No comments about Symbols and Rebuses in Chinese Art: Figures, Bugs, Beasts, and Flowers.

No comments about The Usurer's Heart: Giotto, Enrico Scrovegni, and the Arena Chapel in Padua.

1 comments about Street Art: The Spray Files.

1. While this book may seem to say that Street Art is a viable artistic movement, it does so with little conviction. The book has little to say, it is too general in it's scope and his little understanding of it's own milieu. The text that accompanies the art work is sparse and does little to describe how the art is used and what informs the art work.
   
   While there are instances of spectacular art work, they are certainly the minority. I was almost never impressed with the artwork on display and felt that the work represented did not show the strengths of the artists. I have seen some amazing graff artists in my day and was underwhelmed by the representative works on display here.
   
   If you are looking for books on Street Art there are much better ones out there.

5 comments about Three Artists (Three Women): Modernism and the Art of Hesse, Krasner, and O'Keeffe (Ahmanson-Murphy Fine Arts Book).

1. I greatly enjoyed Anne Wagner's work in Three Artists (Three Women). Not only did she write an exceptional Introduction for her work - something rare in my opinion - but she isn't afraid to tackle the idea that one of her subjects, Eva Hesse, might not have been such a commodity had she lived. Wagner doesn't insult the artist or offend the reader in her discourse about Hesse's semi-martyrdom. Instead she very matter-of-factly outlines reasons for considering that the sculptor might have been less novel. She is sharp but candid:
   
   It is her (un)timely death that has meant that she has survived to play a special cultural role: forever under thirty-five, she answers a hunger for youthful tragic death. She is the `dead girl'...Much of the writing about the artist cannot resist taking advantage of the free mileage it gets from Hesse's early death. When it is harnessed to her troubled life, so called, an irresistible package results. (197)
   
   Wagner's strong suit is her skill at assisting the reader to build an understanding of feminism, art and the history of women as artists. She draws on three rather conventional (in the academic sense) artists when one might prefer to see her focus on feminist artists who are a little more out of the ordinary - Shirin Neshat comes to mind. In all, however, the work is quite a valuable cornerstone for art study and her presentation of the subject of women as artists/artists as women and the discussion about the mutual exclusivity that has historically accompanied those two constructs is insightful.



2. I picked up this book after seeing the Hesse retrospective in San Francisco. Although it provides a lot of useful background, the reading the art are somehow too pat. I guess it is a problem to always refer to the artist's life, however fascinating, to explain their work? And the 'feminist' framework did seem forced -- the photos were very suggestive but the author seemed afraid to really go for it. Why is so much academic writing afraid to make a strong argument or provocative, unexpected analysis?



3. One is reluctant to criticize the reviews of other customers, yet the two reviews prior to mine attempt to force upon Wagner's book both an historical framework and a point of view that are outside of her intended goal. If one reads the book for what it is, one finds a work of analytical insight, scholarship, humanity, and understanding of historical context. Enjoy it, savor it, reflect upon it!



4. Everyone who reviewed it seemed to love this overview of the careers of 3 artists: Krasner, Hesse. It's a fun read, with great photos, but I wish art historians would start to see there's more to the sixties than Hesse: what about Agnes Martin, Lee Bontecou, Yoko Ono, Alison Knowles, and all the rest??

   Wagner wants to be a good feminist, but ultimately, her approach is surprisingly traditional: canonical figures, marriage plot, sticks to the US, the known and alrady successful. Wants to avoid being "radical" or disturbing at all costs.




5. Wagner presents 3 kay artists but her analysis is thin -- after 200+ pages, we get to the conclusion that "altho gender doesn't entirely determine our lives, it does inflect them..." or something like that. Seems to be totally unaware of feminist work on modernism in other fields (ie lit, film) and never questions the whole "marriage" (heterosexuality) framework she sets up. As a trade press book, it'd be fine, but as a university press book -- seems thin, uninformed.

1 comments about Daim: Daring to Push the Boundaries.

1. This book was ok for the graff books coming out now. It has some amazing pictures in it, although it seemed fairly plain and a bit empty overall. There are some shots in this book though that were worth the money.

