Synopsis Jon Thompson, Professor of Fine Art, explores over 200 modern paintings from 1855 to 1986.

Review: The title of this lavishly illustrated book is misleading; it is not a scholarly examination of the philosophy of visual culture. In fact, the author presents us with some of the most familiar works of art in chronological order from 1855 to 1986. That’s the only apparent order; the book as a whole is not to be read cover-to-cover. Each painting takes a double page spread and follows the same format; a short biography of the artist, then a very personal critical review of the painting. The author discusses the formal elements and places the painting into historical context. The chronological order has an advantage in that it’s very interesting to see the variety of art being produced in, say, 1913.

 I have some criticisms. Where a detail of a painting has been reproduced, it’s at exactly the same size as the full painting; the cropping helps you to focus on a particular point, perhaps, but the size of the book itself is a hindrance. At less than A4, much of the impact of many of the works is diminished. A further criticism is lack of diversity. I am in no way calling for a strident revision of history to shoe-horn female artists into the limelight; each artist must earn their place in art on merit. But I did find it striking that of the 200 paintings in the book, only 7 were by women. That would be usual for a book dealing with the Renaissance, perhaps; but one that spans the twentieth century?

Who is this book useful for? It’s not an introductory guide. It’s not an in-depth analysis. It’s an interesting refresher, perhaps, for someone who studied art a while ago and who would like to remind themselves of the great movements of modern art. A sixth former, looking for inspiration, could flick through it and use it for a jumping-off point into further explorations. Otherwise, I think it tries to encompass too much. It’s not for novices; they need more basic information; and there’s not a lot new for those who already have an interest in art.

2007-09-01