Treasures Of 19th And 20th Century Painting

This Tiny Folio book highlights some of the most celebrated European and American paintings from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries that are part of the permanent collection at The Art Institute of Chicago. Included in this collection are numerous masterpieces of Realism, Impressionism, Post–Impressionism, Surrealism, Cubism, Abstract Expressionism, and other aspects of Modernism. Today a number of these paintings are revered as icons of modern Western culture, emblems of the inspired experimentation that has taken place on both sides of the Atlantic. For the last century, the Art Institute has supported the achievements of the most distinguished artists from Europe and America, acquiring and exhibiting now–beloved works of Edgar Degas, Henri Matisse, Georgia O'Keeffe, Jackson Pollock, and others. This folio is presented as both an introduction to this collection and as a survey of the styles, subjects, and themes of Western art of the last two centuries, from the linear classicism of Jean–Auguste–Dominique Ingres through the optical studies of Claude Monet and the Impressionists; from the lyrical, colorful abstractions of Vasily Kandinsky to the fractured picture planes of Pablo Picasso and the Cubists; from the enigmatic compositions of Salvador Dali and the Surrealists to the media–appropriated Pop–art portraits of Andy Warhol. These magnificent paintings eloquently narrate the discussions of the nature of art, quality, innovation, style, and form that have defined the modern era in art history.

From the Director of the Art Institute of Chicago comes a fascinating and handsomely illustrated miniature book which presents well-loved masterpieces of modern art. 300 full-color illus.

Vincent Van Gogh is famous as much for his tortured life as for his remarkable paintings. "The Treasures of Vincent Van Gogh" offers unique insight into this solitary genius--from his difficult childhood to his inspiring artistic struggles to his tragic suicide. Ten items of rare facsimile memorabilia make this beautifully illustrated, meticulously researched book a must-have for admirers of Van Gogh's work.

"In the royal and princely courts of Europe, artworks made of multicolored semiprecious stones were passionately coveted objects. Known as pietre dure, or hardstones, this type of artistic expression includes?paintings in stone,? which were composed of intricately cut separate pieces that were made into magnificent tabetops, cabinets, and wall decorations. Other works included vessels and ornaments carved with virtuosic skill from a single piece of rare and brilliant lapis lazuli, chalcedony, jasper, or similarly prized substance; exquisite objects such as boxes, clocks, and jewelry; and portraits of nobles sculpted in variously colored stones. Derived from ancient Roman decorative stonework, the art of pietre dure was developed in Renaissance Florence, where the manufacture of such objects was enthusiastically sponsored by Medici princes. Ideally suited for ostentatious display, the works sent an unmistakable message of wealth and political might that was understood in centers of power everywhere. From Italy the medium spread across Europeto Prague, Madrid, Naples, Paris, and later Saint Petersburg. Precious and fragile, pietre dure objects are rarely brought together in large numbers. This richly illustrated catalogue contains more than 150 masterworks from across Europe, dating from five centuries, including almost every artistic use of semiprecious stone during this time as well as some of the finest examples of the medium. Eight essays by European and American experts discuss the individualized development of pietre dure in every European region, the latest developments in scholarship, the interrelationships between art and dynastic politics and between cultures, and a variety of techniques used to produce these luxurious masterworks."--Metropolitan Museum of Art website.

PAINTING - SCULPTURE - ARCHITECTURE.

"Treasures of a Lost Art presents 144 leaves, cuttings, and illuminated manuscript fragments from the collection of Robert Lehman (1891-1969), one of the largest and most impressive private holdings of Italian manuscripts assembled after the First World War. Discussed here - with many of them handsomely illustrated in full color - are important examples of the major schools of illumination in southern Italy, Umbria, Tuscany, Emilia, Lombardy, and the Veneto. Previously unpublished, and perhaps even unknown to scholars, are works by some of the foremost Italian painters of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, including a leaf here attributed for the first time to the Sienese master Duccio di Buoninsegna and cuttings by Stefano da Verona and Cosimo Tura. Lesser-known arists, such as Neri da Rimini, Belbello da Pavia, and Girolamo da Cremona, once renowned for their beautifully illuminated volumes, are also discussed in full."--BOOK JACKET.

Follow the path of the Impressionists from the early encounters among such luminaries as Monet, Renoir, Manet, and Degas as they converge on Paris to study to their first exhibitions to their later landscapes and portraits.

Vincent Van Gogh is famous as much for his tortured life as for his remarkable paintings. "The Treasures of Vincent Van Gogh" offers unique insight into this solitary genius--from his difficult childhood to his inspiring artistic struggles to his tragic suicide. Ten items of rare facsimile memorabilia--including Van Gogh's birth record and private letters to his brother, Theo, and to fellow artist Gauguin--make this beautifully illustrated, meticulously researched book a must-have for admirers of Van Gogh's work.