YALE UNIVERSITY PRESS: Prayers and Portraits: Unfolding the Netherlandish Diptych by John Oliver Hand, Catherine A. Metzger, and Ron Spronk. 352 pp.; 9 ½ x 11; 328 Illus., 238 in Color; Appendices; Notes; Bibliography; Index. $75.00 Hardcover. The accompanying catalogue to an exhibition that will open at the National Gallery of Art, Washington (Nov 12-Feb 4, ’07) and close at the Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Antwerp (Mar 3-May 27, ’07), this beautifully produced book features an in-depth look at approximately 40 Netherlandish diptychs from the 15^th and 16^th centuries. Including such masters as van Eyck, van der Weyden, van der Goes, Memling, and others, Prayers and Portraits offers up a wealth of images, many of the individual works accompanied by close-up details and infrared radiographs. Comprehensive, scholarly, and well-illustrated. *****
Master Drawings from the Yale University Art Gallery by Suzanne Boorsch and John Marciari. 304 pp.; 9 ½ x 12 ¼; 230 Illus., 114 in Color; Watermarks; Bibliography; Index. Artists in the Catalogue. $65.00 Hardcover. Handsomely produced and gorgeously illustrated with excellent reproductions, Master Drawings from the Yale University Art Gallery is the accompanying catalogue to an exhibition of the same name presently at The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, FL, (thru Jan 7, ’07) and which will thence travel to The Jack S. Blanton Museum of Art, TX, and the Yale University Art Gallery in 2008). A host of scholars offer insights and information about the art of draftsmanship, as well as commentary about each of the featured artists. Includes the works of such masters as Lorrain, Guercino, Fragonard, Degas, as many, many more. *****
Jan van der Heyden, 1637-1712 by Peter C. Sutton, et al. 256 pp.; 12 x 10; 180 Illus., 110 in Color; Appendices; General Bibliography. $65.00 Hardcover. The accompanying catalogue to an exhibition presently at The Bruce Museum, CT (thru Jan 10, ’07) and traveling to the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam (Feb 1-Apr 30, ’07), this is a handsomely produced volume bringing for the first time a detailed analysis of the life and work of one of the Netherlands premier painters. Artist, engineer and inventor, Jan van der Heyden introduced into painting many innovative practices, among them re-arranging town views into more aesthetically pleasing compositions. Lavishly illustrated, this is the first monographic presentation of van der Heyden’s work in 70 years and heralds the first exhibition of his work in the United States. *****
Cézanne to Picasso: Ambroise Vollard, Patron of the Avant-Garde (Ed.) Rebecca Rabinow. 464 pp.; 9 ¼ x 12 ¼; 529 Illus., 260 in Color; Chronology; List of Exhibitions; Bibliography; Index. $65.00 Hardcover. A host of scholars contribute to this voluminous catalogue published to coincide with an exhibition presently at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC (thru Jan7, ’07) that will then travel to the Art Institute of Chicago  (Feb 17-May 13, ’07) and the Musée dOrsay, Paris (Jun 18-Sep 16, ’07). Comprehensive and extensively researched, Cezanne to Picasso focuses on Ambroise Vollard, the far-seeing art dealer who launched and furthered the careers of most of the major avant-garde figures. Includes over 200 works of art that had at one time or another passed through his hands; lavishly illustrated with excellent reproductions. *****
