Anthony Van Dyck 1599-1641 - Hardcover

Brown, Christopher

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 084782196X ISBN 13: 9780847821969

Publisher: Rizzoli, 1999

Synopsis

A beautiful and unprecedented catalogue published for the 400th anniversary of the birth of the prominent 17th century Flemish painter. Elegant and informal portraits, rare mythological and religious paintings, and many seldom-seen works from private collections. This landmark catalogue is published for the 400th anniversary of the birth of Anthony van Dyck, one of the most prominent Flemish painters of the 17th century. These 100 masterpieces showcase van Dyck's elegant and informal portraits, and his rare mythological and religious paintings--including many seldom-seen works from private noble collections, presented here in new photographs. Texts by the most prominent scholars in the field describe van Dyck's early years in Antwerp, when he trained in the studio of Peter Paul Rubens, his later life in Genoa and the influence of Titian's work on his color and composition, and his final years in London as Court Painter to Charles I. This beautiful and unprecedented catalogue--with superb color plates plus details and comparative illustrations, a chronology, and each work's detailed history--will be the last word on van Dyck for the next fifty years.

About this title

Review:

Coinciding with the 1999 exhibitions of his paintings in Antwerp and London, Anthony van Dyck: 1599-1641 celebrates the 400th anniversary of the birth of the celebrated Flemish painter. Van Dyck is perhaps best known for his religious paintings, which are outstanding examples of the Baroque style, and he is also considered one of the greatest portrait painters in an age of exceptional portraitists. He revolutionized royal portraiture in England by introducing more dynamic compositions, often incorporating the dramatic presence of a draped curtain leading out into a natural vista and open skies. Born in Antwerp to a wealthy merchant family, van Dyck began to paint at the age of 10 and had already earned the privilege of studying with Peter Paul Rubens by the time he was a teenager. He shared a workshop with Jan Brueghel the Younger, and his contemporaries included Poussin, Lorrain, and Velázquez. Later he would become court painter for King James of England, as well as for Charles I, and he immortalized their key subjects during the charged era of the English Civil War. He had a special talent for depicting his regal subjects with a relaxed elegance not seen in the more formal portraiture that had preceded him. And his ability to paint sumptuous fabrics is almost unparalleled.

This large, stately, cloth-covered hardback contains over 100 of van Dyck's masterpieces, including rarely seen works. Its 359 pages are lavishly illustrated with quality full-color reproductions, including painting details and preliminary drawings. A chronology, descriptions of each work, and essays by prominent scholars in the field make this the most authoritative volume on the artist to date. --A.C. Smith

About the Author:

Dr. Christopher Brown is a noted authority on Van Dyck. He is formerly of the National Gallery in London, and was recently appointed director of the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford.

About this edition

• Publisher: Rizzoli
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 084782196X
• ISBN 13: 9780847821969
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 352