Sculpture, Modern Art, Medieval Art & Indian Art

Sculpture 1900-1945 by Penelope Curtis

Sculpture 1900-1945 provides a new critical analysis of the fascinating development of sculpture in Europe and America during this important period in art history. The most comprehensive concise history of modern sculpture available, this account puts sculpture back into relation with a range of other phenomena, encompassing many kinds of architects, sculptors, and painters, with widely differing kinds of practices.
Penelope Curtis takes Rodin as her point of departure and recurrent point of reference, building a story that necessarily begins in Paris, the major artistic center of the era, and evolves around responses to Rodin by sculptors in France, Germany, Britain, and America. She charts the key developments in the practice and reception of a wide variety of sculpture, from the avant-garde to public monuments. Covering all the major figures, including Duchamp, Le Corbusier, Dali, El Lissitzsky, Brancusi, Henry Moore, and Barbara Hepworth, Sculpture 1900-1945 focuses on specific themes in each chapter, ranging from the public place of sculpture, to the private arena, to the figurative ideal. Filling a gap in the literature, Sculpture 1900-1945 is the only critically up-to-date book on the subject.
Sculpture 1900-1945 by Penelope Curtis
Oxford, ISBN 0192842285

Modern Art 1851-1929: Capitalism and Representation

Richard Brettell's innovative and beautifully-illustrated account, the latest addition to the acclaimed Oxford History of Art series, explores the works of artists such as Monet, Gauguin, Picasso, and Dali - as well as lesser-known figures - in relation to expansion, colonialism, nationalism and internationalism, and the rise of the museum. Beginning with The Great Exhibition of 1851 in London, Brettell follows the development of the major European avant-garde groups: the Realists, Impressionists, Post-Impressionists, Symbolists, Cubists, and Surrealists. Giving attention to the changing social, economic, and political climate, the book focuses on conditions for the development of modern art such as urban capitalism, modernity, and the accessible image made possible by art museums, temporary exhibitions, lithography, and photography. Brettell examines artists' responses to modernism, including changes in representation, vision, and "the art of seeing."
Combining the most recent scholarship with 140 illustrations - 75 in full color - the book chronicles the change in art and image itself, from the iconology of new representations of the nude human form to the anti-iconography of "art without 'subject'": landscape painting; text and image; and abstraction.
Modern Art 1851-1929: Capitalism and Representation by Richard R. Brettell
Oxford, ISBN 019284220X

Medieval Art by Veronica Sekules

This refreshing new look at Medieval art conveys a very real sense of the impact of art on everyday life in Europe from 1000 to 1500. It examines the importance of art in the expression and spread of knowledge and ideas, including notions of the heroism and justice of war, and the dominant view of Christianity.
Taking its starting point from issues of contemporary relevance, such as the environment, the identity of the artist, and the position of women, the book also highlights the attitudes and events specific to the sophisticated visual culture of the Middle Ages, and goes on to link this period to the Renaissance. The fascinating question of whether commercial and social activities between countries encouraged similar artistic taste and patronage, or contributed to the defining of cultural difference in Europe, is fully explored.
Medieval Art by Veronica Sekules
Oxford, ISBN 0192842412

Indian Art by Partha Mitter

This concise yet lively new survey guides the reader through 5,000 years of Indian art and architecture. A rich artistic tradition is fully explored through the Hindu, Buddhist, Islamic, Colonial, and contemporary periods, incorporating discussion of modern Bangladesh and Pakistan, tribal artists, and the decorative arts.
Combining a clear overview with fascinating detail, Mitter succeeds in bringing to life the true diversity of Indian culture. The influence of Islam on the Mughal court, which produced the world-famous Taj Mahal and exquisite miniature paintings, is closely examined. More recently, he discusses the nationalist and global concerns of contemporary art, including the rise of female artists, the stunning architecture of Charles Correa, and the vibrant art scene.
The very particular character of Indian art is set within its cultural and religious milieu, raising important issues about the profound differences between Western and Indian ideas of beauty and eroticism in art.
Indian Art by Partha Mitter
Oxford, ISBN 0192842218

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