New
Art Books / Videos
Compiled
By RAYMOND J. STEINER
ART
TIMES November, 2005
YALE
UNIVERSITY PRESS: The Wrightsman Pictures (Ed.) Everett Fahy. 452 pp.; 9 ½ x 11; 384 Illus., 144 in Color;
Index. $75.00 Hardcover. An
updated publication (the original published in the ‘70s), The Wrightsman
Pictures showcases the remarkable collection of Mr. & Mrs. Charles
Wrightsman, many of whose works have already been donated to The Metropolitan
Museum of Art in NYC. Includes the work of such masters as Lotto,
El Greco, de La Tour, Vermeer, Van Dyck, David, Canaletto, Tiepolo (father
and son), 12 portrait drawings by Ingres (the largest privately-held
collection of Ingres’s drawings), as well as the works of many lesser-known
artists. Handsomely produced, this volume is lavishly illustrated with
excellent reproductions. *****
The Legacy of Homer: Four Centuries of Art from the Ecole Nationale
Supérieure des Beaux-Arts, Paris by Emmanuel Schwartz et al.
360 pp.; 9 ½ x 11 3/8; 223 Illus., 138 in Color; Appendix; Checklist;
Glossary; Index of Artists. 65.00 Hardcover. Lavishly illustrated
with excellent reproductions, The Legacy of Homer explores
that poet’s influence through four centuries on the academic artists
of France’s renowned art academy, the result being a worthy homage
to poet and artist. This beautiful book serves as the accompanying catalogue
to joint exhibitions presently at the Princeton University Art Museum
(thru Jan 15, ’06) and the Dahesh Museum of Art, NYC (thru Jan 22, ’06).
A major contribution to Western art history. *****
Prague: The Crown of Bohemia, 1347-1437 by Barbara Drake Boehm and Jiri Fajt. 384 pp.; 9 ½ x 12 ½;
420 Illus., 235 in Color; Bibliography; Index. $65.00 Hardcover. Having visited the famed “city of spires” some years
ago, I would have been well served to have the opportunity of perusing
The Crown of Bohemia before embarking on my trip. Beautifully
illustrated with reproductions of Prague’s treasure trove of Gothic
architecture and artifacts, this handsome volume will grace anyone’s
library. Visually enchanting. *****
Mother Stone: The Vitality of Modern British Sculpture by Anne Middleton Wagner. 256 pp.; 7 7/8 x 10 3/8;
170 Illus., 60 in Color; Notes; Index. $55.00 Hardcover. Anne Middleton
Wagner, author and professor of modern art at the University of California,
Berkeley, re-evaluates the work of three major British sculptors —
Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth and Jacob Epstein — and, by analyzing
their work in the light of “bio-power”, finds the theme of maternity
to be a primary linking factor in their creations. Scholarly. ****
Casas Grandes and the Ceramic Art of the Ancient Southwest by
Richard F. Townsend. 208 pp.; 10 x 11; 247 Illus., 214 in Color;
Bibliography. $45.00 Hardcover. Published in conjunction with an
exhibition that will be mounted at the Art Institute of Chicago (Apr2-Jun
18, ’06), this volume offers for the first time an in-depth look
into the ceramic art of the Casa Grandes-Pasquime area of northwest
Mexico and adjoining sections of New Mexico and Arizona. This comprehensive
overview is lavishly illustrated with excellent photography and reproductions.
*****
The Surreal Calder by Mark Rosenthal. 156 pp.; 10 ¼
x 12 ¼; 125 Illus., 45 in Color; Selected Bibliography and Archival
Sources. $45.00 Hardcover. Published in conjunction with an exhibition
at The Menil Collection, Houston (thru Jan 8, ’06) that will travel
thence to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (May 3-May 21, ’06)
and The Minneapolis Institute of Arts (Jun 11-Sep 10, ’06), The Surreal
Calder re-examines Calder’s initial connections with the surrealist
movement and its 1936 exhibition “Exposition surrealiste d’objets”.
Includes an extensive chronology by Alexander S.C. Rower. **** Edvard
Munch: Behind the Scream by Sue Prideaux. 320 pp.; 6 ½
x9 ½; 155 Illus., 30 in Color; Notes; Selected Bibliography;
Chronology; Index. $35.00 Hardcover. Through an “insider’s close
look” — Prideaux, whose godmother was painted by Munch and whose
family were his neighbors and supporters — Behind the Scream
offers new insights and interpretations of Norway’s’ enigmatic painter.
Unlimited access to the artist’s papers makes for a most interesting
read. *****
PRESTEL:
Architecture: Art by Philip Jodidio. 224 pp.; 8 ¾ x 11;
300 Illus., 230 in Color; Suggested Reading; Biography; Index. $65.00
Hardcover. Author Jodidio, editor-in-chief of Connaissance des
Arts, explores the ever-increasing blurring of boundary lines between
art and architecture. Includes analyses of several contemporary works
and artists, with in-depth profiles of the major figures involved. Comprehensive;
lavishly illustrated. *****
Spirits Speak: A Celebration of African Masks by Peter Stepan
and Iris Hahner. 192 pp.; 9 ½ x 12 ¾; 170 Illus., 150
in Color; Map; Bibliography. $60.00 Hardcover. Gorgeous reproductions,
concise commentary, and excellent photography bring alive masks and
the peoples from over 30 African countries that created them. A dramatically
stunning presentation. *****
I, van Gogh by Isabel Kuhl. 160 pp.; 9 ½ x 12 ½;
160 Illus., 130 in Color; Biography and Works; List of Illustrations;
Selected Bibliography; Location of Key Works; Index. $59.00 Slipcased
Hardcover. Cologne-based author Isabel Kuhl, art historian, editor,
and author, brings alive the words and works of Vincent van Gogh, the
tortured visionary who poured his soul into his art. The fourth in a
series (I, Michelangelo; I, Goya; I, Raphael), I, van Gogh
continues the same strong vein of insightful scholarship that has
made this series so popular. A beautiful book. *****
Another World: Colors, Textures, and Patterns of the Deep by
Dos Winkel and Kalli de Meyer. 240 pp.; 11 ½ x 12; 114 Color
Illus. $45.00 Hardcover. A veritable feast for the eye and mind, Another World features the stunning underwater photography of Dos
Winkel and insights of marine biologist, Kalli de Meyer. This lavishly
illustrated book features an introduction by Jean-Michel Cousteau. ****
Niki de Saint Phalle and Jean Tinguely: Posters by Isabel Siben.
