Page 56 - Studio International - November 1965

New books

Modern sculpture and the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel, 14 drawings reproduced in black line make
By Alan Bowness. 7¼ by 4k m. 160 pp. Michelangelo created the masterpiece of the interesting chapter endings.
(London: Studio Vista Ltd.) 10s 6d. Renaissance, all the more remarkable for
Latest title in the excellent Dutton Vista being painted by himself in a medium that Odilon Redon
Pictureback series is the work of the most was not one he had studied. The result in By Klaus Berger. Translated by Michael
outstanding younger historian of modern all its complexity and deficiencies no less Bullock. 12 by 8½ in. 244 pp. 21 full-colour
art now writing in England. He has taken as than its accomplishment has merited the illustrations and 90 in black and white.
the theme of his essay, four basic ideas: the study and writing of many authorities. This (London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson.) £6 6s.
image of man, pure form and expressive book deals in a simple historic way with the The great French symbolist painter,
surface, the role of magic and metamor­ scheme of the paintings and its chief value Odilon Redon, who died in 1916 at the age
phosis and the use of new materials. Dis­ is in the quality of the reproductions. In of 76 achieved success late but none the
cussing the work of several of the artists monochrome and colour, they show in less securely when literary symbolism over­
active in the first half of the twentieth detail and as a whole how Michelangelo took his visionary pictures that prompted
century, the limitation of the field surveyed conceived the story of the world from its Arthur Symons writing in London in 1890
has the beneficial effect of allowing the creation until its end with The Last Judg­ to describe him as 'a French Blake'. Begin­
artists unmentioned to take their place in ment filling the wall behind the altar. No ning as a graphic artist. he was advised by
comparison with those surveyed more or other book has shown the paintings in such Fantin-Latour on how to make reproduc­
less in extenso. Among them are such key full majesty of their colour and scale; the tions of his drawings by the lithographic
figures as Rodin, Rosso, Gabo, Lipchitz, lstituto Geografico De Agostini, which process. He became so enamoured of the
Arp, Brancusi, Matisse, Picasso, Germaine produced the book in Italy, deserves the medium that he worked directly for it
Richier, Henry Moore and Barbara Hep­ highest praise for the painstaking fashion although he found transfer paper more
worth and each has several illustrations in which the plates have been produced obedient than stone and had cause to
relevant to the trend of interest inherent in and the fidelity of the colour to their complain of how the printers interfered
the work. Some 11 0 reproductions are originals. Twenty-four years separate the with his intention. The author has re­
chosen with care and the concentrated lay­ completion of the vault ceiling and the searched his subject with exhaustive
out and format of the book make it easily beginning of the wall; the whole chapel patience and presented his findings in a
the best buy on the subject now on the represents a monument not only to the art text that traces the artist's development
bookstalls. of the Renaissance but to its greatest from its slow beginnings to the support
genius Michelangelo. The book is a given by patrons Andries Songer (Theo
The Sistine Chapel measure of that genius and as such should van Gogh's brother-in-law) in Holland,
Julio Gonzalez By D. Redig de Campos. 16 by 12 m. 12 pp be acquired for all libraries of art. private Baron Domecy in Burgundy and the Hahn­
The Kiss 1930 Iron 161 wide and 44 plates, 78 in full colour. (New and public. losers in Switzerland. The dealer Vollard
Collection of
Mr & Mrs Harry Lewis Winston. York: Reyna/ & Co. Inc.) S9.95. (London: also bought his work. Extracts from the
8,rm,ngham, Michigan Transatlantic Book Service Ltd.) £4 4s. The Anxious Object artist's own writings do much to clarify his
From Modern Sculpture
by Alan Bowness In the decorations he made for the ceiling Art today and its audience imagery as seen in the variety and range of
By Harold Rosenberg. 272 pp. 9j by 6¼ m. the works reproduced. He writes: 'One
(London: Thames & Hudson.) 50s. must admire black. Nothing can debauch
More than ever today, art in its manifesta­ it. It does not please the eye and awakens
tion of the contemporary spirit requires not no sensuality. It is an agent of the spirit far
only analysis in its local characteristics but more than the fine colour of the palette or
an attitude of decision regarding its mean­ the prism'.
ing. Meaning not as the expression of per­ Redon had affinities with both Gauguin
sonality, of individual culture, but meaning and Mallarme. both of whom were proud
in relation to the need it satisfies from of his friendship yet he had to strive for
artists as reflectors of life's taste and years to defeat the impression evoked of his
desires and the need of people, of collec­ work by the symbolist writer J-K. Huys­
tors, of the public in general. Harold mans in the novel A rebours who described
Rosenberg stands out above all other it as 'a fantasy of sickness and delirium·.
writers of art on the present situation. His The catalogue of works includes the oils
analysis and descriptions of the motives of and the pastels for the first time and the
action painting and abstract expressionism graphic works are listed on the catalogue
in the U.S.A. made clear with a searing published by Mellerio in 1913. A chron­
simplicity the physical element of the ology, a selected bibliography and list of
style. In this volume of 23 collected essays exhibitions complete a volume that exists
and articles on art in the United States, he to fulfil a need that has been apparent for
ranges from subjects as varied as the some time. Sensitively appreciative of the
official attitudes of governments in their nature of Redon·s particular idiom, Klaus
representations at international exhibitions Berger has written an account of the
such as the Sao Paulo Bienal to a re-enact­ artist's life that is established as the
ment of exhibitions as historic in America definitive monograph. Reproductions are
as the Armoury Show, and the Politics of of the highest definition and convey the
Art. Artists whose work he examines in unique spirit of the artist's colour-form in
detailed progression are Arshile Gorky, De unsurpassed brilliance.
Kooning, Hans Hoffman, Saul Steinberg,
Barnett Newman and Jasper Johns. A fear­
less honesty, a scathing contempt for Acknowledgement
pretension, an enthusiasm for practical
assessment-these attributes of Harold The reproduction on the cover of the
Rosenberg raise his comments above October 1965 issue of Studio International
Journalistic instant reaction to the con­ was based on NP st Circulos. 1965, the
siderable level of literature of art. a very Serigraph by Getulio Alviani. Italy,
rare occurrence in our days of ephemeral exhibited at the VI 11 Bienial of Sao
commitments to ideas and ideals. Illustra­ Paulo, and not on the painting by Hercules
tions in the 25 black and white plates are Barsotti, as stated on page 141.
few evocative of and the
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