4 comments about The Unicorn Tapestries in The Metropolitan Museum of Art (Metropolitan Museum of Art Publications).

1. I recall seeing these tapestries for the first time as a teen, when my high school class made a bus trip to the Cloisters Museum--deigned as a medieval castle--in the uppermost park in Manhattan. As I recall, I was on crutches at the time. Through the shallow, spiral stairs tested my coordination, however, the fabulous textiles, rich in color and mythology, completely distracted me from my injury.
   
   I've been back a few times over the years to see these priceless treasures, and each time, they have induced silent awe.
   
   Margaret Freeman's volume provides a great record of the collection, including fine pictorial details, and scholarly (but engrossing) explanations of the tapestry themes and motifs.
   
   This is an art book you'll be happy to have.



2. One of the most beautiful, complex works of art that remain with us from the middle ages, the Unicorn Tapestries at the Cloisters Museum in New York City are a priceless treasure. Their monograph on the tapestries is a beautifully produced, meticulously researched, and well-written overview of the techniques used to weave them, the selection of colors, the symbolism of the figures and flowers, and the possible meaning of the entire sequence. To this day, no one knows for certain for whom they were woven and what they truly signify. If you haven't had a chance to see these wondrous tapestries in person, consider putting them on your list of things to do before you die. If you have been fortunate enough to make a visit, this book will certainly increase your understanding and appreciation of this masterpiece. We are fortunate to have them, though they probably truly belong in France or Belgium.



3. If you can't see these gorgeous tapestries in person, ***this book is a great way to view them up-close. Each tapestry, circa 1500, is shown in full (in color!) and in detail. All of the brilliant colors are from three dyes: madder (red), woad (blue), and weld (yellow). The hunt of the unicorn theme is possibly an allegory for love, marriage, even the death of Jesus Christ.

   These now-famous works of art apparently belonged to François VI, duc de La Rochefoucauld, in the late 1600s. They were taken from his chateau and later used by peasants to protect their food from frosts. Fortunately, they were recovered in 1850 and later (1922) purchased by John D. Rockefeller who gave them to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

   I was fortunate enough to see them last October. My fiancé and I made the trek from Times Square, via subway, to Fort Tryon Park, where The Cloisters are peacefully nestled. We crawled from the sub-terrain and entered the lush, fragrant park. It's a bit of a walk up to the museum, but the garden atmosphere astonished us. We couldn't believe we were in NY! The Cloisters were quiet and uncrowded in the morning. There's a center court complete with bubbling fountains and plants from the Medieval era that is open to the sky. We crossed this courtyard and entered into the small room where the tapestries occupy their personal space. I will never forget the experience. They took my breath away.




4. I absolutely love the unicorn tapestries, and I fulfilled a childhood dream when i saw them at the Cluny museum in paris. The colors are vivid and beautiful and do justice to these awesome tapestries.

4 comments about 150 Masterpieces of Drawing.

1. If you've got even a couple art/drawing books in your collection, you probably already have the best examples contained here (and they're probably reproduced better in your art books). I take drawing seriously so I'm always on the hunt for meaty art books and this one didn't deliver. While I often disagreed with what the author considers a "masterpiece" (apparently anything old--but I'll let that be a subjective thing) probably the biggest problem is the poor reproduction quality. It's refreshing to find an art book that doesn't cost a fortune, but when the texture and gesture of line can't be seen in the drawing--well, is it any wonder so many of them just lie there looking dead? Some of the drawings here are reproduced so badly they are almost completely black, others so light they are just barely tones on the page.

   Serious drawing books can be pricey but they can often be found at a good price if you buy an older edition--here are some really worth having: A Guide to Drawing (Daniel Mendelowitz), Art of Responsive Drawing (Nathan Goldstein), Art of Drawing (Bernard Chaet).




2. The quality of the reproductions in this book are second-rate and very dull. This didn't surprise me, as the paper stock and printing is going to be of lesser quality in a budget-priced book. And since the price is not unreasonable, this is a good student reference book

   But here's what really upset me. Certain masters of drawing like Delacroix and Burne-Jones are completely missing. Nor are the selected drawings of Raphael included here the best examples, in my opinion.

