art to new experimental
possibilities. Excellent reproductions, enhanced by the insightful commentaries
of author Britt Salvesen and John Szarkowski. ****
Camille Pissarro by Terence Maloon. 259 pp.; 9 3/8 x 11; 150 Color Illus.; Plates; List
of Works. $45.00 Softcover. Five
scholars combine their talents to present the work, life, and influence
of Camille Pissarro, perhaps the most important figure to emerge from
the French Impressionist Movement. Beautiful reproductions that cover
the entire range of the artist’s oeuvre. *****
Moche Art and Archaeology in Ancient Peru (Ed.) Joanne Pillsbury.
344 pp.; 9 1/8 x 11; 323 Illus., 13 in Color; Index. $40.00 Softcover.
Joanne Pillsbury, Director of Pre-Columbian Studies at Dumbarton Oaks,
presents new insights into the pre-Incan culture of the Mocha, sharing
here for the first time the considerable amount of new material recently
uncovered at several sites in Peru. Includes artifacts from the richest
unlooted tomb ever discovered in the New World. Excellent reproductions
are enhanced by scholarly commentary. ****
Frank Stella 1958 by Harry Cooper and Megan R. Luke. 168 pp.; 8
¾ x 10 ¼; 79 Illus., 59 in Color; Plates; Bibliography;
Index. $34.95 Softcover. Frank Stella once said, “What you see is
what you see.” Apparently, some took that as a profound statement —
profound enough, at any rate, for Cooper and Luke to scrutinize some 30
works from a single year, “1958”, deemed as an “important and productive”
period of time. Published to coincide with an exhibition at the Arthur
M. Sackler Museum, Harvard University Art Museums (thru Jul 16). **
Beyond the Naked Eye: Details from the National Gallery by
Jill Dunkerton and Rachel Billinge. 80 pp.; 7 7/8 x 7 5/8; 100 Color
Illus. $16.95 Hardcover. For painter, art lover, or the simply curious,
Beyond the Naked Eye offers a close-up (i.e. through the
magic of microscopic photography) of some of the greatest treasures of
the National Gallery. Includes detailed views of such masters as van Eyck,
Raphael, Memling, Mantegna, and others. A beautiful little treasure. *****
Antonella Da Messina: Sicily’s Renaissance Master by Gioacchino Barbera et al. 56 pp.; 8 x 10; 15 Illus., 14 in Color;
Biographical Note; Selected Bibliography. $14.95 Softcover. This impressive little volume serves as the accompanying
catalogue to an exhibition currently at The Metropolitan Museum of Art,
NYC, (thru Mar 4). Among its several reproductions of Messina’s work,
the book includes an introductory essay by Keith Christiansen and an overview
of the artist’s life and work by Gioacchino Barbera, Director, Museo Regionale
di Messina. ***
HARRY N. ABRAMS, INC.:
China: The Three Emperors 1662—1795 by Regina Krahl et al. 496 pp.; 10 x 12 1/8; Over 500 Color Illus.;
Endnotes; Bibliography; List of Works in Chinese Characters; List of Seals
in Chinese Characters; Index. $95.00 Hardcover. This handsomely produced book presents the treasures collected under three
emperors of the Qing Dynasty — Xuanye, his son Yinzhen, and his
son Hongli — a dynasty that covered an incredibly
rich cultural period in China’s history. Lavishly illustrated, The
Three Emperors offers up a
visual treat, while the extensive commentary enlightens the mind. A masterful
work. *****
Degas, Sickert and Toulouse-Lautrec: London and Paris 1870—1910
(Eds.) Anna Gruetzner Robins and Richard Thomas. 224
pp.; 9 ½ x 12; 150 Color Illus.; Chronology; The L’Absinthe Controversy;
Notes; Select Bibliography; Artists and Works in the Exhibition; Index.
$55.00 Hardcover. An in-depth
and highly readable account of the interchange of imagery and culture
between France and England during the turn of the 19th-century.
