3 comments about The Painting of Modern Life.

1. Seurat's,'La Grande Jatte' spelled the limits of petti-borgeoise modernity. For the previous 20 years, the Impressionists, led by the incomparably gifted, Manet, had attempted to make images describing this class, their appearance & behaviour. However,the Impressionists were bourgeoise & inevitably more aligned to their own class, and with the simultaneous rise of the dealer-critic system. Thus the steady sequence of shows, interviews & promotional literature issuing from managed,'creative' artists became the commonplace we experience in the arts today. The new class disappeared from Impressionist art when it was absorbed into the bourgeoise.Witness Monet's shrewd disavowal of the figure as he opted for his less offensive, touristy canon of landscapes. The detatchment of Manet's barmaid at the Follies, 1882,and the inanimate, even catatonic people in Degas's pictures of this period exemplify the new class. Clark argues that the emergence of this class was a product of the rebuilding of Paris by Baron von Haussmann. The old work centre of the city was guttered during the rejig, the trades & graves moved to new peripheries, and commercial entertainments, leisure & pleasure grew in their place to cater for this new white-collar mass public. The questionable role of prostitution is crucial to Clark's claims for this class and it is on this question that Manet is pre-eminent. This era announced the rise of capitalism and the spectacle society of which Clark is a major critical voice. Prodigious scholarship, marvellous insights, with fascinating, rarely reproduced 'secondary' art works to flesh out the theme; I can't think of a better way of teasing back the past to view the present.



2. As a student of nineteenth century French painting, I think this may in fact be the finest book ever written on Parisian painting in the time of Haussmanization. Clark manages to offer an intelligent Marxist-based claim about class and the emerging Parisian landscape in the 60's without losing sight of the paintings themselves. While most scholars feel the genius of this book lies in his wonderful discussion of "what couldn't be seen in Olympia", I find the first chapter "Environs of Paris" equally fascinating in its discussion of Manet's Exposition Universelle of 1867. A MUST read for any lover of Parisian history or Manet.



3. I like to think of myself as a person who is curious about a wide range of things, especially in the realm of culture and the arts. Most art history books, however, put me right to sleep, with their endless catalogs of curatorial details about brushstrokes and paint textures and influences and provenance. These detailed analyses almost never situate the paintings in any sort of context and almost never explain WHY we should be interested in these details, other than to prove ourselves worthy connoiseurs to others in the know. Clark's book is a refreshing change from such mandarin drivel. Clark begins with a lengthy discussion of the social context of the paintings he is about to discuss and only then proceeds to extended analyses of particular paintings. Clark is interested in the larger ideas and trends of the period and, most important of all, actually USES the details of the paintings as evidence in the course of making an ARGUMENT about what the paintings mean (hint to other art historians: having an argument contributes significantly to the interest of a book or article). In addition, Clark's argument about the nature of the social changes occuring in France in the 1860's and 70's is compelling and thought-provoking (be forewarned: some Marxism is involved). I found myself actually learning things about the paintings Clark discusses, and looking at them over and over again, trying to find more in them, in much the same way as I would go back to a book or a poem after reading a good piece of literary criticism. I think this book will appeal to anyone who wants to learn more about either 19th-century French painting or 19th-century France. Clark is a stimulating and perceptive guide to this crucial period in the history of painting. Bravo!

5 comments about Advanced Airbrush Art: How to Secrets From the Masters.

1. Ii think it's a really good book. This one includes really detailed step by step of several work and with different artists. They explain how they do to ackomplish the result. Then it's a small interview with every artist, how they got into buissness, what gear they use and so on..
   
   All work in the book is painted on motorcycle-tanks. Recommend this one! Nice photos and many of them, easily to follow the procedure.
   
   This book fits for people that has some knowledge about aibrushing.



2. First of all, this isn't really a book. It's more like a magazine.
   
   Second, the airbrushing exmaples inside (while very well done) aren't what I expected.
   
   If you're interested in airbrushing a flaming skull on a motorcycle then this book (er, magazine) is for you.
   
   But if you're like me, and interested only in airbrushing illustrations, then this isn't for you.



