New
Art Books / Videos
ART
TIMES September 2007
YALE
UNIVERSITY PRESS: Euan Uglow: The Complete Paintings: A Catalogue Raisonné
by Catherine Lampert, et al. 352 pp.; 10 x 12; 440 Illus.,
310 in Color; Appendices; Chronology; Exhibition History and catalogues;
Bibliography; Alphabetical list of paintings by title. $125.00 Hardcover.
The first book ever to completely explore his work, The Complete
Paintings offers up the full range of Euan Uglow’s life and evolution
as an artist. Now hailed as one of Britain’s “greatest post-war” painters,
this study — along with its marvelous reproductions — goes
a long way toward explaining the belated accolade. Thorough. *****
War Paint: Art, War, State and Identity in Britain, 1939-1945 by
Brian Foss. 264 pp.; 8 ¾ x 10 7/8; 210 Illus., 35 in Color;
Appendices; Notes; Select Bibliography; Index. $75.00 Hardcover. An
interesting re-analysis of the art produced during Britain’s involvement
with WWII, War Paint traces the connections between state-sponsored
“war” art, the society in which it was produced and, finally, what influences
such art has had on the rise of modernism in England. Well-researched;
fine reproductions. ***
The Artist Grows Old: The Aging of Art and Artists in Italy, 1500-1800
by Philip Sohm. 224 pp.; 7 7/8 x 10 ¼; 55 Illus., 25 in
Color; Notes; Index. $50.00 Hardcover. Author Philip Sohm, Professor
of art history at the University of Toronto, takes a new
look at just what it might mean to be an “old master.” Combining the fields
of psychology, biology, social prejudice, and art itself, The Artist
Grows Old explores hitherto untouched aspects of the art process.
Scholarly and engrossing. ****
The Gates of Paradise: Lorenzo Ghiberti’s Renaissance Masterpiece by
Gary M. Radke. 184 pp.; 7 ¾ x 12 ¼; 269 Color
Illus.; Notes. $45.00 Hardcover. Certainly one of the highlights on
one of my trips to Florence, Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise is here presented in all its restored glory, complete with accounts of
the restoration process, an analysis of the work in its historical context,
a chronology of the artist, and a series of close-ups that are excellently
reproduced. A beautiful book and an important contribution to our full
understanding of Ghiberti’s place in art history. *****
Gauguin and Impressionism by
Richard R. Brettell and Anne-Birgitte Fonsmark. 288 pp.; 9 ¾
x 11 1/8; 402 Illus., 319 in Color; Notes; Selected Bibliography; Index.
$45.00 Softcover. Exhaustively researched and lavishly illustrated,
Gauguin and Impressionism serves up the hitherto little-covered
early years of the artist’s life, giving not only special attention to
Gauguin’s close connections with impressionism, but also a closer look
at his sculpture. An important contribution to a better grasp of Gauguin
and his accomplishments. *****
The Golden Deer of Eurasia: Perspectives on the Steppe Nomads of the
Ancient World (Eds.) Joan Aruz, et al. 256 pp.; 7 ¾ x 10;
207 Illus., 29 in Color; Bibliography. $40.00 Softcover. Having just
returned from visiting the Martin Gropius Museum, Berlin, where I had
the opportunity to closely study the bronze, gold, wood, and textile artifacts
recently unearthed in the tombs of Scythian nomadic warriors along the
Black Sea (“Königs Gräber der Skythen”), it is fortuitous that
The Golden Deer of Eurasia, a book published following a major
exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (“The Golden
Deer of Eurasia: Scythian And Sarmatian Treasures from the Russian Steppes”),
has just arrived at my desk. Fully illustrated and with a much wider scope
than the exhibit at the Gropius, this catalogue offers up the thoughts
and findings of a host of scholars that met for a special Metropolitan
Museum of Art Symposium, covering almost the entire area covered by the
nomadic tribes that once roved the full extent of the Russian Steps. Even
in the reproductions given in the book, one can still wonder of the uncanny
skill displayed by these “barbaric” metal, wood, and textile artisans.