3 comments about The Language of Flowers: Symbols And Myths.

1. THIS Book is the size of a playing card and there is so little information in it PASS IT BY! 60 Little pages with a few sentences on each flower. The full color pictures just do not make up for what I thought would be Good reading. Give it away as a door prize.



2. As an artist I am always in search of books that are not only interesting to read, but primarily filled with great photographs of works. This book is filled with wonderful original works...all in color. I would also say that "don't judge a book by it's cover" applies to this one because it not only contains floral "plates" like the one on the cover, but also stunning trompe l'oeil still lifes with a floral theme. This is a wonderful little book!!



3. Anyone who has read the Bible or romantic poetry knows that flowers are often used as symbols. What may not have occurred to you is that the person you receive flowers from or give flowers to may read a message into the selections in the arrangement. If you are like me, you will never again select flowers as gifts solely for their aesthetic qualities. The book's strength is an outstanding choice of paintings used to illustrate the flowers discussed as well as their symbolism. You will be pleased to find the references for these paintings in the book so you can explore the works separately from the book.

   Ms. Heilmeyer is both a botanist and an art historian in Berlin, which makes her eminently qualified to explore this subject. Her review of the history of flower symbolism begins in ancient Egypt and moves forward in time through Greece, Rome, and Christian sources across Western Europe. Her key point is that "Throughout the ages flowers have played an important role in expressing feelings, or when joyful or sad news had to be delivered."

   The book is organized so that you get one page of essay facing one page of art illustration. The essay page will often have some small botanical illustrations on it. In total, you will find 156 color illustrations, almost all of which are wonderful! I was especially impressed that Ms. Heilmeyer was able to find botanical photographs that so aptly captured the symbolic elements of the flowers. On the top right of the page with the essay, the symbolic meanings are summarized to make it easier to use the book as a reference when assembling a message through an arrangement.

   I was struck that many flowers symbolize different things totally in the religious versus the lay context. The potential for mixed messages is strong in those cases.

   Here are a few flowers and some of their symbolic meanings to give you a flavor of what you will learn in the book:

   Columbine (Aquilegia) -- wisdom and strength, piety and fear; a symbol of salvation, the triumph of life over death; an aphrodisiac;

   Thistle -- Scotland's national emblem; a symbol of hard work, suffering and Christ's deliverance; dispels melancholy;

   Strawberry -- First fruit of the year; a symbol of purity and sensuality, fertility and abandance, humility and modesty;

   Camellia -- A symbol of the transience of life;

   Crocus -- Symbol of the Resurrection and heavenly bliss;

   Stock -- Symbol of happy life and contented existence;

   Lily -- Purity;

   Lily of the Valley -- A symbol of the Virgin Mary;

   Daisy -- The love flower;

   Daffodil -- The promise of eternal life;

   Carnation -- Bravery, love, and friendship; symbol of Mother's Day;

   Peony -- An arden love of God;

   Rose -- Love and joy; and

   Pansy -- Sign of the Holy Trinity; symbolizes loyalty.

   The obvious application of this book is to make up bouquets that are meaningfully beautiful. I hope you will use it that way to bring you closer to those you love.

   After you have finished enjoying this book and making many wonderful arrangements that you would not have considered before, I suggest that you also think about other natural items that have symbolic meanings and employ them as well to expand your visual use of language.

3 comments about Tapestry in the Renaissance: Art and Magnificence (Metropolitan Museum of Art Series).

1. Having marveled at the tapestry I purchased from Simply Tapestries, I went to the Museum of Modern Art to see their recent exhibit of Flemish tapestries. This book can almost act as a companion of this exhibit. I am amazed at the quality and quantity of the full color artwork. This book is a must for anyone who has purchased or intends to purchase a tapestry. The authors are obvious experts in their field. A wonderful art book of the highest quality. I learned so much about the history of these wonderful pieces of art.



2. I had no idea how important a medium tapestry was prior to stumbling on the Met exhibition during a recent visit to NYC and then reading this book. I was amazed to learn the amount of money spent to produce (and purchase!) them, and how important the industry was to the economy of the time . Anyone who thinks of tapestries as beige, boring and historically insignificant is in for a surprise.

