3.5 This is a rundown of major saints you will find in artworks, that's always helpful. I was hoping for more examples or lists of major works with sa3.5 This is a rundown of major saints you will find in artworks, that's always helpful. I was hoping for more examples or lists of major works with saints, but there is only one or two reproductions per saint and they are usually from an illuminated manuscript. So I was disappointed, but what is here is fine. (notwithstanding the fact that a lot of saint stuff is pretty weird)...more
This is everything you ever wanted to know about John Singer Sargent and then some. Very detailed research, and it makes an excellent reference book. This is everything you ever wanted to know about John Singer Sargent and then some. Very detailed research, and it makes an excellent reference book. Reading it straight through, however, it is a bit on the dry side. Hence the 3 star rating.
Also, John Sargent was more than likely gay. He liked to draw male nudes, but hid a lot of them away. He also had a number of relationships with other men that were probably homosexual in nature. But in the 19th century, gay men had to be very cagey about it, as homosexuality was for the most part not accepted in polite society and usually illegal. There! I said that in four sentences. This author drones on about this subject for millions of words. You can now skip all those parts....more
I don't know why this says it's a "major new biography" because it's much more like a coffee table book (although I read it on Kindle, I don't know hoI don't know why this says it's a "major new biography" because it's much more like a coffee table book (although I read it on Kindle, I don't know how it looks in person) with reasonably dry, just-the-facts-ma'am text. ...more
Oh dear, this has great ratings, I see, but it was way too Angry Feminist-y for me. Here's an example..she's talking about Botticelli's Birth of VenusOh dear, this has great ratings, I see, but it was way too Angry Feminist-y for me. Here's an example..she's talking about Botticelli's Birth of Venus, which happens to be a painting I've desperately loved since I first saw it at age 14 :
"Let's take a pause and just think about this for a minute: the enduring Western symbol of feminine beauty and sexuality did not come from the body of a woman but from the sex organ of a man. Venus is the butchered testicle of her father's body."
Oh come on, Catherine. I agree that men suck, you'll never get an argument from me on that one. They cause 99.9% of the problems in the world and always have. But since we're stuck with them they have to be good for SOMETHING. If they can paint lovely pictures of women, it's small consolation, but it's better than nothing. So lighten up a little. And I'm never going to a museum with you if this is the kind of thing you are going to drone on about....more
This is a little Getty museum publication, but for how short it was it packed a lot of information and I was surprised at how much I learned that I diThis is a little Getty museum publication, but for how short it was it packed a lot of information and I was surprised at how much I learned that I didn't know I didn't know. ...more
Eh. This is very short, and could have been in a magazine. I enjoyed learning the mechanics of being a Met guard; the scheduling, the uniforms, the hoEh. This is very short, and could have been in a magazine. I enjoyed learning the mechanics of being a Met guard; the scheduling, the uniforms, the hours, etc. I was hoping for more of that. I was then hoping for a few anecdotes about museum patrons, hopefully humorous... but there is little to no humor here. Quite the opposite...we get a fair amount about his brother dying of cancer at age 26, and yes, of course that is terrible, but it's not why I was reading this book. He's also trying very hard to be profound about the art itself, and to me it just finally all got a little sappy. I see a lot of good reviews, but it just didn't hit the mark for me....more
It's not like I'm an any kind of art expert, and although I did learn a few things as one always does, this was a more beginner-y then I needed. But fIt's not like I'm an any kind of art expert, and although I did learn a few things as one always does, this was a more beginner-y then I needed. But for a real beginner to the subject it would be fine. Althought sometimes I thought the author is trying a little TOO hard to be groovy and cool, the irreverant tone does make it much easier to read than a lot of art books. ...more
This is the National Gallery publication for the Blue Boy's return to London this year. It's a very high quality little book with excellent reproductiThis is the National Gallery publication for the Blue Boy's return to London this year. It's a very high quality little book with excellent reproductions and readable and informative text....more
This is actually an older guide book that I bought used but it's quite nice. This is actually an older guide book that I bought used but it's quite nice. ...more
a very nice quality little book of paintings of children in the late 19th century. And readable text, always a plus in a art book (many of which are ia very nice quality little book of paintings of children in the late 19th century. And readable text, always a plus in a art book (many of which are incomprehensible for some reason I've never been able to figure)...more
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