No comments about The Painted Face: Portraits of Women in France, 1814-1914.

No comments about Tribal Tattoo Designs from the America's.

2 comments about A Journey into Christian Art.

1. The entries have very good brief historical and religious background. It just failed to show the gradual deterioration of art, in general, and of painting in particular from the time of the Rennaisance to modern times. The entries for modern art were very charitable; the attempt to be sacramental in the descriptions was futile because there was nothing sacramental in most modern art. But the attempt was well-intentioned and acceptable to most reader but it would be disappointing to the theologian.(But the book was not meant for theologians but for artists.) In which case the artist should give it 4 and a half-stars.



2. As the book itself states, 'A Journey into Christian Art' is lavishly illustrated - Helen de Borchgrave's text is accompanied by over a hundred full-colour-process, large-size reproductions of major paintings, as well as stunning photographs of frescos, mosaics, statues and other works of art. Hardly is there a two-page spread throughout the book that does not have a primary image dominant - art is not merely something to be talked about, but something to be experienced, and in a useful way, this book helps the reader accomplish this goal.
   
   This is no simple survey of art, however; it concentrates primarily on the art of Christendom, which is the major portion of the post-Roman Empire artistic tradition of the West until the Enlightenment and post-Enlightenment artistic streams headed in additional directions not directly tied to Christianity. de Borchgrave's purpose here is to do an historical survey simultaneously developing the idea of art with the idea of the spirituality of the artists involved - we as the readers do not simply see the paintings, etc. and admire the handiwork, but are drawn into discussion about the inspiration of the artists, and the hope of the artists in what they mean for their art to inspire.
   
   Beginning with largely anonymous works from late antiquity, de Borchgrave quickly advances into the period where we have names associated with the works (as it is difficult, although not impossible, to get deeply into the spiritual biographies of the anonymous). She explores the images of Christ in different settings during the first thousand years, and sees a division between East and West in different ways - she quotes Chesterton, who said 'the East was the land of the cross and the West was the land of the crucifix.' The issue of symbolism versus realism was one early parting of different artistic streams, which would often flow back across each others' paths.
   
   Key artists such a Giotto, Fra Angelico, Piero, Bosch, Michelangelo, Caravaggio, Rembrandt, and van Gogh are included among lesser-known figures (or persons whose names are less famous perhaps than their works). Workers in media other than painting are included - Durer's etchings and Henry Moore's sculptures, for example.
   
   'Art, as the eastern church discovered through icon painting, can be a force that takes us beyond knowledge and into prayer,' de Borchgrave writes. This idea is woven throughout the text - she writes about the modern painter Roger Wagner as someone who sat in the same spot where Fra Angelico, centuries before, 'had prayed his frescoes into life'.
   
   This is a truly beautiful book, not just in appearance, the 'look and feel' of it, but also in its text and the message, that art and the spirit are deeply connected, and that the artistic sensibility is both heightened by and heightens in turn the spiritual/religious aspects of Christian experience. The crucifixion and resurrection can be drawn in many different ways, yet always remain the same. The image of Christ takes on many varying characteristics, both realistic and symbolic, and yet always remains a powerful guide to the faithful, leading them to new insights and discoveries of something already familiar.
   
   Helen de Borchgrave is herself an art restorer and a leader of art tours throughout Europe. This book is a good tour for those who are more of the arm-chair traveler variety. It is a great gift for others, and a great treat for oneself.

1 comments about Matisse: Painter as Sculptor.

1. A no nonsense book on the great sculpture of Matisse.
   Lots of images, good printing and photography. Highly
   recommended for professionals and the general art loving
   public alike.

No comments about Modernism (Movements in Modern Art).

4 comments about Sho Japanese Calligraphy: An In-Depth Introduction to the Art of Writing Characters.

1. I know nothing about it, but my daughter does. She seems to be very pleased with it. I suppose this is what matters most. She has pointed out a few things that may be questionable, but still enjoys it. She is particularly pleased with the fact that the characters are laid out in a graph, for accuracy, as well as the variations of the different types of Japanese calligraphy. Daughter happy, mommy happy. :)



2. I received this book, along with "Brush Writing" and the Takase CD vol. 1, as a gift recently. I am finding each of them useful in its way, but this is the book that I most wish were better.
   