   I had the pleasure of visiting a sculptor friend and nearly tripping in the entrance of her house as I caught the sight of a fantastic little pencil drawing out of the corner of my eye. "Yes," she smiled "we think it is a Burne-Jones, even though it isn't signed." She has since passed on and donated her work and art collection to her alma mater. While I think that was a wonderful thing to do, that drawing may well end up in an archive and never be seen by the public, ever. So these books are sometimes the only way one ever gets to see masterful drawings, and to leave out some of the best artists makes me pretty sad. Save your money unless you need another drawing reference book and this contains what you are looking for.




3. As usual, I am going to write about this book based on what strikes me most when I look at it and even more after I finish it.

   The one thing I learn from this book is that it is NOT what you draw WITH, but it is more of WHAT you draw and HOW you draw that matters.

   Remember when you were a little boy (or girl), you would love to draw on the snow, especially on the first snow of the season, smooth and fresh? Remember when you were a little boy, you would love to draw on the sand at the beach... standing; and the wave would wash it off? But I digress. The point is that this little book has taught me so many things in art and life that I cannot tell you all, but a few.

   First off, it is a collection of beautiful drawings done by some of the Great Masters and draftsmen, such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo Buonarroti, Raphael, Rubens, Du:rer, and Rembrandt, to name a few. Most of the works were done in pencil, crayon, or pen and ink. The genres covered include perhaps almost if not all of the important genres existing in fine arts, such as portraiture, figure (aka nudes), landscape, and even animals.

   Secondly, art students and professional artists alike will find this book a valuable addition to their library collection. The treatment of line and mass drawing, brushstroke, cross-hatching, edge, composition, and such, are skillfully done. One would make a better artist simply by copying these drawings and learn to recreate the effects shown in them using the techniques mentioned. What a great number of valuable lessons in drawing for artists who believe in good draftsmanship and drawing skills.

   Last but not least, what strikes me most perhaps is the figure drawing. Sensual, respectable (for crying out loud in this time and age!), beautiful posing, and masterful rendition. What a gem!

   One second-to-final little note: As revealed in these drawings, and as we all know it, the figures of these old-time ladies are healthy, well-fed and attractive in their own right; attractive in the sense not only of being a beautiful creature to look at, but also a healthy and fertile mother-to-be!

   As a final little note, for folks who would like to see anything with their analytical "artist's eyes", here is one for you to judge: Look at the drawing of "Lady-in-waiting to the Infanta Isabella" by Peter Paul Rubens (a flemish artist, 1577-1640) on the front cover (this drawing is Plate 58 in the book) and compare that with a picture of Alley McBeal (i.e. actress Calister Flockhart) to see for yourself. For a picture of Alley McBeal go to my "About You Area" for a book list about Alley McBeal, or one of the two books (both available at amazon.com): a) Ally McBeal: The Official Guide and b) David E. Kelley : The Man Behind Ally McBeal.




4. With very few words, and many excellent pictures, reveals the secrets of art and drawing. I can basically open a page and enjoy the classical art work while reading a section or a caption and learning something at the same time. Pictures alone are worth the price!

No comments about Readings in Latin American Modern Art.

No comments about Art and Scholasticism with Other Essays.

1 comments about A Guide to Japanese Prints and Their Subject Matter.

1. If you are looking for a sourcebook to the facts about ukiyo-e and the artists who made them, I would recommend something a little more modern. But Stewart's discussion of Japanese prints has much to recommend it. First and most importantly, he concentrates on nineteenth century prints, and describes series and works within series in great detail. As these are the works that dominate the print market these days, this information is of much help to the collector. Moreover, Stewart describes artists and their work with highly personal but entertaining aesthetic judgements, taking the risks of saying "the first Chushingura series of Eisen is superior to the second" as few works after him have done so baldly. Wonderful for the print collector to curl up with on a late night and dream of the days when Hiroshiges still went for shillings! The guide to artists and dating in the rear is also helpful, though it must take a second place to Richard Lane's guide in Images from the Floating World and other, more recent sources. Still, this work has a flavor all of its own, and is recommended to the novice (who shouldn't always accept everything Stewart says as fact) and the expert (who can read between the lines and sometimes get a good laugh.)

