No comments about Pissarro and Pontoise: The Painter in a Landscape.

1 comments about Camille Pissarro Letters To His Son Lucien.

1. Despite the editorial review ("Pissarro's weekly letters to his son Lucien, covering the dramatic period of Impressionism from 1883 to the painter's death in 1905")-- Pissarro died in 1903, and by 1883 the era of Impressionism was about over; Pissarro, Renior, and even Monet had abandoned the technique by this time-- this is a marvelous insight into the mind of one of the most influential painters of all time.

3 comments about Tiepolo's Hound.

1. Derek Walcott has always confessed his ambitions to be a painter of note.While poetry became his favourite wife, his love for painting never disappeared. Over the years he has continued to paint, and his art now decorates the covers of his poetry collections. "Tiepolo's Hound" seems one of the least personal of Walcott's books. While we get glimpses of the poet's life, he is more concerned to explore the life of Camille Pisarro to understand the heart of the individual bound to the calling of artist. It seems a tentative, searching exploration.Obviously identifying with their common Caribbean childhood and the influences of landscape and history they share, Walcott tries to see into the complex struggles of this artist who left the Caribbean for Paris, to become one of the fathers of impressionism.Seeking his epiphanic hound,he shares with us the painters who excited his artistic inspiration. Alongside his rhyming couplets he has placed twenty six of his own paintings-some very good, others less so.It is rare to find a book like this, coffetable poetry and art together by the same artist. Now seventy, this Nobel Laureate is not afraid to share his meditations on art and poetry-through art and poetry-warts and all.A collector's item.Walcott's readers must be patient with him, and try to go with him as he charts, quite bravely,his questionings of the artist's commitment and the cost."Whatever the age is, it lies in the small spring of poetry everywhere"(p66).A defining comment.Read "poetry" as the very heart of all art.



2. With so many wondrous works, it is tempting to take Walcott's poetic virtuosity for granted. Of them all, this is my favorite, and this one features his virtuosity at its most shining. His effortlessly rhyming couplets sing themes of painting and poetry, biography and myth, existential pain and release,geography and spirit. And Pissarro the painter is duly celebrated.



3. For reference, the white hound may be the one found in "Finding the Moses" by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo. See also youtube's "Tiepolo's Hound: A Reading by Derek Walcott".

No comments about Camille Pissarro (Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists).

4 comments about Depths of Glory: A Biographical Novel of Camille Pisarro.

1. Of the three books about artists by Irving Stone, this was my favorite (and Pissaro is my favorite artist as well). Stone kept me interested through-out.



2. A fascinating portrayal of Camille Pissarro. I knew little about this genius before reading this book and afterwords I felt as though I were an expert in impressionism. One of the best books Ive ever read!



3. This book made me understand the real struggles all impressionist artists had to live with to have their work accepted by the people, and how much they helped each other in their time of need. The author has brought real-life meaning to a story told many times! Brilliantly written. I enjoyed once again his hard facts and real characters. Irving Stone definitely is a master.



4. This is another good book by Irving Stone, who also gave us Michelangelo in The Agony and the Ecstasy and Van Gogh in Lust for Life, both of which were made into major movies a half-century ago. The movies were good and had great actors, but the books were even better. This book would make a pretty good movie too, probably a psychological drama.
   
   Stone's books are a chance to see great artists up close and behind the scenes. Since he is doing historical fiction, Stone takes you right into Pissaro's home and right up to his canvas as he is working, and right into his conversations with Monet, Renoir, and the rest at the local pubs. You are even in his head as he creates his art, which is a bit risky, but seems to work. You are there at the birth of Impressionism. It was exciting, at least for me, to get close to these legends.
   
   Surprisingly, it was Pissaro who was the prime mover for the Impressionists exhibitions as a means to expose and educate the hostile audience of that day. The word Impressionism was like a dirty word in those days when the public only wanted clearly executed, classical or romantic paintings of such artists as Delacroix or Courbet. It's really hard to imagine today what made the critics and the public so angry in those days. Was it a bad idea to be innovative? Was it worth almost rioting over? What was the deal with being creative or a little different with your expression?
   
   Organizing anything among this wild group of Impressionist bohemians was almost miraculous, but Pissaro possessed exceptional people skills (always a rare quality, then as now) that made it happen. It is very unlikely that anyone else at the time could have done it. At the same time he and his family were living hand-to-mouth, and you have to wonder how his wife put up with him (just barely, I think).
   
   Almost a century after his time, Pissaro finally gets his due, at least in this book.

1 comments about Copying Masterpieces (Watson-Guptill Artist's Library).

1. This acclaimed book is full of informative text, photos, illustrations and diagrams on how to give any aspiring artist basic and intermediate skills in learning the techniques of the great painting masters. Written in common non-technical terms, the book is really a useful and practical reference book. Original editions have two wonderful large gatefold inserts.

No comments about DEPTHS Of GLORY. A Biographical Novel of Camille Pissarro..

No comments about Camille Pissarro: Impressions of City and Country.

3 comments about Pioneering Modern Painting: Cezanne and Pissarro, 1865-1885.

1. Though this book is a catalogue for an important exhibition traveling to the West Coast after its origin in the Museum of Modern Art in New York, it is so finely produced and contains such important information along with generous examples of the works of two significant artists that it is sure to become a major contribution to the history of art libraries around the world. It is beautiful to peruse, intelligently written and opens a window into one of the more interesting and productive friendships in art history.
   
   Meeting in art school in the 1860's Paul Cézanne (1839-1906) and Camille Pissarro (1830-1903) continued a mutually beneficial camaraderie for twenty years, during which time they produced not only beautiful paintings but also defined an important transitional period in art. While many view Pissarro as the echt-Impressionist, and Cézanne as the pioneering Post-Impressionist, essayist Joachim Pissarro's text questions the significance of these preconceived art history monikers in codifying each artist's stance in the overall view of art history. The true significance in the development of their friendship and dialogues about art, as captured in their painting together in Pontoise and Auvers, France, lead to the development of Modernism in painting.
   
   Wisely and elegantly designed, this book places works by each artist side by side, illuminating the interplay of the two master painters and allowing the viewer to absorb the similarities as well as the disparities that created such a powerful dialogue and relationship and explores how each artist sought new ways to express the visualized scene before him. This is a very fine monograph, vividly encouraging all art lovers to seek attendance at the exhibition wherever possible. Grady Harp, October 05



2. Wow! This is a book not to be missed for those who love Impressionism and the contrast between two of the greats in a way scarecely ever shown. They were friends - mentor and student - and drew inspiration from each other over the years until the student (Cezanne) finally departed South and became his own (and more famous) man. But oh the beauty of Pizarro's work!
   
   David Fox-Brenton



3. This lavishly illustrated book sets a high standard for art books. It features large reproductions of uniformly excellent quality. Each chapter is prefaced by full page close-ups of the work of Pizarro and Cezanne so you can get a real feel for their texture and brushwork. The comparisons are often of the same motif (since Pizarro and Cezanne often painted together). The text is informative without detracting from the importance of the art. I was never able to appreciate Cezanne until I saw his work side by side with Pizarro's. Pizarro is an honest craftsman with charming color and technique but you can clearly see that Cezanne wanted to push the boundaries of painting quite a bit more and his works are energetic, experimental explorations. I came to appreciate both artists more by reading and absorbing the visual information in this beautiful book.
   
   If you are looking for a book with great reproductions of either Pizarro or Cezanne, get this book.

1 comments about Camille Pissarro.

1. The book, Camille Pissarro, is delightful. The reproductions are excellent and the information very interesting.
   
   Mary Mathews