   "Sho" covers quite a large range of subject matter--everything from interviews with sho masters to tips on selling your work at exhibitions to instructions on carving in wood, with little sidelights like Japanese monograms and brushes made of mouse hairs (and yes, there are step-by-step photos of actual brush calligraphy, too). Unfortunately, lots of these topics are discussed in just enough detail to make me want more, but not enough to satisfy me. The book lacks focus. In this respect, "Brush Writing" is much better--its author has wisely (I think) decided that a beginning text is not the place to drag in every topic under the sun related to sho. (Perhaps "Sho" is not meant to be a beginning text, but that's part of the same problem--I can't tell whether it's aimed at me, a novice, or at an expert, or at someone in between.)
   
   Organization is a weak point as well. How to line your work (the equivalent, more or less, of matting/framing it) and sell it is discussed well before we get around to making basic strokes with ink on paper. Interviews are plopped in the middle of the book. There are two different discussions on brushes--one near the beginning, the other near the end. There's a blow-by-blow critique of a work in the author's collection that gives some real insight into how an artist imbued his work with emotion, but it uses technical terms that aren't introduced till later in the book. Take a look at the Table of Contents--I think you'll agree that it's all over the place. Great if you're a browser, not so hot if you're not.
   
   Finally, and this is a big one for me, the typography of the book is just awful. It seems to have been produced on a dedicated word processor with a daisywheel printer (anyone remember those?) or something similar. Boldface print is clearly just overstrike. There is no italic. The font is something from the typewriter era. The book is formatted in two narrow columns per page, which are right-and-left justified with no hyphenation, producing many lines that have huge gaps between the words. It's painfully unattractive, to the point of being difficult to read. In a book presumably meant to appeal to Westerners who are interested in an aesthetic of writing, the ugly typography is a major flaw.
   
   Having said all this, I'll repeat--the book contains a great deal of information which fascinated me, and I'm glad I own it. But if I'd seen it in a store, I'd never have purchased it.
   
   In any case, do yourself a favor and order the Takase CD, which contains something like thirty videos of the sensei writing characters and critiquing student efforts, in addition to the usual written text about materials, posture, strokes, and so on. The videos on this CD will make any book you choose much more understandable.
   
   Update:
   I see that Amazon has added the "Look inside this book" feature. Please take a look before you buy!



3. I found this book to offer a complete in-depth analysis and discussion on the importance of Japanese calligraphy from a historical and spiritual reference point. There are many books in my opinion that offer novice information on the stylist qualities and brush stroke procedures, but not many of them focus on the deep history & spiritual connection that mastering the art of calligraphy can bring. The book explains that as your body & mind master the physical art of calligraphy, the spirit becomes enlightened and strong. It explains how great Zen teachers, warriors & emperors increased their proficiency in brush writing and as a result enabled them to reflect a high degree of inner character & self-discipline. Simply a fabulous read and reference for all of us who strive to improve ourselves and understand more of the inner workings and benefits of Japanese calligraphy. A+++

   Blessed,
   Andy




4. This book is quite nice. It offers a good historical background about Japanese Calligraphy, with a lot of stories by famous calligraphers, interviews, and so on. There are also some useful informations on how to display/exhibit your own work. On the other hand, I found it a bit short about the character writng in itself, there isn't enough information on the way/order of the strokes. I recomend this book in adition with one which has a more technical and basic approach, such as "Brush Writing - A practical guide for begginers". I have the two of them and they seem quite complementary.

No comments about Vertigo.

1 comments about One Good Friend.

1. I just recently bought the book "One Good Friend"
   for a very special and dear friend of mine,
   Dawn Dowgiallo Hartson. I wanted to buy her
   a gift just to relay the message that our
   friendship means so much to me and that I
   cherish our friendship...so when I went
   looking for a book that says just that...
   I really did not come across any until I
   looked up Becky Kelly's line of books.
   The illustrations are adorable and precious!
   "One Good Friend" is the perfect book to
   clebrate friendship!

No comments about Career Opportunities In The Visual Arts (Career Opportunities).

No comments about Contemplating Art.