The Art Bookshelf
MWBOOKREVW
THE ART BOOKSHELF
Art of Juan Manuel Blanes
Octavio Assuncao, et.al.
University of Washington Press
0-87128-09-8 $29.95
Blanes produced beautiful paintings which sought to portray heroism, Latin
American history and culture, and the early West: enjoy here a fine
catalog of his works, from his immortalization of the gaucho image to his
dynamic sketches and photos of unusual women. The color reproductions are
fresh and excellent in this important catalog.
Guide to Impressionist Paris
Patty Lurie
Robson Press
120 Schuyler St., Manchester, NH 03102
0-9654027-5-4 $24.95
Paris-bound art students will appreciate this collection of nine walking
tours centered around eighty sites of well-known Impressionist works.
Clear maps and detailed descriptions blend with small but well detailed
color reproductions of Impressionist works to provide artists with fine
examples of what they can view and experience on a trip to Paris.
North Light Books
Three important art guides will appeal to all levels of students, from
beginners to more advanced users who want to brush up on techniques. Dawn
McLeod Heim's Guide To Painting Realistic Water Colors (0-89134-714-3,
$27.99) provides a step-by-step approach to reproducing paintings in the
book. While may seem professional and look complex, Heim reduces the
how-to instructions to basics any beginner can master. This goes beyond
brush strokes, teaching how to mix paints and which values to use.
Beginners are assured of successful results when provided with keys to
mastering each step. Lee Hammond's How To Draw Portraits In Colored Pencil
From Photographs (762-3, $27.99) is also recommended for beginners: a
step-by-step format tailored to the colored pencil medium assures easy
instructions and exact attention to the shadings and techniques which
produce three-dimensional, professional results. The focus on using
pencils to achieve specific results makes for an excellent set of basic
instructions. Gary Olsen's Getting Started In Multimedia Design (716-X,
$29.99) teaches the basics of multimedia design principles; from assessing
software and hardware tools necessary for 3-D animation and video editing
to designing programs and locating programmers and artists to complete
effects.
A Treasury of the Great Children's Book Illustrators
Susan E. Meyer
Henry N. Abrams, Inc.
100 Fifth Avenue, NY, NY 10011
0-8109-2694-6 $24.95 1-212-570-03951
The lives and works of the most influential children's book illustrators
are presented in A Treasury Of The Great Children's Book Illustrators, a
captivating survey of such Victorian era artists as Edward Lear, John
Tenniel, Walter Crane, Randolph Caldecott, Kate Greenaway, Beatrix Potter,
Ernest Shepard, Arthur Rackham, Edmund Dulac, Kay Nielsen, Howard Pyle,
N.C. Wyeth, and W.W. Denslow. A delightful introduction examines the world
in which these illustrators worked, including the growth of the publishing
industry in the 19th century, the changing attitudes toward children, and
the invention of the children's picture book. A Treasury Of The Great
Children's Book Illustrators is beautifully illustrated with 93 full color
pictures showcasing some of the best children's picture book art ever
made.
Genoa: Drawings and Prints, 1530-1800
Carmen Bambach, et al.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Harry N. Abrams, dist.
1000 Fifth Avenue, NY, NY 10028-0198
0-87099-772-6 $14.95 1-212-570-03951
Genoa, Italy emerged as a major artistic center toward the middle of the
16th century, sparked by the seal lord Andrea Doria's political leadership
and ready patronage, and the artist Perino del Vaga's arrival from Rome in
1527. The technically masterful, even boldly experimental, graphic art in
Genoa: Drawings And Prints, 1530-1800 illustrates Genoa's growth by the
early 17th century into an important regional artistic school. Some of the
drawings were made as independent works of art (as for instance ones by
Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione) characterized by rich painterliness and
dramatic content. Many sheets are preparatory drawings, which eloquently
describe the Genoese tradition of illusionistic fresco painting that
unfolded almost in its entirety within the splendid interiors of the new
churches and palazzi. In addition to better-known artists (Luca Cambiaso,
Giovanni Battista Gaulli, Bernardo Strozzi) Genoa: Drawings And Prints,
1530-1800 includes less-studied Genoese artists such as Carlo Alberto
Baratta, Giulio Benso, Bartolomeo Biscaino, Bernardo and Valerio Castello,
Giovanni David, and Gregorio and Lorenzo de Ferrari -- all of whom
significantly influenced other artists both in Genoa and elsewhere in
Italy.
The Glory of Byzantium
Helen C. Evans & William D. Wixom, eds.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Harry N. Abrams, dist.
1000 Fifth Avenue, NY, NY 10028-0198
0-8109-6507-0 $85.00 1-212-879-5500
The Glory of Byzantium: Art and Culture of the Middle Byzantium Era, A.D.
843-1261 is a stunning, 604 page coffee-table artbook based on the
exhibition of the art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art of the Middle
Byzantine period beginning with the restoration of the use of icons by the
Orthodox Church in 843 and ending with the occupation of Constantinople by
the Crusader forces from the West and 1204 to 1261. The Glory Of Byzantium
explores four interrelated themes: the religious and secular culture of
the Second Golden Age of the Byzantine Empire; the empire's interaction
with its Christian neighbors and rivals; its relations with the Islamic
East; and its contact with the Latin West. Bringing together the
contributions of 59 scholars and art historians, the text explores the
complex currents of Byzantine civilization. More than 350 works of art
assembled from 119 institutions in 24 countries are discussed and
illustrated in the catalogue, presenting a significant selection of works
that survive from the empire and from the countries that constituted its
extended sphere of influence. Liturgical objects (including icons,
mosaics, chalices, ceramics, jewelry, and manuscripts) reflect the dynamic
nature of the art of this era both within and outside of the empire. The
first half of the volume treats the historical context, the religious
sphere, and the secular courtly realm of the empire; the second half
focuses on the interactions between Byzantium and other medieval cultures,
including Islam and the Latin West. The seventeen essays are accompanied
by views of architectural sites and comparative illustrations. The Glory
Of Byzantium is a highly recommended for academic or community libraries,
and would be especially appropriate as a Memorial Fund acquisition
selection.
