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Overview
A spectacular book on the most popular era of British painting from 1837 to 1914 by the world's leading authority in the field.The Victorian era and its aftermath were the backdrop to one of the great flowerings of British art. The genre arose from a ferment of activity from which the Pre-Raphaelites emerged along with Leighton's luxurious classical mythologies, as well as a fascinating diversity in other artistic fields. Christopher Wood, a leading expert who has not only studied but also brought, owned, and sold examples of everything he writes about, takes us through the artistry of Burne-Jones, Rossetti, Waterhouse, and others to show the succession of movements characterizing the Victorian period."
Editorials
Library Journal
Wood, an expert in the art of the Victorian period, sets out to prove the wealth and diversity of English Victorian painting, placing it in the social context of its time. The discussion of issues such as the rise of middle-class patronage, the increasing importance of the dealer, and the emergence of museums helps situate Victorian painting. Wood's major premise is that Victorian art was not only a popular means of illustrating modern life but that it also continued the earlier phase of 19th-century Romanticism through its passion for history and literary illusion. These themes are reflected in the 28 thematic chapters. Unlike Lionel Lambourne's Victorian Painting (LJ 12/99), which is more international and comprehensive in scope, Wood focuses solely on England and the artists who worked there. Lambourne also touches more on contemporary art historical methodology as seen, for example, in his much stronger feminist take on the role of Victorian women in society. And the design of Wood's book tends to feel more cramped than Lambourne's, with images often squeezed onto the page or cropped to fit. Yet Wood's book is still a strong offering on the subject and is recommended for both large libraries with general book collections and for those that support programs in art and art research.--Sandra Rothenberg, Framingham State Coll., MA Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.\Book Details
Published
April 1, 2000
Publisher
Bulfinch Press
Pages
384
Format
Hardcover
ISBN
9780821223260