The Vermeer Interviews: Conversations with Seven Works of Art (Bob Raczka's Art Adventures)

Bob Raczka

ISBN 10: 0822594021 ISBN 13: 9780822594024

Publisher: Millbrook Pr, 2009

Synopsis

In this innovative look at seven paintings by Jan Vermeer, author Bob Raczka takes on the role of interviewer and the people in the paintings become his willing subjects. From The Milkmaid to The Geographer, Raczka teases out fascinating details about these gorgeous works of art and their mysterious creator. As you might imagine, after more than three hundred years of silence, the characters inside these paintings have much to share.

About this title

About the Authors

Since majoring in art at the University of Illinois, Bob has been a writer at various Chicago area advertising agencies. His other books for the series include No One Saw...Ordinary Things Through the Eyes of an Artist; Art Is...; More Than Meets the Eye: Seeing Art with All Five Senses; Unlikely Pairs: Fun with Famous Works of Art; Here's Looking at Me: How Artists See Themselves; 3-D ABC: A Sculptural Alphabet; and Artful Reading.

Bob Razka Since majoring in art at the University of Illinois, Bob has been a writer at various Chicago area advertising agencies. His other books for the series include No One Saw...Ordinary Things Through the Eyes of an Artist; Art Is...; More Than Meets the Eye: Seeing Art with All Five Senses; Unlikely Pairs: Fun with Famous Works of Art; Here's Looking at Me: How Artists See Themselves; 3-D ABC: A Sculptural Alphabet; and Artful Reading.

Reviews

Grade 3–7—In this clever art history book, Raczka makes Johannes Vermeer's masterpieces accessible by employing an interview format. Clearly stating that these "conversations" are "as imagined" by the author, "Bob" asks the subjects of seven paintings a series of questions about themselves and their surroundings, allowing them to give details about the art techniques, historical context, and cultural elements. Large reproductions of the works are featured, as are photos of relevant sculptures and tools. Raczka avoids editorializing in the interview format, which is a feat; the text provides straightforward analysis and information. The language used by the figures in the paintings is modern, which can be disconcerting at times, but the interviewees come across as lively individuals. The tone throughout remains light and conversational, as readers are encouraged to think about the details and stories found in each work of art. While Mike Venezia's Johannes Vermeer (Children's Press, 2002) contains more paintings, Raczka goes into more detail about the works themselves; his book is more art critique than biography. It will be useful for children learning about Vermeer, the time period in which he lived, and art critique in general.—Laura Lutz, Queens Borough Public Library, NY
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Edition details

• Publisher: Millbrook Pr
• Publication date: 2009
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0822594021
• ISBN 13: 9780822594024
• Binding: Library Binding
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32