George Segal (Modern Masters Series, 5)

Revealing commentary by the artist himself, plus newly commissioned photographs of George Segal at work, help create an insightful portrait of a fascinating artist.

George Segal has enlivened contemporary sculpture with his evocative plaster figures, cast directly from the model and often left a ghostly white. He is best known for his down-to-earth scenes of humble characters in urban environments―a butcher shop, a diner, a local cinema. The familiarity of such mundane surroundings makes Segal's work, at first glance, look deceptively simple. However, as Phyllis Tuchman persuasively explains in her lively and enlightening text, the apparent simplicity of Segal's sculpture masks a rich complexity of meaning. More recent and more colorful work―including the bronze monuments, fragments, and pastels―are also thoroughly represented in the book.

About Abbeville's 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 artists 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 museum goer 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.

Phyllis Tuchman is a critic and art historian who teaches and writes about art, particularly sculpture. She has taught at Williams College, Hunter College, and the School of Visual Arts.