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Sorolla and America Hardcover – March 7, 2014
Sorolla and America explores the artist's relationship with early twentieth century America through the lens of those who commissioned him, those who collected his works, and those artists, such as John Singer Sargent and William Merritt Chase, with whom Sorolla closely associated. Particular attention is dedicated to the artist's association with The Hispanic Society of America and with key figures like Archer Milton Huntington and Thomas Fortune Ryan
- Print length340 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherEdiciones El Viso America
- Publication dateMarch 7, 2014
- Dimensions9.78 x 1.25 x 12.88 inches
- ISBN-109786078310012
- ISBN-13978-6078310012
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Product details
- ASIN : 6078310011
- Publisher : Ediciones El Viso America (March 7, 2014)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 340 pages
- ISBN-10 : 9786078310012
- ISBN-13 : 978-6078310012
- Item Weight : 5.3 pounds
- Dimensions : 9.78 x 1.25 x 12.88 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #1,548,359 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #2,243 in Individual Artist Monographs
- Customer Reviews:
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Great coffee table book full of history and art
Larisa
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Customers find the book's color reproductions well-rendered and rich. They appreciate the informative text and scholarly commentary, which is a focus of the book. The images capture both warm and cool colors. Readers describe the artist as incredible and passionate, and say the book captures the poetry of his work.
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Customers enjoy the book's color reproductions. They find the images rich and abundant, with many full-page images. The colors are captured accurately, including warm and cool shades. Many of the paintings are realistic masterpieces like Sad Inheritance. The print quality is top-notch, and the book is easy to navigate.
"...The printing is temperature-balanced. Both warm and cool colors are captured here, which is vital to understanding and appreciating the luminousness..." Read more
"...Yes, there are lots of photos of Sorolla's work---many of which I had not seen before---but it is much more than that...." Read more
"...For under $48 you get a large format, lushly illustrated work with really worthwhile text, not just captions, by the leading expert on Sorolla today..." Read more
"The reproductions were excellent in color and many were large. Extraordinary work...." Read more
Customers find the book informative and scholarly, with good commentary. They appreciate the large full-page details and mention it's 350 pages of pure substance. The book has a focus, with references and cross-references that make it an enjoyable read for the eyes and soul.
"...the images are rich and abundant, with a number of juicy, large full-page details included. The color printing is clear, in focus and true...." Read more
"...The work is scholarly, without being dry. There are numerous references and a cross-reference for where some of the pieces are currently..." Read more
"...Moreover, this book has a focus, where some of the others are just collections or gussied up biographies...." Read more
"...figurative work, buildings and landscapes make this volume a feast for the eye and soul." Read more
Customers appreciate the artist's talent. They find the color reproductions lovely in this book, which depict the intimate and passionate talents of Sorolla best. The book captures the sheer poetry of Sorolla's work.
"...It does justice to this great artist...the dazzling "Painter of Light". Some Sorolla books are lavish. This one is all that, and much more...." Read more
"...but he was an incredible artist...." Read more
"Absolutely fabulous - this books captures the sheer poetry of Sorolla's work...." Read more
"America recognized a great artist early in his career...." Read more
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2014Every art-lover always remembers their first exposure to the paintings of Sorolla as a kind of sensual awakening.
I unexpectedly discovered the luminous, Impressionistic art of Sorolla back in 1989 at his legendary exhibition held at the San Diego Museum of Art in California. Afterwards, I made sacred pilgrimages to view his art at the gorgeous, (but nearly abandoned) Hispanic Society of America in New York as well as the little-known Museo Sorolla in Madrid, Spain. It was disconcerting to often be the sole visitor in these color-drenched galleries. As a young painter myself, I marveled at this Spaniard's talent, vision and passionate contributions to culture. Two decades ago, books on this master were still shockingly rare, because the general international art world had purposely neglected him, refusing to give him his due respects, dismissing his canvases as remnants from the past which had no place in our smirking, harsh contemporary world. Today, with deep thanks to his Great Granddaughter Blanca Pons-Sorolla, his reputation has grown and sustained. In recent years, Sorolla has since been honored by the Prado and the nation of Spain as one of the greatest artists in history. The Hispanic Society of America has cleaned and rehung his breathtaking "Visions of Spain" cycle. Madrid's Museo Sorolla has become a key art-destination for the enlightened traveller, and large, important Sorolla exhibitions are now heavily attended. These days, the public loves Sorolla. Painters champion him as a timeless idol. He is out of the shadows and in the light, where he belongs.