Picasso and American Art by Michael FitzGerald and Julia May Boddewyn. 368 pp.; 9 ¾ x 12 ¼; 300 Illus., 150 in Color; Notes; Selected Chronology of Exhibitions, Auctions and Magazine Reproductions 1910-1957; Exhibition Checklist; Index. $65.00 Hardcover. Published in conjunction with a major traveling exhibition of the same name currently at the Whitney Museum of American Art (thru Jan 28, ’07) and which will close at the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis on Sep 9, 2007, this hefty tome with its lavish and excellent illustrations focuses on Picasso’s influence on the American art scene. Author Michael FitzGerald, associate professor in the Department of Fine Arts at Trinity College, Hartford, avails himself of the latest research to present as complete a picture of Picasso’s influence as might be possible. Comprehensive, informative, and in many respects, groundbreaking. *****
Saul Steinberg: Illuminations by Joel Smith. 288 pp.; 10 3/8 x 12 1/4; 310 Illus., 175 in Color; Notes; Appendix; Chronology and Exhibition History; Selected Bibliography; Works in the Exhibition; Index. $65.00 Hardcover. The accompanying catalogue to a traveling exhibition opening at The Morgan Library & Museum, NY. (Nov 30-Mar 4, ’07) and ending in 2007/8 at the Frances Loeb Art Center, Vassar College, NY, Illuminations offers a comprehensive overview of the life and work of Saul Steinberg. Covers the artist’s entire 60-year career and includes his work in drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, printmaking, collages, murals, cards, stage sets and even mask making. Sure to be the definitive Steinberg study for years to come. *****
Set in Stone: The Face in Medieval Sculpture (Ed.) Charles T. Little. 240 pp.; 8 ½ x 11; 201 Illus., 87 in Color; Bibliography; Index. $50.00 Hardcover. From the grotesque to the angelic, Set in Stone presents an array of human visages from the Middle Ages, each with a cultural and political history behind it to inform, educate or delight the viewer. Thematically presented, this is an engrossing study of art in its larger context. Excellent reproductions. *****
The Horse in Art by John Baskett. 192 pp., 10 x 10; 150 Color Illus.; Index of Artists; List of Illustrations. $45.00 Hardcover. A new release of a long out-of-print favorite, The Horse in Art celebrates mankind’s perennial admiration for the beauty of the horse. A subject for the artist since prehistoric times, this beautiful book takes you on a journey of images that come from around the world. A very handsome gift. *****
In the Studio: Visits with Contemporary Cartoonists by Todd Hignite. 320 pp.; 8 7/8 x 11 ¼; 499 Color Illus.; Selected Bibliography; Index. $29.95 Hardcover. In addition to an overview of the history of the comics, author Todd Hignite takes us on an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look into the world(s) of contemporary cartoonists. Includes insights into the mind and works of such artists as Robert Crumb, Chris Ware, Gary Panter, Art Spiegelman, and many others. Comprehensive and well illustrated. ****
An Anthology of Graphic Fiction, Cartoons, and True Stories (Ed.) Ivan Brunetti. 400 pp.; 7 ¾ x 10 ¼; 385 B/W & Color Illus.; List of Contributors. $28.00 Hardcover. Admittedly subjective, author Ivan Brunetti, creator of Schizo, offers up his choice of some of the best practitioners in the business. Extensive; includes the work of such artists as Daniel Clowes, Ben Katchor, Kim Deitch, Seth, and many others. ****
Dan Flavin: New Light (Ed.) Jeffrey Weiss. 176 pp.; 7 x 10; 50 B/W Illus.; Index. $24.95 Softcover. Another book about another self-proclaimed artist, Dan Flavin is light reading, indeed. *
The Art of the Goldsmith in Late Fifteenth-Century Germany: The Kimbell Virgin and Her Bishop by Jeffrey Chipps Smith. 86 pp.; 7 5/8 x 9 ¼; 80 Illus., 55 in Color; Notes; Bibliography. $16.95 Softcover. The first release in the Kimbell Masterpiece Series, The Art of the Goldsmith in Late Fifteenth-Century Germany offers a scholarly overview of the history, craftwork, and provenance of one of the finest examples of statuary from pre-Reformation Germany. Well worth a close reading. *****

