Description

Immediate dispatch from Somerset. Nice older book in good condition. Some tanning wear and marking due to age. Year 1973. Softcover. English. See images for condition.

About the book >.>.> The rediscovery of the American nineteenth century has been underway for some time now and enthusiasm for the period shows no signs of abating. After years of neglect museums and collectors are again concentrating their attentions on the last century-rich as it was not only in work and thought of vital importance to the art of our own day but also of great intrinsic interest. Seldom has an era been more diverse in its art and history than was the nineteenth century. One can only rejoice that the prejudices of the early-twentieth century have been over-come to allow an open-minded reappraisal of the 1800’s. This exhibition was conceived in discussions with the Director of the Worcester Art Museum about areas of nineteenth-century art not yet fully opened to public attention. British and Continental painting of the period is comparatively well known but many aspects of Ameri-can art have been neglected. It was with some surprise that we realized that portraiture was among these neglec-ted areas. Not only is there a wealth of material available but also portraiture in spite of the inherent complexity of the artist/sitter relationship is one of the most readily exhibitable of genres. The almost complete decline into which photography has forced painted portraiture in our own day may in part be responsible for this neglect. If an art historical dead end portraiture has other points of more than redeeming value. The sitters their lives and aspirations emerge from these canvases to trace the course of history in the most direct and personal of ways. An era portrays itself far more clearly in its portraiture than in any written record. (LL)