1 comments about Dog Days Bogota.

1. I am so clearly biased, as my wife and i adopted a baby girl from Bogota, Colombia in February of 2007. These images were part of our journey, adn speak to us on a very personal level. But, having shared the book with many non-adoptive friends and aquaintences, I know they speak to them as as well.
   
   An amazing project I highly recommend!

4 comments about Thomas Mann: Metal Artist.

1. I confess, I am a Thomas Mann fan! This is a wonderful book that anyone who loves Mixed Media, found objects and unique jewellery will love. A wonderful variety of "essays" written by others about Mann at different times in his career, starting in the 1970's including pieces written by Mann on his creative process. It is a wonderful read and you can see clearly how his unique style has developed.
   
   The glorious images that adorn the pages of his work are beautifully taken and reproduced in page after page of work that you can not help but gasp at, sigh at and hopefully appreciate this remarkable artist's talent. The book may be "old" in terms of publishing (2001) but you just have to track this book down and keep it before it is out of print. This book is one of my most loved.



2. This is a wonderful book. I was not familiar with Thomas Mann at all until I purchased this book. To say the man is a creative genius is almost an understatement.



3. A book well done for the fan of Thomas Mann. It gives LOTS of detailed photos of all his work through the years, as well as an account of his life. I'm glad he gives acknowledgement for all the people who contributed to his success. Well done!



4. This book displays a beautifully photographed representation of Thomas Mann's creative genius that is not to be missed. Thomas Mann is a true modern master and this book details his life's work and inspiration from the past three decades. From the use of non-precious metals, found objects, and objects that are created to look old, Thomas's highly recognizable industrial style is an inspiration to many, and he will be remembered for his contribution to the world of jewelry arts, for many years to come.

5 comments about Johannes Vermeer.

1. I was wrong to say that the tall Harry Abrams Vermeer book, "The Complete Works", was inadequate. It is far better than the reproductions contained here or in the Blankert book. Abrams' prints are clear, intense and, above all, not washed out. Most of the prints here and in the Blankert book are washed out or blurry. True, "A Lady Reading" is too dark in Ambrams, so we can't see the drapery or the picture on the wall, and "Servant Handing a Letter to Her Mistress"(one of the greatest) has colors that have run, but on the whole the quality of Abrams is far better. And, the book is less expensive. You lose the long-winded, predictable commentaries, but you'll never miss them.



2. The year was 1995. The place was the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. The occasion was the exhibit of 21 of the known three dozen paintings by Johannes Vermeer, Dutch master of the seventeenth century.
   
   I missed the exhibit, too, but I have this 12 x 9 1/2 inch hard cover copy of that exhibit, plus all those essays about historical context, art techniques, probable interpretations of the paintings, and, oh yes, the paintings themselves. In one book. By my favorite artist. No, it's not the same, but I do have all these glorious paintings.
   
   What makes Vermeer such a beloved painter? Please look at "The Geographer," which is on the cover of the book. See the light bathe the subject? See the subject's intensity? Those are the two major traits that set Vermeer apart. He used the natural light as it fell into his studio and he began that moment of intensity just at a moment of stillness--a sort of psychological study.
   
   One such painting now made famous by both a novel, Girl with a Pearl Earring, Deluxe Edition and the movie, Girl With a Pearl Earring is "The Girl with the Pearl Earring." You might think it made a good biographical movie, but then you would be wrong. Why? Because we know almost nothing of Johnannes Vermeer. We don't know about his life except as it pertains to the time period in Delft, Holland, in the mid 1600's and beyond. All we know is what is recorded in contracts like marriage license. We don't know what he thought of art or how he started because he did not leave a word. So the book and the movie are examples of literary license--making up and adding to what little we know with grand imagination. A piece of truth in the film is this: Remember the scene outside Vermeer's house where one woman is sewing in a doorway? That is his house! We know because that scene is taken from one of his paintings!
   
   What we do know is the luminous quality of his art, that moment of tension, and also the allegorical meanings of his earlier paintings. One such example is "Woman Holding A Balance." Interpretations have changed over the years, but the consensus now is that of a favorite Vermeer theme of balance in one's life, no matter the setting.
   
   Holding this book in one's lap, quietly turning the pages and studying the paintings, reading the essays--now that's balance!



3. It is a nice book but the quality of the reproductions is poor.



4. This book accompanied the legendary 1995-96 Vermeer show at the National Gallery in Washington D.C. that found itself caught up in the Gingrich - Clinton shutting-down-the-government imbroglio. Remember now? Vermeer has grown in popularity and in public awareness since this show. Recently, a totally fictitious movie was made around his paintings. It was named after the painting that became the focus of the movie, "The Girl With a Pearl Earring". It was a good story, but had nothing to do with the real people involved because we simply do not know. There are only a few dozen paintings by the artist still extant, but they all are wonderful and attract modern sensibilities because of their lines and perfect artificiality and their perfect reality. They present the exact kind of contradiction and puzzles we love nowadays, and because there are only a few dozen, the dilettante can study each of them in detail without becoming overwhelmed.
   
   This book has four fine papers that discuss aspects of what we know about the artist and his work. There is also a chronology and the catalogue of the exhibition, which had a very large sampling of the known paintings. The reproductions are fabulous including the details and the smaller reproduction of contemporary paintings with similar subjects by other artists.
   
   Excellent book to have on your shelf. It is always pleasant to gaze into these 17th century paintings and notice things and then notice new things.



