5 comments about Curiosa: Celebrity Relics, Historical Fossils, and Other Metamorphic Rubbish.

1. 
   Anyone who has ever collected anything will be mesmerized by this book.It shows what it means to be bitten by the urge to "collect".There are many terms used to describe it; collections,assemblages,amassment,stockpile,assortment,bunch,hoard,gathering and many other descriptions. The thing is,that with a personal collection ,there are absolutely no nules,other than those the collector decides to impose upon himself. Even then,the only reason for restrictions is that the collection is forever struggling to get out of hand;not that some object isn't worthwhile. The one thing every collector soon learns,and which is immediately evident with this collector and his museum and book,is that the real fun is in acquiring the object and the people and experiences along the way.No sooner is an object added to the collection,catalogued and given its home,in a box,drawer,shelf,cabinet,or whatever;that accomplishment is absorbed;now onward and upward to the next.
   Some collectors start off with the objects in mind and set out to acquire them.The author does some of that,as do any collectors,but his approach is to be totally open for any item;and in most cases had not even thought of the object before it ,or the opportunity, presented itself.
   I have always admired the art of collecting,even as a kid;and as an adult have a special admiration for a collection that is unique or "off-the - wall",such as this one. How anyone can go through life and never collect anything always amazes me.I guess come people do it with money,taking trips,buying companies,having mistresses,or whatever;and isn't that all the same thing?
   The author with his collection shows that it can be,but it is not necessarily,a matter of money,to build a collection. Even in his case,when people get to know what his interests are; the "stuff"just keeps coming and coming.
   Keeping the whole thing focused and controlled becomes a major problem.
   Personally,I have been a collector most of my life.
   The first one I dreamed up as a kid was a twig collection.In my hometown was a Government Experimental Farm featuring,trees,plants and other agricultural sciences. One day,I noticed that trees were labeled with their species in English and Latin. So,off I'd go with my little notebook,pencil and jackknife and clip me a twig. I would display it by splitting the twig,exposing the inside,alongside with the bark .
   There is no limit to what one can collect other than ones imagination,and of course where to keep it all.
   In no way,have I taken this obsession as serious as the author;but I do have something from my time in New York,where I worked a block away ,while they were building The World Trade Towers.During the initial excavation;I picked up a piece of the bedrock.It is a piece of Gneiss ,with tiny,sparkling ruby-red Garnets in it .Worth nothing but its sentimental value. Then later, when they were covering the outside of the the plaza with marble,I picked up a piece .There was a pile of scrap pieces.Though,who would have thought at the time,these pieces would have made great bookends.
   I am sure every knows someone who collects something,be it stamps,coffee spoons,Election paraphernalia,coins,matchbook covers,swizzle sticks,beer cans,puzzles,books,postcards,etc.I have a friend who collects a little soil,sand or stones,from famous spots,beaches etc. and displays them in little bottles. Worthless, but for the memories.
   I have another friend who ,has a fairly large property ,and through the years collected various species of birch trees, and now has probably the largest collection in the Province.Part of his enjoymentis in having Naturalist groups visit him as he tells the source of them and the stories behind them.
   All in all ,a fascinating read for anyone bitten by the "collecting bug".



2. As you browse the book you think, "How did the artist get this stuff? How do we know it's authentic?" Then you trust that it is, because he would have artistic integrity. "Who cares!" you say to yourself. You're in the next phase of enjoying the book - the voyeuristic delight of being so up close and personal to all these bizarre snipets of fame and history. What a collector! Thoroughly enjoyable!



3. I think that readers will most enjoy this book if they, like Benes, have a compulsion for keepsakes. But this book is not a typical museum (even though Benes calls his curio cabinets "museums"-probably ironically?). He preserves mostly mundane everyday objects that are identifiable as extraordinary only by descriptive captions; this is what makes his work fascinating. But Benes doesn't approach "preservation" as a museum would; like saints' relics, he willingly destroys some objects to maximize the number of relics, which he then sells. Most museums would never do that--at least not with a typical painting or sculpture. When Benes got Julia Child's mug, he apparently broke off the handle. He put a Picasso lithograph in a blender, and then sold it in cocaine bottles by the gram. Eventually, when down to the last vial, he blended the remainder with plain paper and sold "cut" Picasso. His work made me think about why we preserve what we do, what it is we are trying to remember and record about our lives and our society, perhaps especially why a brush with celebrity makes an object special. The joy of the book, however, is Benes' storytelling. No less voyeuristic than marveling at his friend's prosthetic testicle or Eunice Shriver's toothbrush, there is guilty pleasure in reading the stories of how Benes or his friends acquired the relics... often by stealing.