Exploring the work of a great many artists of the period, including the
major figures of Degas, Sickert, and Toulouse-Lautrec as noted in the
title, this volume serves as the accompanying catalogue to an exhibition
that recently closed in Tate Britain and presently at The Phillips Collection,
Washington, DC (thru 14 May). Lavishly illustrated. *****
PRESTEL: The Triumph
of Nature: The Paintings of Helmut Ditsch by Carl Aigner and Reinhold Messner. 208 pp.; 13 ½ x 11 ½;
125 Illus., 100 in Color; Plates; Biography; List of Exhibitions. $49.95
Hardcover. This is one of the
most beautiful books that has come across my desk in some time. The
Triumph of Nature offers up
the
Franz Marc: The Retrospective by
Annegret Hoberg and Helmut Friedel. 336 pp.; 9 ½ x 11; Biography;
List of Works; Bibliography. $60.00 Hardcover. Published
to coincide with a major exhibition recently held at the Städtische Galerie
im Lenbachhaus and the Kunstbau in Munich, Germany (a major holder of
many of Marc’s work), The Retrospective offers
the entire range of the artist’s work, from his early academic training
on through his later expressionist work. Chronologically arranged, the
book includes over 300 of Marc’s paintings, works on paper, postcards,
and sculptures. As his early paintings indicate (especially his drawings),
Marc evolved from strict linear draftsman to abstract colorist, picking
up influences from van Gogh, Gauguin, Cézanne, Kandinsky, Delaunay, and
others, gradually moving his art from representation to abstraction. Lavishly
produced, this is one of the most comprehensive books of Franz Marc to
date. Impressive. *****
GULOTTA COMMUNICATIONS,
INC.: Psalms: The Saint John’s Bible by
Donald Jackson. 80 pp.; 15 ¼ x 10 ¼; Color Illus. $59.95
Hardcover. No matter your religious
preference, Psalms is a
labor of love, a beautifully produced work features the calligraphy and
illuminations of Donald Jackson. Hailed as “America’s Book of Kells”,
this is indeed a beautiful book that will grace your library. *****
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
PRESS: Pieter Bruegel and the Art of Laughter by Walter S. Gibson. 266 pp.; 6 ¼ x 9 ¼;
84 B/W Illus.; Notes; Select Bibliography; Index. $49.95 Hardcover. Admired as a comic artist during his time, translated
into a profound allegorist by later art historians, Pieter Bruegel is
once again given back his humorous mantle by Walter S. Gibson who gives
a serious look at what laughter really signifies in this excellent reassessment
of the artist’s life and work. Very readable. ****
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON PRESS: Gabriele Münter: The Search
for Expression 1906—1917 by
Shulamith Behr et al. 128 pp.; 8 ½ x 10; 70 Color Illus.; Catalogue;
Bibliography. $40.00 Softcover. Published
to coincide with a recent exhibition of the same name at the Courtauld
Institute of Art Gallery, Somerset House, London, Gabriele Münter presents an overview of the artist’s life and work.
Münter, a companion of Wassily Kandinsky and co-founder along with him
of Der Blaue Reiter expressionists,
drastically changed her own style from traditional impressionism to ‘modernist’
during her extended stay with him in the little town of Murnau in Bavaria.
Having made a brief visit to Murnau and its environs some years ago where
I first came in contact with Münter’s paintings, I have come to admire
this woman’s daring artistic journey. I believe readers will do the same
upon browsing this newest catalogue of her work. ****
Artist as Narrator: Nineteenth Century Narrative Art in England and France
by Hardy S. George et al. 146 pp.; 9 x 12; 112 Illus.,
74 in Color; Exhibition Checklist; Bibliography. $40.00 Softcover. Although much in disfavor in today’s art world, there
is no denying the charm and attractiveness that narrative art has always
held for the viewer. Published to coincide with a recent exhibition at
the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, Artist as Narrator serves up a delightful pot pourri of realist and romantic paintings. Includes
such masters of the genre as Alma-Tadema, Bonheur, Breton, Burnes-Jones,
Daumier, Delacroix, Doré, Millais, and a great many more. A lovely book.
*****
Raimonds Staprans: Art of Tranquility and Turbulence by Paul J. Karlsrom et al. 160 pp.; 10 x 10; 107
Illus., 65 in Color; Notes; Chronology; Bibliography; Index. $30.00 Softcover.
Whatever “tranquility and turbulence” might have occurred
in this Latvian artist’s experience, there is little reflection of it
in his stark, undramatically simplistic designs as illustrated in this
catalogue that offers an overview of his life and work. ***
Into the Fray: The Eiteljorg Fellowship for Native American Fine Art,
2005 (Ed.) James H. Nottage. 128 pp.; 8 ½ x 11;
100 Color Illus.; Exhibition Checklist. $22.50 Softcover. Published in conjunction with a recent exhibition at
the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, Into the
Fray features the work of 5 contemporary Native American
artists. Excellent reproductions. ****
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
PRESS: Lincoln Perry’s Charlottesville by Ann Beattie. 112 pp.; 9 ½ x 9; 160 Color Illus.; List of Plates.
