1 comments about The Art Lover's Almanac : Serious Trivia for the Novice and the Connoisseur.

1. I was expecting more of a trivia type book but the art student I bought it for enjoyed it anyway.

2 comments about Oceanic Art (World of Art).

1. To my mind, this volume treats too many topics to permit a meaningful discussion of any of them. The result is a discursive discussion supported by very selective use of examples. There is no systematic overview of the material culture of any of the areas discussed, and there is only a loose connection between the narrative and the illustrations. The book might have been greatly improved by a more detailed discussion of the geographic and demographic background of the area(s) to be treated, together with a more systematic treatment of the extent material cultural of each area or the region in general. As it is, the chapters seem to have no clear beginning or end. They leave you wondering how what you've seen fits into the bigger picture of the artistic output of the area and oceanic art in general.

   To be fair, however, this may not be the fault of the author. This is a tough topic to treat in a book of this length, intended for a general audience. The publisher might have done better to break the topic up into separate volumes.




2. In his book Oceanic Art, Nicholas Thomas goes beyond the eye's view of the artwork produced from Oceania, giving the reader the background information and reasons why the distinct works of art were created. Thomas goes through each culture, giving and explaining examples to match the history of each respective culture. I was impressed by the thoroughness of Thomas, not only showing ancient artwork, but photos from Oceania today, as the respective cultures are being preserved. His analysis of the artwork was very well done as he not only explains the artwork, but gives the reader a sense of the culture also. Having studied art, I was impressed with all the examples and pictures in the book, then relating art with history. I would highly suggest this insightful book.

2 comments about Image on the Edge: The Margins of Medieval Art (Reaktion Books - Essays in Art and Culture).

1. I had to read this for a class. This is not for anyone unless you are searching for strict information. Camille manages to give countless astute observations that would be very helpful in building up a paper. But as historical book unto itself that guises itself as text interpreting Medieval Europe through rebellious artwork, it just doesn't hold much water. The confines here are soooooo narrow that unless you have already a great passion for artwork of this period you will be left quite numb.



2. For readers unfamiliar with the culture of the Middle Ages, it is surprising, and perhaps even disconcerting, to learn that a medieval manuscript of a prayer-book could contain marginal images of human excrement, or that medieval churches were frequently adorned with gargoyles depicting diabolic and uncanny figures. This book by Michael Camille, professor of art history at the University of Chicago, is devoted to explaining these strange "margins" of medieval culture. Camille essentially argues that, while such marginal images could on the face of it be interpreted as subverting the conventions of the dominating center of culture, they ultimately served to reinforce it. As the author puts it on page 127, "the edges of discourse...always return us to the rules of the center." In other words, medieval artists toyed with the margins of culture, with "otherness" and difference, yet ultimately sided with the "good" and the "normal." Interestingly enough, the marginal images which were so typical of the high Middle Ages disappeared at the beginning of the modern age. Camille suggests that the margins lost their function of hinting at the ugly reverse of mainstream culture in an age where the mainstream both asserted itself more strongly, rigorously demarcating "low" from "high" culture, and at the same time dissolved difference in the medium of bourgeois taste. Peasants and drunkards, for example, became the explicit object of a genre called the "grotesque." At the end of this fine book, Camille writes: "art collapsed inwards, to create a more literal and myopic dead-center [devoid of the medieval playfulness], taking with it edges and all" (p. 160).

2 comments about Eva Hesse Drawing.

1. Eva Hesse focused on two main expressive media in her (unfortunately brief) life and career; sculpture and drawings. Better known for the sculptural works, which are so original that they amaze and delight nearly 40 years after their creation, her drawings are also highly original, and captivating. Hesse was one of the originators of the Minimalist style, at least with regard to her drawings, although she couldn't have known that at the time; she was just trying to forge her own expressive identity. This volume explores both her sketches and concepts for her sculptural work as well as drawings created as purely original works on their own. The drawings, particularly the later ones, have a simplicity of expression but with incredibly subtle nuances that give the works an amazing depth of feeling. The catalog is well laid-out with numerous essays, but some of the essays are a bit too heavy-handed and overly intellectual, and in some cases much too long, for this delicate and expressive work. Hence my rating of 4 stars rather than 5. But don't let that put you off; exploring Hesse's body of work on paper is very much worth the price of this fine volume.



2. Love Eva's work - great showing of her drawings.

4 comments about Rubens Drawings: 44 Plates (Art Library).

1. Drawings are look more like an inexpensive comic book than a master drawing's book, I am very disappointed with this book.



2. Contrary to Redmund's review, this is a tidy collection of one of history's most underrated daughtsmen. For those like me, who do not like Ruben's paintings (note to Redmund: Rubens had a virtual factory of workers who did most of his painting), this book is both surprising and delightful.



3. This book is not one of the best among those in the Dover Art Library. A handful (about a half-dozen) of pictures are good with sufficient details and/or a tight organization to be appreciated. Most are so-so. Some are definitely fillers. It does not help that Rubens himself, according to the Publisher's Note, did not think highly of his own drawings and did not even sign a single one of them. All told, this selection is not impressive.

   Rubens's paintings, rather than his drawings, should rightly be his legacy.




4. This is an excellent book on the drawings of Rubens. The works are very diverse and a whole range of different media are used. This is a great book to study for an art student.

No comments about The Prentice Hall Rock and Roll Compilation: Volume 1.

2 comments about O'Neill's 1001: The Dance Music of Ireland.