Monet and the Mediterranean
Joachim Pissarro
Rizzoli International Publications
300 Park Avenue South, NY, NY 10010
0-8478-1783-0 $45.00 1-212-387-3400
Monet And The Mediterranean showcases 140 color illustrations, including
dozens of paintings previously unpublished in color. Monet And The
Mediterranean arises from a ground-breaking exhibition organized by noted
art historian Joachim Pissarro. Pissarro's essay draws upon Monet's
intense correspondence with Alice Hoschede (his confidante, lover, and
eventually his wife) and upon the critical responses evoked by these
paintings from the last phase of Impressionism until the present day.
Monet And The Mediterranean is a benchmark contribution to art history in
general, and the contribution and influence of Monet in particular.
A History of European Picture Frames
Paul Mitchell & Lynn Roberts
University of Washington Press
PO Box 50096, Seattle, WA 98145-5096
1-85894-036-2 $29.95 1-206-543-4050
There is enormous public and professional interest in picture frames but
until publication of A History Of European Picture Frames there has been
no comprehensive, scholarly survey documenting frame styles and their
original context. A History Of European Picture Frames is the culmination
of over twenty years work by Mitchell and Roberts. They have undertaken
photographic surveys of frames in most major museums in Europe and North
America, as well as in many historic houses and exhibitions. This analysis
of frame styles and their inter-relationships over eight centuries is
organized by nationality and period with fifty-six carefully constructed
diagrams in the form of framemakers' pattern books, interspersed with
thirty-eight plates of framed paintings. Components are drawn directly
from photographs of 268 frames original or contemporary to their pictures.
A History Of European Picture Frames is a monumental work of scholarship
and a benchmark publication.
Art Marketing 101
Constance Smith
ArtNetwork
Box 1268, Penn Valley CA 95946
0-940899-32-9 $24.95
Most artists relate to the idea of struggling, but it doesn't have to be
so. This encyclopedic volume examines the business side of art, providing
case history examples and success stories along with checklists and action
plans. From budgeting for promo pieces and considering the effectiveness
of their impact to uncovering new art markets, this is packed with avenues
for financial success.
New Business Card Graphics
PIE Books/Books Nippan, dist.
1123 Dominguez Street, #K
Carson, CA 90746
4-89444-004-0 $65.00 1-800-562-1410
From the design field to boutiques, bars and restaurants, real estate
agents, and even veterinary clinics, New Business Card Graphics is an
impressive selection of the world's best business cards ranging from the
trendiest to the most classy and includes many highly original specimens
along the way. How can design elements be distilled to be squeezed into
such a small space? How do the characteristics of business card design
vary between different countries? The reader is assured hours of
satisfaction finding the answers from the pages of New Business Card
Graphics, a critically important collection and a valued addition to any
commercial art design, business, or popular art reference book collection.
The Art Book
Phaidon Press
Chronicle Books, dist.
9780714-836256 $9.95
The Art Book is a miniature paperback guide to 500 of the world's greatest
artists from ancient to contemporary times packing accurate reduction,
condensed art criticism, and art-history-in-a-nutshell. All artistic
reproductions are full page color of fine quality and authenticity. Works
of art are arranged alphabetically by the artist's name, without regard
for historical period. A handy reference to similar artists or artists of
the same era is indicated by a pointing hand symbol at the end of each
synopsis, so the reader can easily look up other companion artists or
pieces, to trace a movement. All pieces are cross-referenced and there are
two brief glossaries of artistic movements and technical terms at the end
of the book, plus a directory of museums and galleries whose works of art
are included. Together with a hand tooled (or commercial) book carrying
cover, this would make the perfect graduation gift for a budding artist or
any other appreciative student. The critical notes are not at all stuffy;
they contain brief anecdotes and character descriptions of the artist as
well as explanations of the material. An example is the following
quotation bout Francois Boucher: "Epitomizing the artifice of the Rococo
age, he allegedly said of nature that it was 'too green and badly lit'."
The Art Book is functional, witty, compact, a great bargain for art
lovers, and a necessity for the art collector.
THE SHIPS/SAILING BOOKSHELF
Shipwrecks of Lake Huron
Jack D. Parker
Avery Color Studios
PO Box 308, Marquette, MI 49855
0-932212-45-X $11.95 1-800-722-9925
Shipwrecks Of Lake Huron: The Great Sweetwater Sea grew out of Jack
Parker's original research over many years. Featuring over 1100
shipwrecks, alphabetized and located in five separate sections, plus 35
historical photographs and a thumbnail history of how communications came
to the lakes, Shipwrecks Of Lake Huron is the most complete shipwreck
directory of Lake Huron, and an interesting historical document as well.
Lake Huron is not only a haven for cruising yachts, but a resting place
for many a shipwreck from the Griffon to more recent times. Shipwrecks Of
Lake Huron will of of great value to anyone with an interest in Great
Lakes history, and the many shipwrecks of Lake Huron in particular.
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