A marvelous read. *****
Still Life and Trade in the Dutch Golden Age by Julie Berger Hochstrasser. 320 pp.; 7 x 10; 110 Illus., 30 in Color;
Epilogue; Appendices; Notes; Bibliography; Index. $40.00 Hardcover. A scholarly analysis of the interconnection between
17th Century Dutch commerce and its representational art as
exemplified by the still life. Opens not only a fuller understanding of
Dutch art but also the dark side underlying trade practices — a
topic much on the minds of thinkers today. *****
UNIVERSITY
OF NEW MEXICO PRESS/FRESCO FINE ART PUBLICATIONS: Landscapes of Colorado:
Mountains and Plains by Ann Scarlett Daley and Michael Paglia. 286
pp.; 11 5/8 x 10 3/8; 200 Color Illus.; Artists Biographies; Bibliographies;
Index. $85.00 Hardcover. Handsomely produced and gorgeously illustrated,
Landscapes of Colorado includes the work of some 50+ artists, the
work ranging from representational to abstract, from photography to painting.
A visual treat sure to please either landscape artist or lover. *****
Humanscapes: Interpreting the Human Form by P. Miller and Peter Crane. 168 pp.; 11 ¾ x 14 ¼; 10
Halftones, 52 Color Illus; Catalogue of Images. $75.00 Hardcover. This oversize “coffee-table” book combines the talents
of photographer P. Miller and poet Peter Crane, the result a lyrical and
sensuous celebration of land- and bodyscape that delights the eye. A handsome
gift for any lover of beauty. *****
The Art of Ann Templeton by Michael Chesley Johnson. 144 pp.;
11 ¾ x 9 ½; 120 Color Illus.; Index of Paintings. $65.00
Hardcover. A masterful colorist with a marvelously “loose” use of
the brushstroke makes Ann Templeton and her aesthetic vision a visual
treat of the first order. Includes
not only an overview of her life and work, but also an extensive section
(in her own words) on her technique. ****
Serenading the Light: Painters of the Desert Southwest by David
Clemmer. 162 pp.; 11 ½ x 9 ½; 42 Color Illus.; List of
Artists; Index. $39.00 Softcover. No need to “go West” when you have
this colorfully illustrated collection of paintings from a wide variety
of artists, including such painters as Ernest Blumenschein, Homer Boss,
Willard Clark, Norma Bassett Hall, William R. Leigh — and a host
of others. The next best thing to traveling to see it at first-hand. ****
THE
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON PRESS: Display and Displacement: Sculpture and
the Pedestal from Renaissance to Post-Modern (Ed.) Alexandra Gerstein. 160 pp.; 6 ½ x 9 ½; 50 B/W Illus.
$65.00 Hardcover. Eight scholars
explore the varied and ever-changing relationship of sculpture and pedestals,
ranging over periods from the 16th to the 20th centuries.
Undertaken for the Courtauld Institute of Art Research Forum, Display
and Displacement is well researched and comprehensive; a welcome addition
to a fuller appreciation for the art of sculpture and its presentation.
****
Tsimshian Treasures: The Remarkable Journey of the Dundas Collection
by Donald Ellis, et al. 176 pp.; 10 x 12; 75 Illus., 60 in Color;
Bibliography; Notes. $45.00 Hardcover. Handsomely produced and lavishly
illustrated with excellent reproductions, Tsimshian Treasures —
as its title suggests — traces a remarkable collection of art purchased
from the Tsimshian Indian tribe — from its origins along the coast
of British Columbia where it was purchased by William Duncan (a missionary),
re-sold to Reverend Robert J. Dundas, and eventually put up for auction
in 2006 where it fetched over seven million dollars. This catalogue preserves
the collection for prosperity. ****
The Powerful Hand of George Bellows: Drawings from the Boston Public
Library by Robert Conway. 160 pp.; 8 x 10; B/W Illus.; Catalogue
of the Exhibition; Bibliography; Index. $35.00 Softcover. Published
in conjunction with a traveling exhibition of the same name, The Powerful
Hand of George Bellows admirably demonstrates the accuracy of its
title. A long-time associate of and intellectual adherent to Robert Henri
and his ideas of social realism, Bellows here shows the wider scope of
his talent, work and aesthetic vision, which — for many —
went far beyond that of his mentor. Excellent reproductions. ****
HARRY
N. ABRAMS, INC.: Impressionists by the Sea by John House. 144 pp.; 10 7/8 x 9 ¾; 110 Color Illus.; Chronology;
Bibliography; Index. $55.00 Hardcover. The accompanying catalogue to an exhibition presently
at the Royal Academy of Arts, London (see Ina Cole’s essay/review, “The
Lure of the Ocean” in this issue) which will then travel to the Phillips
Collection in Washington, DC (Oct 20-Jul 13, ’08) and the Wadsworth Athenaeum,
Hartford, CT (Feb 9—May 11, ’08), Impressionists by the Sea explores
the long-held fascination of the sea for the artistic imagination. Includes
beautiful reproductions of such artists as Monet, Boudin, Manet, and others.
