A Weekend with Rembrandt

Readers witness the joys and rigors of the creative life as Rembrandt guides them through a hypothetical weekend of his career illustrated by his own work and vintage photographs.

Grade 5-9-- Two titles with a deceptively simple format. Bonafoux's text has the immediacy of a conversation with the master himself. His proud character is captured in his all-consuming desire to be a great painter who will be remembered long after his death. His ideas and achievements are presented with marvelous reproductions that glow with Rembrandt's special use of light. His etching process is briefly explained and fine examples of his use of this technique are found throughout. However, the condescending tone and irritating questions seem geared to a much younger audience than the reading level and art discussion would suggest. Skira-Venturi presents an excellent, lively introduction to Degas. In an intimate first-person narration, he reveals his personality as it relates to his art. He shares a few concepts and techniques used in his painting, sculpture, and experiments in different media. The era in which he lived is conveyed through scenes at the Paris Opera House, an outdoor cafe, and the horse races. Readers can see how closely Degas's everyday life was intertwined with his desire to capture on canvas people in natural unguarded moments. In both books, the color reproductions are rich and clear, and the captions are informative. The individual illustrations used have citations for location, medium, and dimensions. Brief timelines and listings of museums where the artists' work can be seen are included. Both volumes are visually stunning, but A Weekend with Degas is the more successful of the two. --Barbara Peklo Abrahams, Oneida City Schools, Manlius, NY
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.