1. This is a job that needed doing and is well done.
   
   Thanks to Waltons Stores of Dublin Ireland



2. Pretty much self explanatory. The title says it all. This is pretty much a bible of Irish fiddle tunes. So I'll not review the content, but rather my review will be on the quality of this book. First a word on spacing: In order to fit so many songs into such a slim volume the individual pieces are crammed as tightly as they can fit onto the pages and I tend to lose my place. If you are a little older and your eyesight isn't what it used to be you may need reading glasses to be able to make out the small print. My recommendation is to use this as a source book and pick which songs you want to play and make copies of those pages. The binding seems to be of good quality (stitched and glued), but time will tell the tale. Most paperback volumes tend to fall apart after a while, but my suggestion about making copies of the pages you want to play should save some wear and tear on the book. The paper is also a good quality. I'm not sure if it is acid-free or not and this would make a big difference on the life of the pages, but it is a nice semi-gloss stock similar to magazine pages, but thicker. Once you break the spine in the book lays fairly flat even though it isn't spiral bound, so if you wanted to use it on the music stand you could do that. As soon as I got my copy I went through it from front to back flipping a few pages at a time and folded the spine back and this helps it to lay flat. The ink doesn't seem to smeer when handled as some other books have done. There is an interestin introduction by Fancis O'neill and an indespensable index. I'd say this is certainly a good deal for $20.

2 comments about The Private Life of a Masterpiece: Uncovering the Forgotten Secrets and Hidden Life Histories of Iconic Works of Art.

1. Author Monica Bohm-Duchen delves into eight famous works of art, and the lives of their creators, for "The Private Life Of A Masterpiece." She explores here the popularity of these masterworks. What has caused them to move so many viewers so deeply? The stories behind their creation and the history of each one, along with corresponding information about their respective artists, are also discussed. Dating from 1501 to 1950, the artworks selected are: Michelangelo's "David"; Leonardo's "Mona Lisa"; Francisco de Goya's "Third of May, 1808," Edouard Manet's "Olympia," Vincent Van Gogh's "Sunflowers," Edvard Munch's "Scream"; and two 20th-century paintings, Pablo Picasso's "Demoiselles d'Avignon" and Jackson Pollock's "Autumn Rhythm." In all, there are 150 black and white photographs and 10 line illustrations in this 240 page book - a real gem for any art lover to treasure. The principal commonality in the pieces chosen for the publication, apart from being well known art icons, is that all eight strike resounding chords within viewers worldwide.
   
   Each painting, and the "David," have their own, in-depth biography. Ms. Bohm-Duchen's rich analytical narrative is what makes this volume so special. This is not a dry text at all. As a matter if fact, I found it to be a real page-turner. The author has thoroughly researched every piece, and writes fascinating commentary on their creation. I was especially intrigued by the text documenting the various methods the artists used to prepare and execute their work. Also, of particular interest are the historical art reviews - how the finished masterpieces were received by the public. For example, when Manet's painting "Olympia" was hung in the Salon of Paris in 1865, it was met with jeers, laughter and disdain by art critics, the public, and the newspapers. Manet was rebelling against the art establishment of the time, and Ms. Bohm-Duchen explains that by painting a real woman, a courtesan at that, instead of an idealized version of "woman," and by disregarding the paths forged by the great masters, Manet greatly shocked viewers. Tidbits like these may not be absolutely necessary for an understanding of art, but the wealth of material the author provides certainly enhanced my appreciation and enjoyment.
   
   Beautifully written and presented, I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys fine art.
   JANA



2. Monica Bohm-Duchen has taken 8 famous paintings and told me the story of both the artist and the painting with the understanding that there really is no separation between the artist and his or her painting/s. How I hope that she writes a sequel, another sequel, another sequel! (This time I hope she includes women artists.)

   Especially, this book speaks to artists and art lovers. We artists know that each painting is a spirit that is very much alive.

   Unlike most book discussions of great art, Bohm-Duchen's is a page turner and almost a voyeuristic glimpse into the private lives of 8 artists, not so easily gleaned in the retrospectives and other tomes that speak of the art of these famous artists.I got an amazing pictural look at Jackson Pollock and gained a greater respect for his artistic composition and methodolody. I discovered the history of madness of the van Gogh family here and not in literally dozens of other books on van Gogh and his body of work. Every other book merely said Theo, his benefactor and art gallery owner brother, died about six months after van Gogh and never mentioned madness as the cause, or that his youngest brother killed himself at 32 or that his favorite sister, Wil, also spent time committed to a mental asylum.

   Bravo! Every artist and art lover and artist-to-be needs to read this book now. This book is a gift of joy you give yourself and others.

3 comments about Italian Glass: Century 20 (Schiffer Book for Collectors).

1. This book is awesome! I have just started collecting Murano glass and wanted a book to compare for the real thing or fake. This book was recommended by an avid collector and has become my bible. Well set out and the pictures and descriptions are extremely usefull.



2. As usual Lesli Pina has put together a wonderful reference for mid century glass collectors. The only comment I would make to improve this book, is that there are not price estimates with every photo. However, this is the exception as over 90% of the photos contain pricing.



3. I strongly recommend Leslie Pina's book to collectors of Murano glass in the US. While other books have pictures of the more elite museum pieces, Leslie Pina's book has hundreds of pictures of glassware that we see most often. It is a valuable reference in learning to identify and appraise the work of the quality artisans -- Fratelli Toso, Dino Martens, Salviati, Venini, Seguso, Campanella, Cenedese, and others. It is the most useful book on Murano glass that I own.

No comments about Postcard Books: Classic Fifties Cars (Postcard Books).