Journey to the Native Americans

School Library Journal

Gr 4-8-Pictorial volumes that provide glimpses into the work of two very different artists. Journey features Bodmer's paintings of the Plains Indians. The Swiss artist's watercolor art, reproduced here on full and double-page spreads, accurately portrays a way of life soon to disappear. The accompanying text provides background on tepees, earth lodges, spiritual beliefs, and other aspects of Plains life. Readers interested in the remarkable journey of these two men can learn more about it in Russell Freedman's An Indian Winter (Holiday, 1992). Hello, Fruit Face! features the 16th-century Italian artist's unusual portraits composed of elements from the natural world. For example, the full-color portrait of Emperor Rudolf II as Vertumnus, the God of gardens and the seasons, is composed of fruit and flowers. The text encourages readers to decipher these images and does an excellent job of explaining the symbolism in an accessible manner. Although Arcimboldo was famous in his own time as court painter to the Hapsburgs, he is not well known today; this book will help introduce his work to a new generation. Both books are beautifully designed.-Robin L. Gibson, Muskingum County Library System, Zanesville, OH Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.