$39.95 Hardcover. This handsome
little book covers some twenty years of Lincoln Perry’s painting forays
in and around the lovely city of Charlottesville, Virginia. Having spent
some time in that city some twenty-five years or so ago, I found both
the painter’s vision and author Ann Beattie’s observations a particularly
pleasant experience. Well worth the armchair visit. ****
OXFORD UNIVERSITY
PRESS: Eroticism and Art by
Alyce Mahon. 304 pp.; 6 7/8 x 9 5/8; B/W & Color Illus.; Notes;
Bibliography; List of Illustrations; Index. $37.50 Hardcover. Focusing on the last 50 years of Western art, Eroticism and Art explores the role and significance of eroticism, with
some research into what differentiates it from pornography. Scholarly
and comprehensive. *****
AEBMedia: The Reissource
Directory of the Arts: The Definitive Reference of the Cultural Community
by Alvin H. Reiss. 200 pp.; 8 3/8 x 10 ¾;
Indices. $34.95 Softcover. Organized
by category, this Directory offers
up over 400 national and international organizations that deal with the
cultural community. Comprehensive and compact, this is an excellent reference
tool for the busy artist seeking information on funding, workshops, conferences,
publications — and more. ****
THE CORNING MUSEUM
OF GLASS: 25 Years of New Glass Review by Tina Oldknow. 247 pp.; 9 1/8 x 9 1/8; 200 Color Illus.; Index of
Artists. $29.95 Hardcover. Organized
in 5 Sections — Vessels, Sculpture, Flat/Painted Glass, Installations/Architectural,
Design — 25 Years of New Glass Review offers a selection of 200 objects from the Museum’s
over 2500 works. Author Oldknow, Curator of Modern Glass, offers an overview
of glass and its contribution to the world of art. Visually strong. ****
F&WPUBL./NORTH
LIGHT: Creating Creatures of Fantasy and Imagination by Claudia Nice. 128 pp.; 8 ½ x 11; B/W &
Color Illus.; Metric Conversion Chart; Index. $24.99 Hardcover. Author Claudia Nice offers up a wealth of tips and ideas
on how to transform the ordinary to the extra-ordinary. Clear, easy-to-follow
instruction. ***
STERLING PUBLISHING
CO., INC.: 500 Bracelets: An Inspiring Collection of Extraordinary Designs
(Ed.) Marthe Le Van. 360 pp.; 8 1/8 x 8; 500 Color
Illus.; List of Contributing Artists. $24.95 Softcover. The newest release in their Lark Series of Crafts/Jewelry
books, 500 Bracelets offers up a pot pourri of creations from some of the best craftsmen/jewelers
working today. Includes the work of knitters, beaders, wood carvers, ceramicists,
amd metalsmiths in the business. Beautiful reproductions. ****
INTERLINK PUBLISHING:
100 Best Paintings in London by
Geoffrey Smith. 256 pp.; 5 x 9; Color Illus.; Index. $22.00 Softcover.
Art for Travellers, Greece: The Essential Guide to
Viewing Art in Greece by Bill
& Lorna Hannan. 302 pp.; 5 x 7 ¾; B/W & Color Illus.;
The Ancient World; Glossary; Index. $20.00 Softcover. As their titles indicate, both of these books serve as ‘guides’, the first
to the author’s assessment of what are and where to find London’s “best”
paintings. After information (address, opening hours, admission, etc.)
about each of the several institutions, each entry has commentary on the
art and artist. The second book offers a countrywide guide to Greece’s
art with self-taken “art trail” and maps to help the visitor along the
way. Extensive commentary about sites, institutions, art, and landmarks
flesh out the guide. Both books are of handy size, easy to slip into backpack
or carrying bag. ****
AMADEUS PRESS: The
Steinway Collection: Paintings of Great Composers by James Huneker. 64 pp.; 9 ½ x 12 ¾;
12 Color Illus. $22.00 Hardcover. A re-printing of an original, in-house publication of Steinway & Sons
in 1919, Paintings of Great Composers offers up a dozen portraits of such composers as Wagner,
Beethoven, Mozart, and Verdi by such painters as N.C. and Andrew Wyeth,
Harvey Dunn, and Charles E. Chambers — each with accompanying commentary.
A handsome addition to the library of art or music lover. ****
ART-SITES PRESS: Art-Sites,
London: The Indispensable Guide to Contemporary Art-Architecture-Design
by Sidra Stich. 208 pp.;
5 ¼ x 8 ¼; B/W Illus.; Index. $19.95 Softcover. Complete
with maps, commentary, and illustrations, Art-Sites, London is a pocketsize guide to the city’s notable art, architecture,
and design. Includes addresses, opening hours, admissions, websites, and
contact information for prior planning. ****
DOVER PUBLICATIONS:
The Graphic Works of Odilon Redon by
Alfred Werner. 209 pp.; 8 ½ x 11; B/W Illus.; List of Plates.
$18.95 Softcover. The Art
of Painting Animals by Frederic
Sweney. 192 pp.; 8 3/8 x 11; 262 Illus., 26 in Color; Bibliography;
Index. $14.95 Softcover. The
Arthur Rackham Treasury (Ed.)
Jeff A. Menges. 96 pp.; 8 3/8 x 11; 86 Color Illus. $12.95 Softcover.
Anatomy for Artists by Eugene
Wolff. 194 pp.; 6 1/8 x 9 ¼; 165 Figures, 2 Color Plates; Appendices;
Index. $12.95 Softcover. Plant
and Floral Studies for Artists and Craftspeople by W.G. Paulson Townsend. 160 pp.; 6 ½ x 9
¼; 114 B/W Illus. $10.95 Softcover. Mad Man’s Drum: A Novel in Woodcuts by Lynd Ward. 144 pp.; 6 1/8 x 9 ¼; B/W Illus.
$7.95 Softcover.
GIBBS SMITH, PUBL.:
Alfreda’s World by Mary Whyte.
90 pp.; 8 ½ x 8 ½; B/W & Color Illus.; List of Illustrations.
$16.95 Flapped Softcover. In
Alfreda’s World, author
Mary Whyte tells in words and pictures the story of the Gullah culture
of South Carolina. A very pleasant read. ***
Compiled by Raymond
J. Steiner