   As for this book itself, the photography is stunning and lavish. Each time you look at one of these magnificent works you see something new--it's hard to believe that these are woven objects, the detail and color is so vivid...no wonder the NY Times listed it as a holiday gift buy. (I think they rated the accompanying exhibition one of the year's best too)




3. This collection depicting the tapestry exhibit recently held at the NY Met Museum is an indisputable gem. Entries are consise and thorough. Photographs are well done, some a bit too grey, but overall usable to all textile artists.
   Well worth the price and a steal at Amazon's price.

No comments about The Politics Of Vision: Essays On Nineteenth-century Art And Society (Icon Editions).

5 comments about J.R.R. Tolkien: Artist & Illustrator.

1. This important book reveals another dimension to Tolkien that remains obscured by his monumental storytelling. Tolkien was gifted with a many-sided creativity, as most artists are, and his visual creativity casts as vivid a vision of re-enchantment as his written work.



2. This book is much better than I thought it would be. Mostly I was curious to see more of Tolkien's art, but the text that goes along with it is wonderful. Christopher Tolkien asked the authors to write this book to showcase his father's art, and they do a wonderful job of describing the pictures, pointing out details that I missed, and putting them in context of when and where and why Tolkien drew them. Several versions of the same pictures are shown so you can see how Tolkien worked through a problem until he found the best final product. Plus the inspirations for some of the pictures are also shown, to show that Tolkien copied others sometimes, but in the end put his own mark on it. By copied, I don't mean plagarized. He drew his eagle from a book of birds to make sure he got it right, or was inspired by other artists particular works. Highly recommended if you are a Tolkien fan. If you are just into art and not a Tolkien fan, then I don't think this will interest you.



3. This book is a great way to collect some of Tolkien's best works of art and to get a glimpse behind the scenes of one of the greatest literary figures of the 20th century. Highly recommended.



4. Lleno de ilustraciones color, y algunas en blanco y negro. Me gusta porque es lo que Tolkien imaginó para sus obras... eso es lo que lo hace más hermoso. Además demuestra que Tolkien era un alma muy sensible, amante de la naturaleza, y esto se refleja no solo en sus libros sino también en sus dibujos. Me gustaría que estos dibujos estén incluidos en sus obras, no solo los dibujos de otros artistas. Hermoso, hermoso, para todos los admiradores de Tolkien.



5. This book features many of Tolkien's ink, watercolor, pencil, and colored pencil works. The detailed descriptions of each drawing include history, explanations, and dates. Quite a few maps are included, as well as illustrations for The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. It is wonderful to see how Tolkien imagined Middle Earth and its inhabitants. The colors he used are very earthy and lovely.
   
   My favorite drawing in this book is "End of the World" done in pencil and colored pencil on a sheet of notebook paper - you can actually see the lines of the paper. It is so simple; yet, the story it tells includes subtle intricacies and complexities similar to those in his writings. I also love the pencil and colored pencil drawing, "The Tree of Amalion," which obviously blooms with the flowers of Tolkien's imagination since they do not resemble traditional flowers. Finally, the hand drawn Christmas cards are beautiful mini-stories with dancing bears and penguins, and Father Christmas making deliveries.
   
   This book is truly exquisite, full of details and surprises for those of us who didn't know Tolkien was an extremely talented artist. It is a worthwhile purchase in my opinion.
   
   J.H. Sweet, author of The Fairy Chronicles

3 comments about Best Movies of the 70's (Taschen 25).

1. I cannot believe that for around $10, you get an absolutely beautiful, high-quality hardcover with amazing photos and well-written, critically insightful text. It's just a steal. Great to pick up and locate a film you've just watched for additional details. I just did it for Robert Altman's "Nashville."



2. Little to tell, you have to buy it. the book contains not only excellent reviews of films by critics, but also subject analysis, data concerning film creators, history of cinema and certainly has picked to review many of the great films of the decade.



3. Excellent photos, movies and information. Very nice. I loved this Taschen's collection.