96 pp.; 9 ½ x 11 ¾; 162 Illus., 150 in Color; Index
of Posters; Biographies; Catalogue Raisonné. $25.00 Softcover. A
colorful collection — many shown here for the first time —
of the poster-art created both singly and in collaboration by this “dynamic
duo”, Posters offers up the last body of work they produced.
Includes a lively and informative introduction by Isabel Siben, author
and curator residing in Munich. ***
UNIVERSITY
OF VIRGINIA PRESS: Imagining Eden by Lyle Gomes. 96 pp.; 11 x
7 ½; 60 Duotone Photographs; Locations and Designers. $49.95
Hardcover. Photographer Lyle Gomes offers up an armchair journey
into some of the most beautifully landscaped gardens, parks, cemeteries,
and golf courses of America and Europe. A browser’s delight. ***
UNIVERSITY
OF WASHINGTON PRESS: William Cumming: The Image of Consequence by
Matthew Kangas. 160 pp.; 8 ½ x 11; 154 Illus., 11 in Color;
Bibliography. $40.00 Softcover. Publishing in conjunction with an
exhibition at the Charles and Emma Frye Art Museum, Seattle, (thru Jan
1, ’06), The Image of Consequence offers a comprehensive overview
of the work of William Cumming, — painter, critic, correspondent,
educator and member of the Communist Party — placing him
in the political, social, and artistic context of his time. ***
Between Clouds of Memory: Akio Takamori, a Mid-Career Survey by
Peter Held. 136 pp.; 8 ½ x 11; 70 Illus., 50 in Color; Checklist;
Chronology; Biography and Selected Exhibition History; Selected Collections;
Index. $35.00 Hardcover. Published to coincide with an exhibition
at Arizona State University Art Museum, Between Clouds of Memory
explores and assesses the ceramics and graphic art of Japanese born
Akio Takamori. Includes essays by Garth Clark, Peter Held, Toyojiro
Hida and Edward Lebow. **
Masterpieces of Chinese Lacquer: from the Mike Healy Collection by
Julia M. White w/Bao Yanli. 80 pp.; 9 x 12; 115 B/W & Color Illus.;
Bibliography; Index. $23.95 Hardcover. Some 31 pieces from the Mike
Healy Collection offer the viewer a wide-lens view of Chinese lacquer
ware that ranges from the late Han Dynasty (1st, 2d century
CE) to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Excellent reproductions are enhanced
by the scholarly commentary of the authors, both noted experts in the
field. ***
KODANSHA
AMERICA, INC.: Inspired Shapes: Contemporary Designs for Japan’s Ancient
Crafts by Ori Koyama. 112 pp.; 9 ¼ x 11 ¼; Color
Illus.; List of Artists. $37.50 Hardcover. Author Ori Koyama, with
the help of the photography of Mizuho Kuwata, presents a blend of old
and new, contemporary Japanese design inspired by their country’s rich
legacy of ancient art. Kuwata’s stunning photography makes for a visually
exciting book. ****
RUTGERS
UNIVERSITY PRESS: Who Owns the Past? Cultural Policy, Cultural Property,
and the Law (Ed.) Kate Fitz Gibbon. 362 pp.; 7 3/8 x 9 ¼;
30 B/w Illus.; Appendices; Index. $34.95 Hardcover. A host of contributors
present a wide overview on the legal and ethical aspects of collecting
cultural artifacts from around the world. A much needed addition to
this still contested area of the artworld. ****
UNIVERSITY
OF PENNSYLVANIA PRESS: Alternative Kilns by Ian Gregory. 128 pp.; 6 1/8 x 9 ¼; 136 Illus., 116 in Color;
Health and Safety Information; List of Suppliers; Bibliography; Index.
$26.50 Softcover. British
ceramist Ian Gregory offers up all you ever need to know about the business
of building kilns. Comprehensive and lavishly illustrated. *****
FIREFLY
BOOKS LTD.: The Woodcut Artist Handbook: Techniques and Tools for Relief
Printmaking by George A. Walker. 160 pp.; 6 ¼ x 9 ½;
180 Illus., 30 in Color; Glossary; Bibliography; Artists’ Biographies;
Resources and Organizations; Index. $24.95 Softcover. Award-winning
author George A. Walker offers up a comprehensive overview of the history,
tools, techniques, media, and styles of the craft of woodcutting. Lavishly
illustrated and clearly presented, this handbook is designed for both
beginner and professional. *****
ALLWORTH
PRESS: Marketing and Buying Fine Art Online by Marques Vickers. 224 pp.; 6 x 9; Website Directory; Index. $19.95
Softcover. Author Marques
Vickers, Website designer, artist and entrepreneur, offers a wide introduction
to this increasingly popular marketplace. Comprehensive. ***
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