3 comments about Drawing From The Modern.

1. DRAWING from the MODERN is the first of a three part series published by MOMA as catalogue to accompany the chronologically arranged exhibitions of their drawing collection; in part, celebration of the seventy fifth anniversary of the founding of the Museum.
   
   This first book looks at the late nineteenth century through the beginning of the twentieth. Care and preservation of these drawings dictate that they are displayed infrequently, paper being a delicate medium, subject to fading, discoloration and brittleness. The publication of this series then allows us to have at hand a history of drawings seldom seen, and a visual education demonstrating how problems of that era both evolved and worked themselves out.
   
   The introduction by Jodi Hauptman is broad and well worth reading. Aside from her entertaining "end of art" stories, she addresses artists and process leading to the dissolution of prevalent notions: relationship of "mark" to "ground", took new form; spatial notions of an orderly page, questioned; the element of chance, explored as process; the ego relationship of an artist to work, dissolving. New imagery happened: collage, abstraction, grids, enhanced emotions, metaphors of feeling, the sublime re-imaged. New subjects explored brutalities of war, notions of "city", identity, the spiritual, and the abstract.
   
   As perhaps with all process of art, the uncertainty of change brought forth much that is new. The 139 plates of drawings both demonstrate and give testimony by leading artists of the time to new era in process. Drawing as subject matter is fascinating. To be expected, the book is well printed. Of course, what is book one without book two and three?
   
   Nancy Gutrich



2. This is not a good artbook. The images are way too small to be satisfying. This book could have been great, but falls way short of its potential. Don't buy it, you will be disappointed.



3. I purchased book 1 & 2 from Amazon. The illustrations are far too small to be a professionally represented art book from MOMA I've decided to save my money rather than pay out for the 3rd edition. It sounds a good buy from its description but I don't consider this trilogy to be very satisfactory.

1 comments about Chagall A&I (Art and Ideas).

1. This book is surprising. It doesn't quite have the format of a traditionnal art book, but it is an excellent book. I own many books on Chagall and this one was truly a great surprise! I would compare it with the book "Chagall: The art of dreams" by Daniel Marchesseau because both are like mini-encyclopeadias about the artist. The difference is that this one by Monica Bohm-Duchen is bigger, and I would say easier to read ( each page of Marchesseau's book is literaly loaded with information and pictures! ). The quality of the illustrations is superb, and the information on Chagall's life is never boring and hard to understand for people like me who doesn't really have big knowledge on art. Beautiful book.

3 comments about Burning Lights.

1. With illustrations by her husband Marc, Bella Chagall's memoir comes from the poignant brush strokes of childhood, focusing on Jewish holidays and family life. If you are curious about the life your immigrant forebears left behind, this will satisfy. I highly recommend it.



2. This book was penetrating and witty, giving a portrait of pre-war Vitebsk that makes the reader feel transported back to that time and location. Sweet without being cloying, the memoir bursts from the pages as if Bella were in front of you, holding a conversation with you.



3. I am sorry to say that this was such a bad book, I really was expecting something much better. Bella wrote about her childhood in Vitebsk (Belarus) in a fake "children" style, i.e. using language you see in a homework essay of a ten year old. It was supposed to be cute. But it just did not sound right for me. Second, there are almost no country-specific details at all. Bella does not care about Belarusian culture or the fact that it was under Russian occupation at that point. So, over all, the best thing about this book is Marc Chagall's little graphics. They are so nice and so Belarusian and really convey the feeling of nostalgy for Vitebsk, where I've been on a few occasions. It may be very interesting and educational for a Western reader who does not know anything at all about life in Belarus, (then under the Russian empirial rule), but personally I expected much more.

No comments about Chagall Drawings: 43 Works (Dover Art Library).

No comments about Marc Chagall Life and Work.

No comments about Marc Chagall: Ceramics.

2 comments about Discoveries: Chagall (Discoveries (Abrams)).

1. I own the French version of this book and I must say that it is exceptional. It's like a small encyclopeadia about Chagall, but in a convenient and light format (although there are A LOT of informations in the book)! I'm currently reading it and it offers an excellent trip into the world of Chagall: not only his art, but also his life. Some of the pictures (like the ones on the first pages, showing Chagall while he is painting) are stunning. If one word could describe this book, it would be: "complete". I recommend it to those who do not want to pay millions of bucks to have a book on Chagall, but who want to have a good view of who is the best artist that existed... and who want to be able to read the book in the bus, for example!



2. It was very thorough and concise. I found myself wishing that I could have known him!

No comments about Marc Chagall.

No comments about Marc Chagall: Drawings and Water Colors for The Ballet.

No comments about National Museum Message Biblique Marc Chagall (Musee National Message Biblique Marc Chagall).