Review by Choice Review
This impressive catalog is a fitting tribute to Gauguin's art. Lavishly produced and authoritatively documented by internationally respected contributors, it represents the quality of result that can ideally be achieved by massive collaborative effort. Although the fascinating circumstances of the artist's biography and their reflection in his work are duly considered, the focus of this particular study has been deliberately centered on Gauguin's artistic production. A detailed chronology of his life is, to be sure, provided as a framework within which to consider the works of each period of his development. Essays treat both the meaning of each phase of his career and the character of the works marking his evolution. Particularly welcome throughout is the governing concept of this study as an effort to comprehend the whole of Gauguin's creative output, within which his preoccupations with sculpture and printmaking assume proper place alongside his more widely known efforts as a painter and draughtsman. Profusely illustrated and rich in textual information, this catalog is an invaluable study of Gauguin's legacy. Enthusiastically recommended. -F. A. Trapp, Amherst College
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Booklist Review
These catalogs for two landmark art exhibitions currently on view in U.S. museums survey the work of two French painters and offer critical reevaluations of their careers and art. The Art of Paul Gauguin is a visual delight for the art lover as well as a stunning piece of scholarship. Retracing Gauguin's life and travels around the world, the massive volume presents a thorough reassessment of Gauguin's position in the history of art and considers his total artistic output as a painter, sculptor, and graphic artist. The range of unfamiliar works on view here sets the artist's achievement in a whole new light, a theme that is explored further in the contributing essays. The numerous reproductions and contemporary photographs also help to establish the world in which Gauguin lived and worked. Chronologies, bibliography, list of exhibitions, and works; index. Degas' world of racetracks, dancers, and everyday Parisian life will be familiar to most readers, but this volume investigates in detail the artist's life and work within the context of the society in which he moved as an observer and participant. The items in the exhibition are arranged chronologically, and four biographical essays describe the stage of Degas' life and career. References, chronologies, and notes; index. JB.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
Review by Booklist Review