 

UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA PRESS: Alabama Folk Pottery by Joey Brackner. 352 pp.; 10 ½ x 12; 304 B/W & Color Illus.; List of Alabama Folk Potters; List of Illustrations; Notes; Bibliography; Index. $60.00 Hardcover. The fruit of years of serious research, Alabama Folk Pottery is the accompanying catalogue for an exhibition at the Birmingham Museum of Art. Celebrating over 100 years of Alabama’s folk potters, author Joey Brackner presents a wealth of lore and information about the materials, the people, and the business of pottery-making. Lavishly illustrated and well-documented. *****

 

PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS: Toulouse-Lautrec and Montmartre by Richard Thomson, Phillip Dennis Cate & Mary Weaver Chapin. 308 pp.; 9 ½ x 11 ½; 370 Color Illus.; Artists’ Biographies; Checklist of Exhibition; Selected Bibliography; Index. $39.50 Softcover. Handsomely produced and lavishly illustrated, Toulouse-Lautrec and Montmartre is a soft-cover reprint of a hardbound edition that appeared with an exhibition of the same name at the National Gallery of Art, Washington and The Art Institute of Chicago in 2005. With comprehensive information about the artist, his milieu, and his contemporaries, this is a great addition to your art library. *****

PRESTEL: Botero: Abu Ghraib by David Ebony. 128 pp.; 9 ½ x 11; 80 Color Illus.; List of Works; Biography. $35.00 Softcover. Shockingly graphic and irresistibly compelling, Fernando Botero’s Abu Ghraib lingers in the mind long after the pages are turned and the book is closed. Not for the squeamish. *****
A Year in Art: A Painting a Day (Ed.) Claudia Stäuble. 736 pp.; 9 ½ x 6 ¾; 365 Color Illus.; List of Artists. $29.95 Hardcover. Undoubtedly one of the most attractive daybooks I’ve come across, A Year in Art offers a visual feast of masterworks from artists around the globe, each daily entry accompanied by brief commentary and a blank page for your own notes. The perfect Holiday Gift! *****
50 Great Escapes: A Global Guide to Creativity by Jonathan Lee. 192 pp.; 9 1/8 x 10 3/8; 250 Color Illus.; Index of Names. $29.95 Softcover. More than just another travel book, 50 Great Escapes takes you on a worldwide jaunt that allows you to see what writers, painters, filmmakers, composers, photographers, sculptors, and philosophers saw and noted. Hard to not like a book that finds beauty in so many places. ****
Rembrandt: Erotic Sketchbook by Norbert Wolf. 64 pp.; 6 ½ x 8 ¾; 35 Color Illus.; List of Works Illustrated. $25.00 Hardcover. The latest in Prestel’s “Erotic Sketchbook” Series, this current little gem offers up a gallery of Rembrandt’s lustier drawings, each a silent testimony to his penetrating and sensitive eye. A beautiful gift for any artlover. This, as with all volumes of the series, is printed in both English and German. *****
50 Artists You Should Know: From Giotto to Warhol by Thomas Koster and Lars Roper. 176 pp.; 7 ¾ x 9 ½; 200 Color Illus.; Glossary. $19.95 Softcover. Excellent graphics enhanced by a surprising wealth of information makes 50 Artists You Should Know one of the most useful introductory guide to the world of art. This is a must for student or art lover and should be available on all public and university library reference shelves. A genuine bargain. ***** Gustav Klimt: Painter of Women by Susanna Partsch. 120 pp.; 7 ¼ x 10 ¾; 87 Illus., 40 in Color; Appendices. $14.95 Softcover.  If you like Klimt’s gorgeous women, then you’ll love this gorgeous little book celebrating his gallery of femme fatales. Includes an overview of the artist and his life and times. A delightful gift. *****

QUANTUCK LANE PRESS: Bookworm: The Art of Rosamond Purcell by Rosamond Purcell. 160 pp.; 7 ½ x 9; B/W & Color Illus.; List of Illustrations. $35.00 Hardcover. The first such collection of Purcell’s work, Bookworm presents some 125 reproductions of her images. Hauntingly evocative. ****

F+W PUBLICATIONS/NORTH LIGHT BOOKS: The New Creative Artist: A Guide to Developing your Creative Spirit by Nita Leland. 176 pp.; 8 ½ x 11; 300 Color Illus.; Selected Bibliography; Contributing Artists; Index. $29.99 Hardcover. Revised and expanded, The New Creative Artist, spiral bound for easy access and reference while busy with a handful of wet brushes, presents a comprehensive to all of the ins and outs of starting out on your artistic career. Tons of information clearly presented with easy-to-grasp illustrations make this an easy choice for all. Little wonder that North Light has been chosen it for reprint. *****
Big Art, Small Canvas: Paint Easier, Faster and Better with Small Oils by Joyce Washor. 144 pp.; 7 ½ x 9 ½; Color Illus.; Index. $24.99 Softcover. A little book by a big talent, Big Art, Small Canvas offers a wealth of how-to tips and practical information by Joyce Washor, a painter of exceptional skill and sensitivity. The perfect gift for the tyro; a helpful refresher for the pro. *****

POMEGRANATE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.: Top Cats: The Life and Times of the New York Public Library Lions by Susan G. Larkin. 80 pp.; 7 x 7; B/W & Color Illus.; Appendices. $19.95 Hardcover. Photographs, paintings, cartoons, and commentary bring to life the century-old sculpted pair of lions that grace the entry steps of the New York Public Library. Author Susan G. Larkin offers up a delightful pot-pourri of both the lighter and weightier sides of these world-famous artworks. ****

 

INTERLINK PUBLISHING: Indian Love Poetry Selected and translated by A.L. Dallapiccola. 100 pp.; 6 x 7 ½; Color Illus.; Appendices. $17.95 Hardcover As much an art book as it is a book of Indian verses, Indian Love Poetry is a delightful diversion from the everyday. A great gift for that someone special. ****

 

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