1 comments about The Renaissance: Masterpieces of Art and Architecture (Great Masters).

1. I use this text as a classroom reference as I teach Greek mythology (which heavily influenced the art of the Renaissance) and Shakespeare (who came at the tail end of the Renaissance).

   I find that the large, full-color illustrations of artwork and architechture helps students picture some of the stories and time periods we study. We discuss how some of the movements of the time period (which are clearly explained in the text of this book) can be seen in Shakespeare as well as in the art, architecture and even the fashion of the time period. (Although fashion is regrettably not covered in the text, the ornate influences in the artworld did carry over to the dress of the tme period).

   I do have to admit that the text may be difficult if you are not already familiar with some of the places and events of the Renaissance, but in that way the text may also serve as an introduction. Whatever interests you, research further.

   In the meantime, marvel at the art wrought by those Renaissance masters!

No comments about William Kentridge: WEIGHING...AND WANTING.

No comments about Zürich-Milano (Poster Collection).

No comments about Just How I Picture It in My Mind: Contemporary African American Quilts from the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts.

1 comments about The Legacy of Maria Poveka Martinez.

1. I found the Spivey book entitled Maria to be a great asset to my library of books on Indian pottery. The multitude of close up pictures is very helpful in knowing the details of her pottery and that of her family. The easy to read narrative resulting from a personal relationship with Maria and others in the Pueblo make a very intimate kind of reading. The chapter of Maria's own statements certainly reveals the warmth of her spirit and generosity. I would recommend the book to anyone who is considering the purchase of the best in Pueblo pottery or anyone seeking identification of pottery they already have.

No comments about Symbolist Paintings: 24 Cards.

2 comments about Complete Mondrian.

1. Very good but some pictures are in black and white, not in color



2. "It is proper to the way of living," the man of letters Jean Paul noticed, "that one is polite also against himself ". However, Mondrian painted manically compulsively out of a fear against the chaos of the world daily. Although it did not feed him, he could not quit this activity, he continued to work, got a pneumonia in that cold New York winter [slaving away in the unheated studio for three days non-stop] and died before he could finish his "victory Broadway boogie-woogie" painting. A tribute to the city of New York which on the other hand almost let him starve, the money at least did not reach for having the heating on. Nevertheless he loved this town full of jazz, dance and boogie-woogie (he liked to dance there). His paintings are telling a tribute to this pulsating, dynamic Big Apple. Burst from the desert of the Dutch landscape, in saved to the liver Paris, escaping the racial world of the Nazis - like many other artists did. While however painters like Max Beckmann were getting a university-chair offered in New York, this luck did not fall to Mondrian. With an astonishing optimistic colour joy he managed to compensate the real sadness. His last work, Broadway boogie-woogie almost works like a city centre Map: Horizontally numbered the Avenues streets -- only the slash of Broadway breaking out of this grid is missing vertical. One is filled with consternation occasionally, out of which suffering art can arise. Mondrian may have been assessed compulsion neurotically -- however if he could set such harmonious works against this hell -- his compositions against the chaos of the world are fascinating forever. The effort must be done - though it has been a hard life for Mondrian ...

No comments about 1995 Biennial Exhibition (Whitney Biennial).

No comments about Singular Forms (Sometimes Repeated).

No comments about Kid Size: The Material World of Childhood.