Georges Braque (Modern Masters Series) - Softcover

Wilkin, Karen

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0896599477 ISBN 13: 9780896599475

Publisher: Abbeville Press, 1991

Synopsis

Georges Braque is one of the best-known and least-understood artists of our century. From his friends' affectionate recollections, he emerges as a cheerful and energetic dandy, renowned for his good looks, his skills as an amateur boxer, and his ability to play Beethoven symphonies on the accordion. His art suggests a different persona, however, for he was intensely serious, technically meticulous, and devoted to making thoughtful, deeply felt images—whether as a Fauve, a Cubist, or a mature painter working in his own distinctive style. Both the quiet intelligence of the man and the originality of his passionate yet elegant paintings emerge from Karen Wilkin's perceptive text and astutely chose reproductions. This invaluable study brings a new clarity to Braque's art and art making.

About the Modern Masters series:
With informative, enjoyable texts and over 100 illustrations — approximately 48 in full color — this innovative series offers a fresh look at the most creative and influential artists of the postwar era. The authors are highly respected art historians and critics chosen for their ability to think clearly and write well. Each handsomely designed volume presents a thorough survey of the artist's life and work, as well as statements by the artist, an illustrated chapter on technique, a chronology, lists of exhibitions and public collections, an annotated bibliography, and an index. Every art lover, from the casual museumgoer to the serious student, teacher, critic, or curator, will be eager to collect these Modern Masters. And with such a low price, they can afford to collect them all.

About this title

From the Back Cover

Georges Braque is one of the best-known and least-understood artists of our century. Though he has long been acknowledged as an essential figure in the evolution of contemporary art, it has been less clear whether he should be defined as a radical innovator or elegant stylist, as a serene classicist or temperamental individualist, as Picasso's sidekick or the grand old man of French painting. From his friends' affectionate recollections, Braque emerges as a cheerful dandy, renowned for his good looks, his skills as an amateur boxer, and his ability to play Beethoven symphonies on the accordion. His art suggests a far different persona, however, for Braque was intensely serious, technically meticulous, and devoted to making thoughtful, deeply felt images--whether as a Fauve, a Cubist, or a mature painter working in his own distinctive style. The greatest adventure of Braque's life was his six-year collaboration with Picasso, and those years yielded inventive works that changed the course of art history. But as this new volume makes clear, to think of Braque primarily in relation to Picasso is to underestimate him and to miss much of what makes Braque unmistakably "Braque". By helping us to see and understand how and what Braque painted, the ever-astute critic Karen Wilkin reveals the full magnitude of his achievement. Her perceptive text and discriminating choice of illustrations--including some works never before reproduced--bring a welcome new clarity to Braque's art and art making.

About the Author

Karen Wilkin, the author of Abbeville's Stuart Davis and David Smith.

About this edition

• Publisher: Abbeville Press
• Publication date: 1991
• ISBN 10: 0896599477
• ISBN 13: 9780896599475
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 128