3. This book has some good techniques for someone who has some knowledge, but does not have any step-by-step projects for beginners. The step-by-step projects it has are for someone who has some knowledge and experience of painting and airbrushing. It seems nice for this purpose though. I wanted a book for an absolute beginners such as myself. I will keep the book and probably will use it after I learn some about airbrushing. I know some about painting so I can see how this would benefit someone with some skill and knowledge. It shows procedures and tips for painting gas tanks for motorcycles.



4. I look forward to using the advance techniques that this book provides.



5. Superb book for learning. I only wish this group of ten painters, will do it again, with different subjects...

5 comments about Stranger On The Earth: A Psychological Biography Of Vincent Van Gogh.

1. Pure, unintentional, Freudian-style hilarity! This book is what happens when modern psychology ignores modern neuropathy. I was laughing until tears streamed down my face when I read the passage that states that Vincent's early work, (i.e. the Potato Eaters) was his superego rebelling against his mother's "Dutch cleanliness" and her refusal to allow the infant Vincent to smear feces on the walls of his nursery which then affected his pallete choice as an adult. Brown, yep. OK, I'm about to start laughing again . . . (whew!)

   Vincent van Gogh was extraordinarily adept at introspection, and through reading his body of correspondence a student of psychology may glean an idea of van Gogh's state of agitation and alienation, and I recommend that a van Gogh scholar, or anyone with a genuine desire to better understand and empathize with van Gogh, read his correspondence instead of this book.

   This book fails to lend any original - or even modern - insights, it is entirely too subjective, mired in neo-Freudian and occasionally, Jungian, conjecture, it lacks Gestalt, and works to distort and narrow the reader's perception of Vincent's gift as it related to his sustained neuropsychiatric state.

   But, if you want to laugh (and laugh and laugh and laugh) at one scholar's attempt at deconstructing art and epileptiform neurological affect via Freud's ridiculous personality-based suppositions, read this book.




2. I really liked the perspective of looking at Van Gogh from a psychological view point. However, the first chapter is very dense with names of paintings and their deeper meaning. The author does much better in the subsequent chapters trying to discover Vincent the man.
   A must read for anyone trying to understand Van Gogh!



3. Many biographies and abbreviated collections of Vincent's volumnous and passionate letters to his brother Theo have been published in recent years. The only one that I can recommend though is "Stranger on the Earth : A Psychological Biography of Vincent Van Gogh" by Albert J. Lubin, which provides a fascinating insight into Vincent's life and work. The author examines Vincent's fragile personality with a sensible balance of clinical observation and human compassion. The title "stranger on earth" is an apt description of how Vincent apparently felt about his life. I read this book cover to cover in a few days (a page-turner) and came away with an appreciative sense of Van Gogh as a complex personality driven alternately by great passion and great depression. A tragic yet very human story.



4. Unlike most any biography out there, this book yeilds new insights to the man and his art.



5. The elegance with which he, Stone, makes manifest the life of this magnificent artist is breathtaking at times. This is not just the work to which all biographical material on Van Gogh is measured, but one of the biographical novels by which all other biographies and biographical novels should be. It is imposiible to not get sucked into the narrative and feel what it was like to be in the company of men who are poised, with their gifts, to change the way we look at the world and ourselves. Nor is it possible to not come away sympathisizing, or even feeling a kinship with the deeply troubled genius whose art bares witness to the human soul. I suggest you read this book if you are interested in anything regarding creativity. Period.

5 comments about The Mustard Seed Garden Manual of Painting.

1. This book is almost priceless to me. Not only are the illustrations well reproduced and are a huge benefit to the artist, but the text is a testament to the Spiritual eyes and heart of its authors. Few people are patient enough these days to really take the time to understand what these subjects really are...living, breathing, knowing life-forms. I have discovered a new way to look at the subjects I paint, they require one to sit and share conversation and acceptance on the deepest level. I will treasure this book more than any others in my collection.



2. A solid book that encompasses the subject matter very well. excellent as guide for learning techniques.



3. I really love this book . It has an old world flavor but is easy to understand . This isn,t a book to read but one to study for a lifetime .
   I,m a beginner brush painter and it has offered me many ways of looking at one subject. That is the true beauty of this art form .
   I,m very glad to have it in my library .



4. I am a student of Chinese painting and this book was recommended by our teacher as the most reliable reference book for Chinese painting. I am very pleased with this purchase since it is everything that I expected.



