Manet: The Still-Life Paintings

By George Mauner

Book Overview

Exhibition itinerary: Musâee d'Orsay, Paris, Oct. 9, 2000-Jan. 7, 2001; Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore, Md., Jan. 30-April 22, 2001.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1885444168
• ISBN13: 9781885444165
• Release Date: September 2006
• Publisher: American Federation of Arts
• Length: 198 Pages
• Weight: 2.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 9.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Good overview of Manet's still-flife paintings

This book is certainly among the best overviews of Manet's still-life paintings. If you enjoy direct, descriptive paintings with rich color, this book is likely to interest you. I especially liked seeing the "unfinished" basket of pears on page 107 (the kind of work usually left out of such books), which gave me a good idea of how Manet approached his still-lifes of this period. By the way, overall, the reproductions are very good (of course, paintings are never as good in print as in real life). AN IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT MY ART BOOK REVIEWS: It might seem as though I rate most art books very favorably. The reason for this is that I usually visit my local library before buying a book. I'll look at all (in print and out of print) of the Rembrandt (for example) books and choose my favorite one to purchase. In the case of an artist's monograph, I try to choose one or two comprehensive books for each artist. These are generally large, well illustrated hardcovers with above average reproduction quality and informative text, often by one of the leading scholars on the artist. Thus, by the time I purchase a book, I have already found it to be among the best available on the subject. This is the best book of Manet's still-lifes that I could find. My copy is a hardcover.

Small but magnificent book

The beautifully reproduced paintings. with some detail shots, in this potent package remind us that Manet truly is the 'father of modernism.' The still lifes of fruit alone would make this book a must have for any art book lover. His peaches, lemons, strawberries and plums are so full of longing, sadness, bliss and sheer beauty that they stop you in your tracks. I don't know how else to say it: Manet was an artist of cosmic proportions. The transcenant nature of the work juxtaposed against the audacious technique rightfully set Manet at the forefront of the western cannon.