Synopses & Reviews
In 16th- and 17th-century Spain, sculptors and painters combined their skills to depict, with astonishing realism, the great religious themes. Wooden sculptures of the saints, the Immaculate Conception, or the Passion of Christ were painstakingly carved, gessoed, and intricately painted, even embellished with glass eyes and tears and ivory teeth. Some were shockingly graphic in their depiction of Christ's sufferings; others, beautifully clothed, appeared to bring saints to glorious life. These were objects of divine inspiration to the faithful, whether displayed on altars or processed through the streets on holy days.
Featuring new photography, this book reappraises the unique form of Spanish painted wooden sculpture. In addition to examining the sculpturesand#8217; religious roles, it also explores the unique creative relationship of sculptor and painter: Velazquez's teacher and father-in-law Francisco Pacheco, for example, often painted the flesh and drapery of wood carvings by the celebrated sculptor Juan Martinez Montaand#241;and#232;s, and taught a generation of students. The skill of painting these hyper-realistic sculptures was an integral part of an artist's training, enhancing his sensitivity to visual impact and physical presenceand#8212;evident in paintings of the period.
Synopsis
A landmark overview and analysis of Goya s finest portraits
Francisco de Goya y Lucientes (1746 1828) was one of the greatest portraitists of his time. The first large-scale book devoted to the topic, this handsome volume features portraits that shed light on Goya and his subjects, as well as on the politically turbulent and culturally dynamic era in which they lived. Whether portraying royalty, philosophers, military men, or friends, these works are memorable both for the insight they provide into the relationship between artist and sitter, and for their penetrating psychological depth.
Xavier Bray traces Goya s career from his beginnings at the Madrid court of Charles III to his final years in Bordeaux, played out against the backdrop of war with France and the social, political, and cultural shift of the Enlightenment. More than 60 remarkable portraits, including drawings and miniatures, reveal the full range of Goya s technical and stylistic achievements, while also depicting sitters with a previously unparalleled humanity. His break with traditional, late-18th-century conventions allowed him to achieve a new modernity in portraiture that paved the way for artists such as Matisse and Picasso."
Synopsis
A landmark overview and analysis of Goyaandrsquo;s finest portraitsand#160;
Synopsis
The first large-scale overview of Goyaandrsquo;s portraits, this handsome book conveys how these works were groundbreaking for their time.and#160;
Synopsis
Francisco de Goya y Lucientes (1746andndash;1828) was one of the greatest portraitists of his time. The first large-scale book devoted to the topic, this handsome volume features portraits that shed light on Goya and his subjects, as well as on the politically turbulent and culturally dynamic era in which they lived. Whether portraying royalty, philosophers, military men, or friends, these works are memorable both for the insight they provide into the relationship between artist and sitter, and for their penetrating psychological depth.and#160;
and#160;
Xavier Bray traces Goyaandrsquo;s career from his beginnings at the Madrid court of Charles III to his final years in Bordeaux, played out against the backdrop of war with France and the social, political, and cultural shift of the Enlightenment. More than 60 remarkable portraits, including drawings and miniatures, reveal the full range of Goyaandrsquo;s technical and stylistic achievements, while also depicting sitters with a previously unparalleled humanity. His break with traditional, late-18th-century conventions allowed him to achieve a new modernity in portraiture that paved the way for artists such as Matisse and Picasso.and#160;
About the Author
Xavier Bray is Assistant Curator of Seventeenth and Eighteenth-Century Painting at the National Gallery, London. Alfonso Rodriguez G. de Ceballos was formerly Professor at the Universidad Autonoma, Madrid. Daphne Barbour is a Senior Objects Conservator; Eleonora Luciano is Associate Curator of Sculpture; and Judy Ozone is a Senior Objects Conservator, all at the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. Rocio Izquierdo Moreno is a curator; Maria del Valme Munoz Rubio is Chief Curator; and Ignacio Hermoso Romero is a curator, all at the Museo de Bellas Artes, Seville. Maria Fernanda Moron de Castro is Curator of Collections, University of Seville. Margorie Trusted is Senior Curator of Sculpture at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.