2 comments about Homo Art (Icons).

1. This is a beautiful and varied collection of artwork that glorifies, eroticizes, and celebrates the male body. It contains art (paintings, sculptures, etc.) from as early as the most ancient civilizations to as late as the present day, and from countries as far apart on the map as China and America. Even the subject matter is diverse, as the art covers everything from Greek mythology, to modern-day S&M, to, of course, the arrow-ridden body of St. Sebastian that no collection of homoerotic art could ever be complete without. My only complaint about this book is that the art is not categorized by year, country, or both. Not only would that make it easier to find specific artwork, but it would also be interesting to compare and contrast different cultures or see how the art has evolved. Still, if you're interested in the historical and artistic depiction of homosexuality and the male body, or if you just enjoy admiring beautiful artwork (and you don't mind the small size of the pictures), then this book is well worth the price.



2. We have seen these same old prints to the nth degree!!! Acceptable for restroom reading/decoupage projects.

5 comments about The 20th Century Art Book.

1. it is a dictionary of the 20th century art,i can look through the artists and their work.



2. I bought this book as a supplimental text for my 20th Century Art History class and I'm so glad I did! It's a great book for anyone who's interested in art- or for those who hear an artist's name mentioned and wants to check that artist out. The fact that the artists are in alphabetical order makes this a very easy to use reference.



3. This is an interesting, informative and colorful book in very good condition.



4. A very useful and beautiful resource, this book has the added appeal of having taken the time to acquire writings with some very sensible, succint and honest appraisals of artist, genre, message and composition. All this family of books do likewise but with this book it seems so much more important to get that structure absolutley right, and they have.
   Like the other members of it's family it has an a-z approach and takes in a vast array of genres, suprising just how diverse 20th century art is. The only problem, as always, is that those on display have to be limited, so naturally some works and even some artists do not appear. I would not allow that to be off putting, this little family of books gets bigger by the year so I feel assurred that the unrepresented will not stay so for very long!



5. Arranged alphabetically, which is very helpful. Sadly, it generally has but only one painting or photo for each artist, but then the intent here is to cover as many artists as possible, not to be comprehensive on any one artist, and it's quite heavy as it is already.

   The 20th Century Art Book is an EXCELLENT reference guide. How many times reading the Arts section of a newspaper, or an interview with an artist, etc., does one hear a reference to another artist and one has no idea who that person is? With this book, you can quickly check it out!

   I also very much appreciate the cross-linking - since it's alphabetical, and not by style or school of thought, the editors have listed on each artists's page other artists who are similar or somehow related to that one. I have found the cross-referencing to be very helpful many times.

   Unless one already has an encyclopedic knowledge of art of the 20th century, this is a PERFECT book for one's art library as a reference tool. And it's also a GREAT jumping off point for exploring artists: page through randomly, come across something interesting, then go and look for a book of that artist, or head to the museum "in search of."

   I treasure my copy, and would not ever wish to part with it.

No comments about Plein Air Painting in Watercolor.

2 comments about A World of Rings.

1. I'm afraid to say you did a confusion regarding your Editorial Review (book description) between A WORLD OF RINGS, and a new book, which is not yet published, from the same author Anne Van Cutsem: A WORLD OF EARRINGS (November 2001). These two books have of course two different subjects despite the fact they have the same author. Thank you in advance to make the appropriate corrections in your review section.