5. This manual has been used for centuries in China and Japan and illustrates all the basics needed to paint in oriental style, with helpful written pointers. Be aware that the black ink illustrations were originally wood-block prints so grey tones do not translate. Particularly useful for compositional study and models of outlline figures, animals and architectural elements. For more up-to-date and in-depth instruction in the Four Gentlemen, including stroke-by-stroke illustrations, try the "Book of Bamboo", "Book of Plum", "Book of Orchid" and "Book of Chrysanthemum" by Prof I-Hsiung Ju.

3 comments about Painting Zoo Animals on Rocks.

1. Rock painting is so fun and she guides you step by step on how to get the cute little creatures on your rocks.
   Warning...It's addicting! :)



2. I'm very satisfied with the books i've bought.
   They are very instructive and complete.
   They teach the reader to paint rocks step by step, allowing consisting apprenticeship.



3. I love the book! I have many of her books. The new book has a beautiful cover and instructions are wonderful to follow, as usual for this artist. Great buy too!
   Karen Aschenbrener

No comments about Insects and Flowers: The Art of Maria Sibylla Merian.

3 comments about Patterns of Intention: On the Historical Explanation of Pictures.

1. This book is so conspicuosly intelligent, and its exercises in criticism so involving, that it is a great pleasure to read. Baxandall begins by developing a scheme for the explanation of concrete historical objects in general.

   He takes the Forth bridge in Scotland. Baxandall, more than it makes it beautiful, he shows you that it really is beautiful. But wait, there's more. He takes Picasso's Kahweiler and shows it to you as beautiful, and damn well you believe it.

   Baxandall shows us how to interpret art.

   But he claims modesty: he is a historian, he says, and is only offering one method of many to think about pictures. I think this is the only place where he has gone wrong. After going through his method of understanding art, you will know there are no others. All the other ones are wrong. Baxandall is right.

   If you want to be someone who talks about art intelligently, buy this book and you will be able to talk of art in the only way you should




2. This book is a genuinely informative and at times engrossing view into the making and understanding of pictures. However, it reads (not surprisingly) like a textbook; it is brilliant and thought-provoking in some parts but dryly monotonous in others. (The bridge-building bit stands out as particularly tedious.) The points Baxandall makes via this tediousness are no less brilliant, but their lustre is lost beneath layers of dull, yawn-worthy prose. Baxandall's stylistic shortcomings should not scare away anyone with a passionate interest in the study of Art and its interpretation. But for the layman in search of a clear and down-to-earth discussion of how to look at pictures, this is probably a book to avoid.



3. Through three well-chosen case studies, Baxandall examines the question of artistic intention: how the constraints of the culture, the artistic medium, and the intended use of a work of art shape the process of its creation. Particularly penetrating is his "excursus on influence", in which he argues that participants in an artistic tradition shape and change how their predecessors are understood. This is an ingenious and satisfying book: I read it twice for two different college classes, and expect to read it again and continue to profit from it.

4 comments about Freud at Work: Lucian Freud in Conversation with Sebastian Smee.

1. magnificent view on the painter as painter.



2. Lucian Freud seems to gain in importance as a painter and as provocateur with every exhibition (or even frequent monograph) that appears - an d for good reason. Freud continues the tradition of figure painting, but clearly in his own language. His canvases are dense with detail of both body surface and psychic message. His tendency to find rather physically grotesque models (such as Leigh Bowery) and then paint canvas after canvas of those models, each work revealing even more bizarre statements about the sitter, has made him one of the most interesting painters of our day - and the gentleman is in his eighties!
   
   Infamously reclusive, Freud paints everyday, producing huge canvases and diptychs/triptychs with what appears to be the greatest of ease. But this very fine book allows us to see the artist's struggle with the creative muse by admitting us into the studio, courtesy of interviewers David Dawson and Sebastian Smee and photographers Dawson and Bruce Bernard, a friend and admirer now gone who captured some of the more sophisticated views of the artist at easel and photographic images of the models along side the painted version from Freud's hands, imagination and talent.
   
