Synopses & Reviews
The one hundred views of Edo by Ando Totikaro, better known as Hiroshige (1797-1858), is one of the most famous artistic productions of all time. The art of the Ukiyo-e School or Popular Painting was the expression of a singular and isolated civilization. It had considerable influence on European art, and both Monet and Van Gogh drew much inspiration from it. Hiroshige was the pupil of Toyohiro in Edo. When his teacher died, Hiroshige moved to Kyoto and set up his own studio. The sets of prints he created there, many of them views on the Tokaido road, made him famous and early European visitors began buying and bringing them back to Europe, setting off a craze for Japanese art. The compositions in this series of prints never repeat themselves and are of astonishing diversity. The contrast of planes, the richness of motifs and the splendor of the colors reveal the extraordinary talent of Hiroshige.
This study is dedicated to the analysis of the artistic qualities of a selection of the prints in Russian museums, and also of earlier works. The history of the Ukiyo-e style in Hiroshige and other practioners is discussed. The illustrations are accompanied by explanations and poetic captions.
Synopsis
Pieter I Bruegel the Elder was born around 1525, probably near Breda, and died in 1569 in Brussels. In Antwerp, he studied as an apprentice under Pieter Coeck, and later visited Italy to understand the reason for the growing influence of the Italian masters, but his style remained rather different from theirs. Fascinated by people, this "painter of peasants" did not hesitate to paint scenes from the life of common people, as well as Biblical themes, the humour and restlessness of which strongly invoke Hieronymus Bosch.
The contrast between the fineness of his canvases and the apparent simplicity of his subjects, characteristic of the great works of realism, testifies to the careful observation and great precision with which he created his pictures. He is credited with making a major contribution to the evolution of Dutch landscape painting.
Pieter the Younger, his older son, was fascinated with the grotesque and the ugly, for which he was nicknamed "Hell Brueghel." He was the best copier of his father's works and made his career in Antwerp. He kept the letter "h" in his last name, as did other members of the family, in order to distinguish himself from Pieter the Elder.
Jan I, the younger son, also visited Italy before settling in Antwerp. Having worked with Rubens and created works different from those of his father, since he concentrated on colour and lustre, becoming a master of still life. The delicacy of execution and the infinite care with which he painted his flowers earned him the nickname of "Velvet Brueghel."
This work covers a century of Flemish painting through the history of one family, emblematic of art history as a whole. With the help of more than two hundred reproductions of the three masters and their contemporaries, the author provides an exhaustive overview of this family's contribution to the evolution of the history of painting and to the marvel of the Flemish artistic tradition.
Synopsis
The Brueghels, Pieter the Elder, Pieter Brueghel the Younger (Hell Brueghel) and Jan Brueghel the Elder (Velvet Brueghel), embody one of the largest dynasties of Flemish painting. Beyond their history, their masterworks bear witness to the priceless contribution of this family in the evolution of northern European painting.Refusing the canons of Italian mannerism, the masterworks printed here illustrate the artistic independence of the Brueghels and the Flemish Renaissance. In popular and allegorical scenes, Pieter the Elder and his heirs denounce the daily preoccupations of the people and the general unrest due to the Spanish occupation.In this splendid, richly documented work, the authors, Emile Michel and Victoria Charles, shed new light on Flemish painting from the 15th to the 17th century.
About the Author
Charles has published many different works and is a regular contributor to an international guide to contemporary art.