2. First, this book has a misleading title. "Rings of Africa and Asia" would be more accurate (the few pages of rings from America hardly seem worth mentioning). I purchased this book for the library in our college jewelry lab, hopefully to inspire students with the variety of rings created around the world and throughout history. It will be looked at and enjoyed I am sure, but I am still searching for a book that would show rings from the entire world and throughout history, ancient to present. Second, in order to read the descriptions of the rings pictured, one must flip to the back of the book for details. While this makes for a beautiful coffee table type book, with great photos and no print on the page to distract, it does make it difficult to use the book as a reference. Also, many of the descriptions leave out important information, such as dates. The best descriptions include details regarding the symbolic meaning of the designs or similar information; I would have liked to have seen more of this type of content. On the plus side (the reason I give it four stars and will buy a copy for my own library)... it is a beautiful book that does present a great variety of rings from the two continents. The large collection of ethnic rings are well photographed (all in color) and presented in an artistic fashion. For this alone, I feel it is worth its modest price and recommend it despite the shortcomings I mentioned above.

5 comments about The Feud That Sparked the Renaissance: How Brunelleschi and Ghiberti Changed the Art World.

1. That this book was chosen to be sold at the recent exhibit of Ghiberti's doors at the Metropolitan Museum in New York (and not some dry Art History account on slick paper) is another example of the genuine taste shown in the arrangement of the exhibit, in which several panels from the doors were displayed in such a way that the rough backs could be viewed as well as the incredibly beautiful bas reliefs on the front. It's no surprise that works like these took so long to complete. Nor is it a surprise, having seen them, that, as Walker surmises, it was Ghiberti's expertise (on an earlier set of doors) that turned Brunelleschi towards an arena in which his rivals could not compete: architecture. As compared with the various cold, lifeless accounts of the making of the dome and other facets of this story, that someone has moved away from the didactic to bring it to life as one of the great moments in human history is a real blessing. Of most value to me personally is the way it puts the entire panoply of Renaissance Italian artists into perspective. That Brunelleschi was the first to establish not just perspective but the essential style of Florentine architechture for the next century (and I would add, creating what we now attribute to Andrea Palladio, just as we attribute some of Brunelleschi's inventions to da Vinci) is so important as to outweigh any trifling imperfections in Walker's style. This book certainly deserves a hardback edition, full color plates, and some solid promotion, particularly to university bookstores and art museums.



2. An engaging treatment of the rivalry between two creative giants. This book takes you into the time period and opens the world of the early Renaissance to the modern reader. The author's thorough scholarship makes Brunelleschi & Ghiberti more real than do the work of some others and yields a true feel for both the time period and the individuals involved. If you love history, art or architecture you will enjoy this book!



3. The Renaissance is a subject of great interest and curiousity to me. The author provided for me a depth of information, with supporting detail, I found very engaging. I am a docent at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco where we are blessed with an exact copy of the Ghiberti Paradise Doors.. one of just three in the world stuck from molds of the original panels. I learned of this book from a visitor who told me she could not believe her surprise and good fortune to see the doors here after her enjoyment of the book. She was correct. I believe the author provides a very good mix of history, supporting documentation and story telling to move this beyond a flat text book and into a favorite reference for me.



4. I love reading about this time period, so I thought I'd really love this book. But I didn't. It was poorly written on three major ways.
   
   1. He was wishy-washy. He couldn't take a stand on the facts he researched. He would say, it isn't clearly documented, or some research said this, some said that, etc. And he annoyingly kept interupting himself to state this! Made me feel that he did some research, but couldn't figure it out. I've read other authors who write about history that can take the facts and distill them into a clear viewpoint. So what if others refute it, take a stand, have an opionion!
   
   2. He kept flip-flopping by referring to the characters by their first name then their last. Pick one and be consistent!
   
   3. It was very disjointedly written. Another reviewer mentioned that he'd start talking about something, then in the next paragraph talk about something else totally unrelated. I kept looking for some kind of organization to the whole thing, but never found it.
   
   If you want to read some good books about this time period - written by a better author, but historical FICTION, read Dorothy Dunnet's House of Niccolo Series. Now THAT's how the Renaissance should be written!



5. I was hoping for great things- but was disappointed in the text. There are not many history books that I give up on, but this was one- put it down after the first two chapters and haven't picked it back up yet.
   
   The major problem- more of a Brunelleschi bio than anything. Even worse, - at least in the first two chapters- every paragraph seems to be a new topic, and not related to the previous. I was really hoping for a nice, easy to read, narrative.
   
   Also seemed a little light on facts, but maybe they come later.