4. I gave Curiosa to friends, relatives and business associates for Christmas this year and it was a hit every time. The book itself is beautifully produced, with gorgeous photography and excellent design. Benes' text is funny, engaging and insightful. Leafing through the book is addictive; once started, it is difficult to put down. I hope Benes produces more books of his work. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil author John Berendt's humorous introduction tells the story of how he saved a prescription medicine bottle ("one nasal douche, use twice daily or as needed") belonging to Roy Rogers for 30 years, not knowing what to do with it but not quite being able to throw it away. When he meant Benes at a dinner party, he knew he had finally found its ultimate home, in one of Benes' museums. Some of Benes' relics could cause squeamishness in a different context, but Benes' work and in particular the beautiful presentation in Curiosa, makes them palatable and meaningful to virtually anyone.



5. Barton's work is amazing. I've seen many of the pieces featured in his book and they are breathtaking and hilarious.

No comments about Radical Light: Italy's Divisionist Painters, 1891-1910 (National Gallery Publications).

1 comments about George Rickey: Kinetic Sculpture, A Retrospective.

1. This handsome book provides an important resource for artists and collectors. It is a fitting tribute to a major artist. The essays are good additions to the book. Though they are not particularly scholarly, they are informative. The illustrations are excellent.

1 comments about Hieronymus Bosch (World of Art).

1. Art is a mystical and magical phenomenon. For that reason, few scholars of the art of the past can resist the temptation to cloud their work with terminal over-analysis and obfuscating jargon. Fortunately, Walter Gibson (like St. Anthony in the desert) does not succumb to these demons. With a clear eye, he reviews the work, thought and religious sentiment of one of the most mystical painters in human history; however, he never lets daylight in upon magic. The reader finishes this delightful little tome on Bosch with a better understanding of his work, but a profound respect for his mystery. Gibson is erudite without being obfuscatory, respectful without being unduly ingratiating. An excellent work by someone who truly loves and understands art.

4 comments about Treasures of the Louvre.

1. The book that was sent to me was in Chinese- NOT WHAT I ORDERED!!! I was very displeased when I got this item.



2. this book was exactly like the one I looked at the Louvre in Paris, France but cheaper. Even paying for the s&h I still got it cheaper. Excellent condition!! Very satisfied customer



3. Housing a majestic collection of nearly 300,000 works of art, only a fraction of which are on display at any one time, no book, no matter its size, can ever come close to actually visiting the Musée du Louvre itself. In that regard, this book is no different.
   Where this comprehensive book, written by the museum's director, excels other visual guides of its kind is in both the assortment of the works it presents and in its easy-to-browse organization.
   Printed in high-quality plates on semi-glossy paper, and bound in a sturdy, pocket-sized format, this little volume superbly reproduces nearly 400 of the museum's most renowned masterpieces. For each item, its name, author, place of origin, date of creation, materials and dimensions is indicated, and the pieces are chronologically arranged into seven distinct sections, according to the museum's own classification system:
   *Oriental Antiquities
   *Egyptian Antiquities
   *Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities
   *Decorative Arts
   *Sculpture
   *European Paintings
   *Drawings
   As a bonus, a brief look at the museum's history is offered in the Preface and, for fast check-ups, an Index of Illustrations is provided at the back.
   For those who have already visited the museum this book is a first-class visual reminder of what you have seen, and for those who have never been to it, it gives a tantalizing glimpse of this vast and remarkable treasure.
   Enjoy!
   --Reviewed by Maritza Volmar



4. This is a light coffee table book that provides a kind of greatest hits list of the collection. A collection that is so big no one single book would really do it justice. Overall I think this book does a fine job at its purpose, which is to provide you a little history and meaning on some selected works. This book is almost akin to a travel memento picture book. The book for me reminds me to always stop by the Museum when I am in Paris

No comments about Art and Artifact: The Museum as Medium.

