John Elderfield Books

Overview: Published in conjunction with the first large-scale, multi-medium, posthumous retrospective of Willem de Kooning's career, this publication offers an unparalleled opportunity to appreciate the development of the artist's work as it unfolded over nearly seven decades, beginning with his early academic works, made in Holland before he moved to the United States in 1926, and concluding with his final, sparely abstract paintings of the late 1980s. The volume presents approximately 200 paintings, sculptures, drawings and prints, covering the full diversity of de Kooning's art and placing his many masterpieces in the context of a complex and fascinating pictorial practice. An introductory essay by John Elderfield, MoMA's Chief Curator Emeritus of Painting and Sculpture, provides an in-depth exploration of de Kooning's development, context and sources, theory of art and working methods. Sections devoted to particular areas of the artist's oeuvre provide an illustrated chronology of the period and a brief introduction, as well as detailed entries on groups of works. With lavish, full-color documentation, this landmark publication is the most complete account of de Kooning's artistic career to date.

This book showcases a remarkable collection of artworks donated to commemorate the establishment of The Menil Drawing Institute. It highlights the significance of these pieces in the context of contemporary art and their contribution to the cultural landscape. Through detailed descriptions and vibrant imagery, the publication honors the artists and the impact of their work, emphasizing the institute's role in preserving and promoting drawing as a vital art form.

Set against the backdrop of the historically rich city of Oxyrhynchus, Saville's new body of work explores the concept of layered narratives through a series of twelve artworks. Utilizing oil, charcoal, and pastel on canvas, she intertwines landscapes and figures, creating a mysterious interplay of bodies and images that reflect the archaeological significance of the site. Each piece invites viewers to engage with the complexities of history and memory embedded within the layers of her artistic expression.

This striking new book features fourteen paintings and two works on paper by renowned American abstract painter Helen Frankenthaler. číst celé

Th is book, like the exhibition it accompanies, looks at the special pictorial and thematic characteristics of Cézanne's portraiture practice, including his creation of complementary pairs and multiple versions of the same subject . The chronological development of the artist's portraiture is also explored , with an examinat ion of the changes that occurred with respect to his style and method, on the one hand, and his understanding of resemblance and identity, on the other . Th e extent to which particular sitters inflected the characteristics and development of his practice is also considered . Cézanne Portraits features works that mutually inform each other to reveal arguably the most personal , and therefore most human, aspect of his art, and one that has hitherto received surprisingly little attention. They range from Cézanne's earliest surviving self - portraits , dating from the 1860s, through to his final portraits of Vallier, the gardener at his hou se near Aix - en - Provence, made shortly before the artist's death in 1906. Exhibition curator John Elderfield contributes an illuminating introductory essay on Cézanne's portraiture, while the artist's biographer, the late Alex Danchev, provides an informative dramatis personae on the sitters featured . The catalogue texts are by John Elderfi eld, Mary Morton and Xavier Rey , and a chronology by Jayne Warman sets the artist's work in the context of his life.

Focusing on the evolution of a prominent artist, the book offers a deep exploration of Anna Weyant's insightful critique of women's representation in both pop culture and art history. It documents six years of her work, making it the most extensive publication on her painting practice to date, showcasing her sharp wit and artistic development.

Focusing on a diverse collection of contemporary art, this catalogue showcases 175 works gifted by Edward R. Broida to The Museum of Modern Art. It features prominent artists such as Vija Celmins, Philip Guston, and Richard Serra, with most pieces created post-1960. The book includes an introduction by John Elderfield and an interview with Broida, enhancing the understanding of the collection. Each of the 38 featured artists is represented with at least one work, offering a comprehensive view of modern artistic approaches.

This anthology includes the vast majority of significant essays on Bridget Riley written since 1999. This was a particularly fruitful period in the reception of her work, as the discourse broadened and her reputation as one of the most important painters of her generation solidified.The essays range from biographical and career overviews to detailed analysis of specific aspects or themes that occur throughout Riley's career. The selection reflects a rich body of work, which sustains the interest of important authors, as evidenced by multiple pieces by �ric de Chassey, Lynne Cooke, Robert Kudielka, Paul Moorhouse and Richard Shiff. Together, this volume of essays tells the story of an artist whose art has continuously evolved over nearly six decades.Most of the critical texts have been written in close consultation with the artist, the result of long conversations, studio visits and archive access. Largely commissioned on the occasion of particular exhibitions, these essays track and trace Riley's focus and influences at different moments in time. Each essay builds upon the next, with more recent authors clearly responding and referencing earlier discourse. The result is a collection of great breadth and cohesion.Featuring essays by 18 authors including Frances Spalding, Michael Bracewell, and Dave Hickey.

Traces the life and career of the German artist, discusses his aesthetics, and shows examples of his assemblages, paintings, and sculpture

Matisse, the bard of colour, and Picasso, the breaker of moulds: together, these two giants shaped the world of modern art. They were, as Picasso once said, "North Pole, South Pole." The work of Henri Matisse (1869-1954) is a sensous hymn to colour, that wild yet subtle colour which he tamed, mastered and managed, and which expressed his feelings towards women and the world. Colour was the tool with which he controlled line, arabesque, volume, light transparency, reflection and space, and though he did not shrink from pushing his creativity to the verge of abstraction, he never succumbed to it entirely. It was an approach well noted by America's Abstract Expressionists. This new and carefully conceived freedom marked not only the extraordinary significance of the painter and sculptor Matisse in the history of modern art, but also his influence, which was no less decisive than that of his main rival, Pablo Picasso. In fact, Matisse's stylistic liberation actually goes one step further in the pursuit of his own personal goal - the perfect synthesis of line and colour - by which he sought revolutionary approaches to the great tradition of French painting by drawing upon its classical aspects.