5. This paperback edition ISBN: 0894682199 (also as clothbound under ISBN: 0300065582) by Johannes Vermeer (Contributors: Ben Broos and Arthur K. Wheelock, Jr. with Albert Blankert and Jorgen Wadum; Editor: Arthur K. Wheelock, Jr.) is a lavishly illustrated catalog with excellent reproductions for the first exhibition devoted solely to the works of Johannes Vermeer--the 17th-century Dutch painter who explored the psychological nuances of human endeavor--opening at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., in November 1995 (Royal Cabinet of Paintings Mauritshuis, the Hague, in March 1996). 232 pp., 127 illustrations including 60 color plates, 12.0 x 9.5 x 0.75 inches. ISBN: 061350710X is an entirely different book for children not even close to this one.

No comments about From Manet to Manhattan: The Rise of the Modern Art Market.

1 comments about Dore's Illustrations of the Crusades (Dover Pictorial Archives).

1. Beautiful, lyrical,and sensuous images from the Crusades.I am enraprured by the scope,graphic power and compositional greatness of this largely forgotten artist. Though we may look at the politics of the Crusades differently than the Victorians, this book is sure to please any fan of 19th century art. One look at Dore and you see where Cecil B. Demille got much of his inspiration.

2 comments about History of the Poster.

1. This book is mainly a pictorial of 291 poster designs from the very late 1800's up until the late 1960's. There are many great and important examples found in this book, both well and lesser known posters are showcased. Some parts of this book could described as egotistical going into the 50's and 60's as there are many Müller-Brockmann works shown; however, I found this to be quite relevant with Swiss design of that time being so revolutionary. Then again I am a great admirer of his work. Additionally, the writings throughout the book are quite enlightening and are not too heavy to read. The printing quality is great, examples are large, shown in full colour and printed on very nice stock. The creator's name, size, year, type of reproduction, and descriptions of the purpose are included for each poster. One of the pro's to this book was the inclusion of these very brief descriptions. A very good piece of information to include in a design collective as it is essential in order to judge whether or not a piece of design is effective; something a few overrated books on identity could use (e.g. Los Logos).



2. This new edition of History Of The Poster by Josef Muller-Brockmann (1914-1996) brings back into print a seminal work originally published in 1971 and which has been regretably out-of-print for many years. Despite its name, History Of The Poster is not so much a straightforward historical narrative as it is a fantastic gallery of posters used for politics, propaganda, advertising, and art throughout history. A tri-lingual book in English, German, and French, History Of The Poster contains a brief introductory essay then reveals almost three hundred posters in full color, followed by an afterword remarking on present and future trends. A unique and welcome new style of artbook.

No comments about The Art of Full Moon.

1 comments about Paintings in the Musee d'Orsay.

1. The concept of this book is very good: minimum text - maximum pictures. All art monographs should follow the same principle.
   The book is split into the chapters dealing with dominant artistic trends of the time, and subchapters dedicated to the most important artists within each trend/movement.
   The brief introductory essays are well written and help understand background behind the movements or artistic groups whose most representative works are displayed on the subsequent pages.
   
   If one hasn't seen d'Orsay's magnificent collection in person, they'll be amazed by this lavishly illustrated monograph.
   In most cases there is one plate per page, sometimes two and very seldom three. However, what I don't understand is 2 inches wide margin around the reproductions (???) Why? Why they were not printed at least an inch larger at all sides?
   
   Besides, though even the best repros can't do justice to the original, many pictures could have been much better. Don't get me wrong - majority of reproductions is of good quality, but there are those (I'd say one third of the total number) which are considerably lighter than the originals and/or have rather compressed values - Manet's Olympia being the most obvious example. (I've visited d'Orsay two months ago and the paintings are still vivid in my memory).
   
   However, these remarks shouldn't stop you from purchasing the book, since monsieur Lemoine in this monograph included works of many great but usually neglected artists, those which one can very rarely (or never) see in the books on art of the 19th century. There are enough books on Impressionists to fill all the world's garbage landfills many times over (and thousands upon thousands more are printed every year), yet it is so hard to find one monograph on the likes of Cabanel, Delaunay, Fromentin, Bonnat, Laurens, Carriere, Levy-Dhurmer, Hammershoi etc etc.

1 comments about Natural Art Forms (Dover Pictorial Archive Series).

1. I was disappointed with this book. It is not brimming with natural pictures as I had hoped it would be, it is a meager collection of black and white photos that didn't seem worthy of a whole book.

1 comments about Birth and Present: A Studio Portait of Yoshitomo Nara.

1. Yoshitomo Nara is one of my favorite artists. He is also a giant in today's Art world. Although, shy and soft-spoken his work speaks large volumes. He rarely talks about what inspired his work, because he allows his fans to come to their own conclusions. He also is someone with integrity because he refuses to sell out by allowing big corporations to take control of his work. As a result, he is not as big as he could be.
   
   This book shows Mr. Nara in his Japan studio working on various art pieces. There are no words, just pictures of him working and concentrating. At the very end of the book, the author explains almost every picture to give you an understanding of what is going on. The book also explains Mr. Nara, a Japanese man, recently moved back to Japan and these pictures are some of the first pictures of him working in his native land.
   
   A good-looking man, Nara actually lives in his studio alone because it allows him to create his work in a large area. As most people know, the spaces in Japan are small but Nara is used to working in big spaces because he lived in Germany for over a decade. Therefore, he purchased a warehouse to work and live in. You have to feel sorry for him because the climate in the warehouse is not ideal for a human being and he has very basic living set ups (for example, a kitchen).
   
   I called this review, "A Silent Giant" because it fits Nara and this book.