   Even for those who have collected museum catalogs and other monographs of the work of Lucian Freud these richly reproduced color photographs of Freud's paintings, given the new vantage of moving from the museum wall into the studio of origination with the additional images of the painter at work, constitute a superior art monograph of a current genius. The book is a conversation with a living genius, a painter who is far more interested in the paint and brush than he is with the observer - until now. Highly recommended for art collectors, educators, art students, and for those who remain fascinated with the human figure. Grady Harp, April 07



3. If the so-called School of London is your thing, here is a unique opportunity to watch the grand master at work. Not as good as a video, as possible with Auerbach and Bacon, but you take what you can get with the famously reclusive Freud, who clearly relishes enhancing his own reputation for eccentricity. (Remember the Snowdon photo of a wild-eyed Freud in his youth standing in front of his vintage Rolls Royce while wearing work clothes, like a scene right out of the 'sixties film Blow Up?)
   
   Here we see the work of two photographers, both old friends, who were allowed to capture Freud at work over more than 20 years, as he painted single- and multiple-subject portraits of widely varying sizes, with subjects ranging from The Queen to Leigh Bowery. Most interestingly, this format allows us to see a large number of his paintings at various stages of completion, thus showing his process in a reasonable amount of detail.
   
   Start with a sketch by Cezanne and adapt it to two models, then add a third, to make a contemporary painting. An earlier work starts with a nude model perched somewhat precariously in the cubbyhole high up on the wall. Her portrait on the easel below reveals just how brutal Freud can be in portraying the figure. When we saw the painting at Acquavella Gallery, we wondered if he actually had the model positioned in a nook in the wall. Now we know.
   
   We see how the oil portraits of subjects such as Lord Fellowes and David Hockney start with oil sketches and go through development to the finished painting. The talented young British artist Tai-Shan Schierenberg, whose portraits of John Mortimer and Lords Sainsbury and Carrington are already in the Tate and the National Portrait Gallery, is one of several artists who paint in a style very similar to Freud's, but close-ups of Freud's smaller portraits show the particuarly intensive reworking which make his work unique. He lays on paint heavily like Auerbach or Kossoff but with his own style, which, in the end, is inimitable.
   
   Brigadier Andrew Parker Bowles in full dress uniform makes a glamorous subject. We also see Freud painting a horse and his dog Pluto, and his latest young female admirer. We also see Freud developing the plates for his masterful etchings, some of the best work being done in that medium today.
   
   A 30-page interview by David Dawson and Sebastian Smee is interspersed with the late Bruce Bernard's color photographs and David Dawson provides over 100 additional color photographs of the painter at work. It seems that there is a new monograph on Freud every eighteen months or so; this is one of the few works which focuses on his process.



4. If you are an admirer of Lucian Freud's work, this book should definitely have place in your library. It essentially comprises of 3 parts, opening with a very frank and insightful interview with Freud by Sebastian Smee. Followed by two collections of colour and b&w photographs by Bruce Bernard and David Dawson. They cover all aspects of Freud in the studio - photos of Freud larking around as a Henry Moore sculpture, works in progress (often including the model), finished paintings, his studio, his dogs, horses, foxcub, etching plates and resulting prints, series of WIP paintings showing the stages involved in their creation. Over 120 photos in all, with the vast majority being in colour. Lavishly illustrated.
   
   Smee, Bernard, and Dawson all had/have a close association with Freud and for me that's what makes this book so special. Throughout, Freud is just going about his business which is captured wonderfully by the photos. Bernard wanted to take carefully considered photos but Freud was having none of that, to the point of literally doing headstands. Bernard died in 2000, around the time that Freud was working on his Cezanne piece. Dawson picks up the plot from there, with photo's through to 2006.
   
   For anyone interested in Freud's painting process, either out of curiosity or as an artist, the photo's provide a wealth of information. The adage "A picture is worth a 1000 words" could not be more apt. The Work in Progress photos range from the raw drawing on canvas through to finished pieces. A number of WIP photos also include the model, allowing for comparison between the flesh and the oil. Etching plates and the resulting prints are also shown.
   
   Smee's interview reads like a couple of guys chatting over a pint down the pub. Over his career (and long may it continue!) Freud has met and hung out with numerous famous figures - Picasso, Giacometti, Bacon, Hirst, Auerbach, Bergmann, Balthus, Bowery, Queen Elizabeth II, even gambling with the notorious Kray Twins (1950/60 gangsters from London's east end). The interview is liberally populated with wonderful anecdotes. Freud also talks about the painters through history that he admires - Cezanne, Matisse, Corot, Chardin, Toulouse-Latrec and why. He touches upon living in London and anti-semitism, what led him to paint pictures of his mother, his grandfather Sigmund Freud, being sat at the bar and finding out that someone else was impersonating him - was he upset? Not really, he ended up painting the man's portrait.
   
