The portrait resists classification as art. Durer used a portrait
of himself with a painful sore to send to his doctor for an
accurate diagnosis. Portraits of Elizabeth I showed her to be an
ageless symbol of power; likeness and accuracy were secondary to
their use as publicity tools. The ill-fated Marie Antoinette, as
painted by Elisabeth Vigee-Lebrun, looks like an overstuffed sofa
dwarfed by the grandeur of the room in which she stands. The author
looks at this genre from various perspectives looking at how
portraits of women have differed from those of men. How the
self-portrait frees the artist to be experimental. How artists have
approached the problems of representing their subjects, and
reconciled innovation with obtaining a likeness. This excellent,
beautifully illustrated introduction to the genre disappoints only
occasionally, when several paintings are described extensively but
have no accompanying illustrations. (Kirkus UK)
This fascinating new addition to the acclaimed Oxford History of
Art series explores the world of portraiture from a number of
vantage points, and asks key questions about its nature. How has
portraiture changed over the centuries? How have portraits
represented their subjects, and how have they been interpreted? The
book provides a clear, yet thorough overview of the history of
portraiture in terms of social, political, economic, and
psychological factors over a broad time span. Issues such as
identity, modernity, and gender are considered within their
cultural and historical contexts.
Shearer West uncovers intriguing aspects of portraiture-a genre
that has often been seen as purely representational, featuring
examples from African tribes to Renaissance princes, and from
"stars" such as David and Victoria Beckham to everyday people. West
examines the many meanings and uses of portraits throughout the
ages and includes a wide range of artists from Botticelli to
Picasso, and Hans Holbein to Frida Kahlo. In the process, she
reveals the faces of the past in an exciting new way. Beautifully
illustrated throughout, this book is a unique and accessible
introduction to the history of portraiture.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
