THE CULT OF ART. AGAINST ART AND ARTISTS

Gimpel, Jean [1918-1996]

Published by Stein and Day Publishers, New York, 1969

About this Item

INSCRIBED BY GIMPEL on the front free endpaper as follows: "I was welcomed [? interested?] to Pirtas [?] to | Fenwick Warner talk on Vitruvius, | L. A. Alberti and Michelangelo and | hope that he will write a book | on the period of the Counter Reformation | where so little has been written | ?????? | Gean Gimpel | L.A. March 1972." 8vo. [11]2-178p. Black and white photo of Gimpel on the rear turn-in of the dust jacket. Black paper over boards with a white cloth spine with gilt letters and with Jean Gimpel's signature in gilt on the front cover. Fore- and bottom edges untrimmed. No noticeable wear to extremities, covers clean and bright, gilt bight (!), else fine with no internal markings. Dust jacket shows just touches of shelfwear but is not price-clipped. Jean Gimpel [1918-1996] was a French historian and medievalist, one of three sons of a French father, the art dealer René Gimpel, and an English mother, Florence, the youngest sister of Lord Duveen. He made his living as a diamond broker before establishing himself as a critic of the concept of the great artist. After 1948, he did not permit a work of art to enter his house. "Nowadays art has attained the status of a quasi-religion and th artist has come to be regarded as a kind of high priest, a being who possesses a special sort of perception and understanding. In THE CULT OF ART Jean Gimpel launches a frontal assault on these concepts, attacking the idea that art has to be esoteric and mystical and the artist a superman." [from the dust jacket] Gimpel was also the author of THE CATHEDRAL BUILDERS. The authenticity of Gimpel's signature in this book has been determined from its similarity to the signature in gilt on the front cover. This book once belonged to the Fenwick Warner in the gift inscription, so I assume it was inscribed to Warner. I do not know if Warner gave some sort of lecture on Vitruvius. Warner was a real estate dealer in Glendora, CA. I would guess that is was Gimpel who gave a lecture in L.A. which was attended by Warner; but that is just a guess.

Seller Inventory # 007190

Bibliographic Details

• Title: THE CULT OF ART. AGAINST ART AND ARTISTS
• Publisher: Stein and Day Publishers, New York
• Publication Date: 1969
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Condition: Fine
• Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine
• Signed: Inscribed by Author(s)