   For someone who is reknowned for his privacy this book is exceptional. I'm sure Freud had a huge say in how the book would look and its contents. His pride in a job well done is most evident.
   
   If Freud is on your artistic radar, even as the merest blip, then do yourself a favour and own this book. Essential. 10 stars!

5 comments about How I Paint: Secrets of a Sunday Painter.

1. The editorial review is right in stating this is more of an inspirational book than anything. There are a few sections of the book where Buechner gets into enough detail that it can be put to use by the reader, but they are in the minority.
   
   Look at the table of contents, then realize that nearly all the discussion in the book carries minimal technical depth. It is NOT an instruction book or tip book - it's a few interesting paintings accompanied by the meanderings of a talented painter.
   
   If you like Buechner or his work and want the book for that reason, it's a great book with a handful of insights as a plus. If you want the book because you're an aspiring artist and it's been recommended to you - everything here is covered elsewhere again and again, but in far more depth.



2. This is a terrific book, and I own many many instructional art books. It is worth buying for the illustrations of his pictures alone. There is much to be learned from this book, I recommend it highly.



3. This is the best art book I've bought. I love it. Inspiring and informative, it goes through many techniques such as glazing and scumbling in a helpful and achievable way. For the serious art student, I can't recommend it enough. The author presents his material in a clear and easy to understand manner and his writing is encouraging and helpful.
   I always put off portrait painting because it seemed so difficult but this book changed my whole perspective. I would recommend it to any struggling or hesitant portrait painter. It's gotten me a lot more serious about my art.
   I also have to say that I found the writing style clear and easy the follow. The author doesn't pontificate or put himself on a pedestle and for such a good artist to want to share his learning after a life time of painting, is one of the things that makes this book so good.
   Some books you read and give away and others you keep and continue going back too. This is a keeper. I'd give it 10 stars if I could.



4. Thomas Buechner has written a fine book. The Sunday Painter in the subtitle might make you think this artist is an amateur who paints only occasionally. Actually, he is very professional and now a full time painter after retiring from his career as director of several museums. He conveys to his readers the secrets of layered painting in oils as opposed to alla prima, all-in-one-session painting. He really opened my eyes to the beauty of glazes and scumbling, letting previous layers show through to mix their effects in the eye of the viewer. His insights into atmospheric perspective are unique in all the books I have read and are themselves worth several times the price of this book. This book has expanded my understanding and helped me paint much more vibrant paintings than before. Thank you Thomas Buechner.



5. I had been referred to this book by a female artist friend of mine a week before I wrote this review when she left to attend a workshop by the author in New York. I got my hand on this book a few days later and finished it (not in one sitting) in about two days.

   This is more of an inspiration than techniques book. A very enjoyable book, indeed!

   Although the author does cover the WHAT's and HOW's (along with the WHY he paints) in his book, his techniques are presented in a way that, perhaps, is more appreciated by professional artists than starters. Specifically, the author briefly presents his techniques in just one page/painting in average. Several technique demos are presented, and they are very good. If one needs to be spoonfed on every technique in oil painting, this is NOT the book to look for them. A lot of techniques he mentioned in the book can be found elsewhere. The author does provide a (long) reference citation for further reading.

   What is so good about this book, instead, is the inspiration and humbleness that I feel when reading his book. Born in 1926, only began painting full time in 1987 (at 61 years of age) even though having done most "art-related" jobs since 1945, and still painting, his book is simply a natural outcome of this lifelong artist.

1 comments about Georgia O'Keeffe, 1887-1986: Flowers in the Desert (Basic Art).

1. If you enjoy the works of Georgia O'Keeffe, this is a book you'll want to savor. The reproductions of her paintings are marvelously printed, and the accompanying essays of O'Keeffe's life and work are erudite and lucid.

   There are also pictures of O'Keeffe at various stages of her life and career, ranging from her time as a young student at the University of Virginia, into her weathered, mature age, the last one featuring her at 90 at Ghost Ranch in the desert.

   You may want to scan many of the pictures, as I did, for use as computer desktops and ornamental additions to emails. Kudoes to Britta Benke for this must-have book for those who appreciate Georgia O'Keeffe!