4 comments about The Art of Acquiring: A Portrait of Etta and Claribel Cone.

1. Dr. Cone and her sister, Etta, amassed one of the best art collections in American history. How and when they did this is the tale contained in this nice effort by Mary Gabriel.
   
   Those interested in European art as created in the early part of the last century, by such people as Picasso and above all Matisse, will be interested in buying this book, as well as those who just want a slice of cultural history of the period. (And if you have a keen interest in Gertrude Stein, you will also want to read this rewarding, yet stylistically simple, work.)
   
   I have visited the Cone Collection at the Baltimore Museum of Art and urge all interested in great art to make the same pilgrimage.



2. This is a great and fascinating read. If you like history, art and eccentric people this will really please you. It is a slice of Americana and art history we never read...those who are art collectors and actually make artists famous. The women in this story were Victorian and liberated all in the same breath. Very fun!



3. I happened upon this book quite by accident but was intrigued just from reading the book jacket and it did not disappoint. The story read like a novel yet it was meticulously researched. The Cone sisters were visionary collectors who supported Matisse, Picasso, Cezanne and others by purchasing their work when the rest of the snooty art world shunned it and tagged it obscene. These extraordinary women led unconventional lives, befriended artists and authors (Gertrude Stein among them) along the way and definitely marched to their own drums. And lucky for the Baltimore Art Museum that they did since their collection was estimated to be worth about $1 billion. No book has ever made me want to visit Baltimore before but I plan to go there to see the Cone Collection.



4. Pay no attention to the ho-hum title -- this is one delightful read. The book illuminates two sisters who had been virtually written out of art history. The author richly embroiders the travels of Claribel and Etta Cone and details how they came to amass one of the world's more comprehsive collections of 20th century art. This painstakingly and lovingly researched book is a masterpiece!

1 comments about The Arts and Crafts Movement in Europe and America: Design for the Modern World 1880-1920.

1. This is an exhibition catalog and ... I actually read it! Most catalogs are useful only for the pictures, but this one is a fascinating read about the emergence of the arts and crafts movement in England in the nineteenth century and its spread to the countries in Europe and the United States. It's organized by country, and focuses on the social context in each one, particularly how each country's artists and commentators modified the original Ruskin/Morris ideas to meet their own needs and respond to the salient issues in their own societies. Very well done, and lots of beautiful pictures of arts and crafts objects, too.

3 comments about More How To Draw Manga Volume 3: Enhancing A Character's Sense Of Presence (More How to Draw Manga).

1. If you, like me, think this book is going to teach you about expressions, emotions maybe.... things that would actually help make the characters appear more alive... buy something else. This (graphically illustrated, I might add) drawing guide was hardly better than the first volume of basics. Waste of my money. Extremely disappointed.



2. I bought this book because the demonstrations are more clear and up to date in the "More" HTDM series than the older ones.
   
   The first section goes into screentone and shading techniques. Some of this is rather useful even if you don't intend on making illustrations using screentones. They help out due to the fact you should learn regular values of shading.
   
   The book also demonstrates values of tones on the face. There is a section talking about shadows on the feet. This section may prove more useful to artists since many do not draw the full figure, or they may draw figures that seem to float due to incorrect shadow placement.
   
   The key reason I bought this book was their demonstration of how to draw shoulders, and clavicles. Symmetrical shoulders and their placement is a key learning point for many illustrators.This book shows various examples of how to draw the shoulders and clavicles to create more dynamic characters.
   
   Other sections of this book include how to correctly convey emotions through the hands. How the torso bends and flexes during various positions, various action poses and key elements to manga scenes. I found the manga scenes selection rather weak however, although people should probably read it to gain knowledge in making panels.
   
   There was another section on perspective and proportions with the figure and a car.
   
   Overall the book is one of my favorites in the series due to the middle section. Had the book been better towards the end, I would have given it a higer rating.



3. For what this book is for it is great!! It shows how to give it more presence like it says in the tittle. If you alwready now how to draw the manga way and want to know how to make your people more stronger visually this is great.
   
   But if you can't do proportions and figures well get the anatomy book before you get this.
   It's a good book to add to your drawing book collection.

No comments about Curiosity and Enlightenment: Collectors and Collections from the Sixteenth to Nineteenth Century.