Mary Adam's

Reviews of Art Books

Art Books

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Reviews of Art Books

• Brassai: Conversations with Picasso (brief note)

• Kimon Nicolaides: The Natural Way to Draw (brief note)

• Picasso (Jumbo), by Walther & Warncke (brief note)

• Review of Boscoe Holder by Geoffrey MacLean -- From his very first exhibition, in his teens, Boscoe Holder was recognized by the critics as a significant talent.

• Review of This Is Modern Art by Matthew Collings -- This good-natured account of Modern art goes deeper than one might think at first glance.

• Review of The Mystery of Picasso, a 1956 movie / video by Henry-Georges Clouzot -- admirers of Picasso, especially painters, should secure their copy while the going is good.

• Kristine Stiles & Peter Selz: Theories & Documents of Contemporary Art -- a valuable anthology of writings by artists for the art student and art historian.

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Brassai: Conversations With Picasso  << click to see more on Amazon.com

The photographer Brassai got to know Picasso and his circle quite well in Paris during World War II, and with great foresight he kept notes of  their meetings. This book is a delightful compilation of anecdotes, quotes and other nuggets from this fascinating period. Brassai's stunning black and white photos accompany the text -- photos of Picasso himself, of his sculptures, and of his friends.
 

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Kimon Nicolaides
The Natural Way to Draw : A Working Plan for Art Study  << click to see more on Amazon.com

Nicolaides' classic methods have been widely adopted by art schools and art instruction writers, often without credit. But nobody can teach like Nicolaides himself. This book is the genuine article.
 

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Picasso (Jumbo) << Click to see more on Amazon.com) 

ISBN  3-8228-8267-4

By Carsten-Peter Warncke and Ingo F. Walther

This is a superb book, the best on Picasso and his works that I have seen, despite some bafflingly negative customer reviews on Amazon. Over 700 pages, with scholarly apparatus, it has sometimes been confused with a much smaller general interest book of about 200 pages with the same title, by the same authors (Warncke and Walther) and with the same publisher (Taschen) (let the buyer beware). To add to the confusion it was originally published in two volumes; this edition includes both. In any case it is apparently out of print now though still available second hand (and with listings of second-hand sources via Amazon.com). The tone is absolutely not in the style of the "New Art History". This may have been a contributing factor in the book's demise though to me it is an advantage. It is exceptionally well illustrated in lavish colour and includes numerous studies for each of many major landmark pieces.

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Art Books

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