*****
Drawing by Seeing by John Torreano. 176 pp.; 8 ½ x 10;
300 Illus., 150 in Color; Glossary; Further Reading; Index. $29.95 Softcover.
Suitable for either beginning or accomplished artists, Drawing by Seeing
is chock-full of tips, suggestions,
information, and guidance for transferring what you see onto the flat
plane of a piece of paper. Fully illustrated with concise and clear text.
*****
W.W.
NORTON & COMPANY, INC.: E.O. Hoppé’s Amerika: Modernist Photographs
from the 1920’s by Phillip Prodger. 176 pp.; 9 3/8 x 11; B/W Illus.;
Index. $49.95 Hardcover. Hailed as “the master’ by his contemporary
Cecil Beaton, Emil Otto Hoppé captures the people, the architecture, the
hustle and bustle of New York City during the 1920’s. More than a nostalgic
chronicling, Hoppé’s Amerika offers up the penetrating eye of the
foreigner in a strange city. Masterful. *****
ABBEVILLE
PRESS: Travels with Van Gogh and the Impressionists: Discovering the Connections
by Lin Arison and Neil Folberg. 284 pp.; 8 7/8 x 10 ¼; 141
Illus., 111 in Color; Bibliography; Index. $45.00 Hardcover. A nice
idea handsomely carried through, Travels with Van Gogh and the Impressionists
brings together the sensibilities of Arison’s text, Folberg’s photography,
and the works and locales of the impressionists. A lovely armchair journey
for the stay-at-home traveler, proving once again that, in Dickinson’s
words, “there is no frigate like a book.” *****
U.S.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES: Dream Anatomy by Michael
Sappol. 190 pp.; 7 ½ x 10; B/W & Color Illus.; Exhibition
Checklist; Further Reading. $30.00 Softcover. Published in conjunction
with an exhibition, Dream Anatomy, though published for the National
Library of Medicine, could well serve as a excellent preparatory text
for the student of life studies. The anatomical drawings and photographs
— ranging from the 15th to the 20th century
— are clearly reproduced and cover all parts of the human body.
***
F+W
PUBLICATIONS, INC./NORTH LIGHT BOOKS: Lessons from a Lifetime of Watercolor
Painting by Donald Voorhees. 144 pp.; 9 3/8 x11 ¼; B/W &
Color Illus.; Index. $29.99 Hardcover. A “how-to” book that covers
all the bases, Lessons from a Lifetime of Watercolor Painting includes insight and information about the basics, the final product —
and everything in-between. Spirally-bound for easy page access and quick
reference. A handy tool for novice or pro. *****
The Little Book of Drawing: A Friendly Approach by Dr. Mary McNaughton. 144 pp.; 8 ¼ x 8 ¼;
B/W Illus.; Index. $19.99 Hardcover. “Friendly” it says, and friendly
it is — with each page filled with McNaughton’s over 25-years
of drawing experience. Beginning with the basics, The Little Book of
Drawing is meant for both beginner and accomplished artist. *****
ARTNETWORK
PRESS/CONSORTUIM BOOK SALES: Internet 101 for Artists: With a Special
Guide to Selling on eBay by Constance Smith. 128 pp.; 8 x 10; Sites
to Browse; Index. $15.95 Softcover. The second edition of what has
proved to be a very informative book for the working artist. Chock full
of ideas, Internet 101 covers such topics as acquiring a URL, using
online galleries, designing your own website, making money on eBay —
and a whole lot more. A big bang for your buck!*****
Compiled by Raymond J. Steiner