With his frenetic compositions and spontaneous approach, Franz Marc was
cofounder of Der Blaue Reiter and a pioneer of German Expressionism. He drew
inspirations from masters like van Gogh and Picasso to galvanize a new
vocabulary of form and color, setting an artistic standard that would flourish
for decades. In this essential introduction, we...
Geometrical figures and hieroglyphic elements: The delightfully unclassifiable work of a master painter Designated as "degenerate" by the Nazis, Paul Klee (1879-1940) is today considered one of the most important artists of the 20th century. His works stand out for the variety in their forms of artistic expression. His Tunisian water-colours depicting landscape, architecture and, above all, the North African light of this Mediterranean land constitute the true beginning of Klee's painting career. Although these paintings still fall under the heading of 'objective, ' they already exhibit indications of his tendency toward abstraction and a language of forms. Geometrical figures and hieroglyphic elements characterize the majority of these works, which for this reason seem reminiscent of 'naive' and playful children's painting. In reality, however, Klee's paintings have their roots in theoretical considerations, their recurrent symbols conveying personal and at times political content. About the Series: Each book in TASCHEN's Basic Art series features: a detailed chronological summary of the life and oeuvre of the artist, covering his or her cultural and historical importance a concise biography approximately 100 illustrations with explanatory captions
The enfant terrible of the Viennese art scene, Klimt was notorious for his portraits of beautiful women. Illustrated with color reproductions, this book profiles the women who figured in the artist's life and on his canvases. The author looks beyond the standard assumption that Klimt was a hardhearted philanderer, pointing instead to his committed and loving relationship with Emilie Flöge that prevailed despite the parade of beautiful women who wandered in and out of the artist's studio. Partsch demonstrates Klimt's role in the evolution of portrait painting, which helped usher in the age of Expressionism.