Today, A variety of fine books on Sorolla's art are available. With the publication of Sorolla And America, one might ask: is this latest volume really outstanding? Does it deliver something which the others have not? Does yet another hefty Sorolla book belong in your library? The answer is yes, yes, YES. This is an outstanding book.
First, the size is impressive. It is a large coffe-table book. Inside, the images are rich and abundant, with a number of juicy, large full-page details included. The color printing is clear, in focus and true. The printing is temperature-balanced. Both warm and cool colors are captured here, which is vital to understanding and appreciating the luminousness of his Impressionistic work. The emphasis of the text (and the exhibition which accompanies this book) is Sorolla's relationship to America. His greatest private collectors, wealthy patrons and professional opportunities came from America, which was developing a love-affair with both Impressionism and Spanish culture. Far from being yet another generic Sorolla book, the specialized focus provides valuable insight about how Sorolla's career unfolded. It is a detailed reminder of his brilliant success in New York in 1909, highlighting his critical reception and financial victory in the United States, (two decades later, Modernism would overshadow his brilliant efforts). But it is also an inspiration to readers, who might marvel at the way in which a small handful of supporters can impact the arts so powerfully. It is exciting to read the details of his sales, including price paid for each canvas at his blockbuster 1909 solo exhibition! He was an art world superstar...and his tireless, voracious work-ethic would ultimately wear him down at the height of his accomplishments. Fortunately, he left behind a vast body of work, which contains every genre and pulses with vitality.
The work featured in the exhibition (and covered handsomely in the book) is remarkable. Examples of his large, realist masterpieces such as "Sad Inheritance" are included, along with dozens of his well-known beach scenes and figurative subjects which we always swoon over, but the gems of the show are his small "apuntes", or studies, which depict the intimate, passionate talents of Sorolla best. Painted rapidly, directly from nature, we comprehend the perfection of every brush stroke. Seascapes, figures, animals, landscapes, cityscapes, portraits, history painting, mural-studies, drawings, and garden views are all featured in these studies. Sorolla inspires us. He teaches us how to view the wonders of the visual world...for ourselves.
Perhaps my review here seems breathless. It is because this book has fired me up to praise it so. It does justice to this great artist...the dazzling "Painter of Light". Some Sorolla books are lavish. This one is all that, and much more. Purchase it while you still can.
- Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2014We travel to Spain once a year, but it has taken me a while to catch on to Sorolla. Part of this stems from the fact that you're so overwhelmed with art in a place like Spain, that it is hard keeping track of it all. I was actually somewhat familiar with Sorolla from years back, when there was a Spanish art exhibit here in Albuquerque. Some of Sorolla's pieces were represented and I remember them well. Once in Spain, however, the Picasso's, Velazquez' and others commanded my attention.
Even so, I bought a book on Sorolla's work a few years back and was intrigued by what I saw. This perked my interest and so I started looking more into this artist. I found out, for example, that it is possible to tour one of Sorolla's homes in Madrid. Here we had been in Madrid years prior, and never knew that. Not this time. We visited it last fall. It's a museum unto itself.
Coincidentally, our last trip took us to Valencia, where Sorolla did much of his painting. The Bellas Artes Museum there has a great collection of his work; much of it represented in this book. We also went to San Sebastián, and though we didn't know at the time that Sorolla had painted many of his seaside scenes there, we recognized it when we saw his work in Valencia.
Ok, enough of that. On with this book.
This book is simply amazing. It is a huge volume, 350 pages of pure substance. Yes, there are lots of photos of Sorolla's work---many of which I had not seen before---but it is much more than that. Whereas a lot of art books have 20 or so pages of text---the rest being the art---this book provides a nice balance. There is a lot of text, distributed between 14+ chapters.
In line with the title, this book focuses on Sorolla's transition to promoting, painting, and distributing his work here in the US, with a lot of emphasis on New York, Chicago, California. Sorolla was certainly in the right place at the right time (before reading this book, I didn't know there was a Spain craze going on here in the US), but he was an incredible artist. Though you can see a 'Sorolla style,' his work is far from redundant.
A great deal of research went into this book and it shows. I buy a lot of art books and this one surpasses most of those you find in museum gift shops or even online. The work is scholarly, without being dry. There are numerous references and a cross-reference for where some of the pieces are currently located.
I could go on, but I think you get the point. If you can see Sorolla's work (preferably in Spain) in person, by all means do so. If not, this book is a fine substitute. The reproductions are excellent and the book is easy to navigate. It's a hefty volume, though, suitable for a coffee table, but perhaps hard to find room for on your bookshelf.