The Russian Experiment in Art 1863-1922

by Camilla Gray and Marian Burleigh-Motley

Book Overview

When the original edition of this book was published, John Russell hailed it as "a massive contribution to our knowledge of one of the most fascinating and mysterious episodes in the history of modern art." It still remains the most compact, accurate and reasonably priced survey of sixty years of creative dynamic activity that profoundly influenced the progress of Western art and architecture.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0500202079
• ISBN13: 9780500202074
• Release Date: October 1986
• Publisher: Thames & Hudson
• Length: 326 Pages
• Weight: 1.32 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.9" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

The Book that Inspired My Interest in Russian Art

The best single volume on the Russian Avant Garde movement is 'The Russian Experiment in Art, 1863-1922 (World of Art)', orignally written by Camilla Gray (daughter in law of the composer Sergei Prokofiev), and revised by Dr. Marian Burleigh-Motley. Useful for anyone looking to understand how art is inspired by the historical climate of a period, in this case climaxing in a burst of optimism and energy after the end of Tsarist rule.

A perfect introduction

Gray provides an excellent introduction to Russian artists who are less well-known in the West only because of the Cold War and the lack of marketing on the part of the Russian museums. If Western museums had owned paintings by these artists, they would have been splashed across every screen saver, coffee mug and calendar. Gray does an admirable job of putting these artists into their fascinating historical context. If anyone is planning a trip to the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow or the Russian States Museum in Petersburg, this book is well worth reading.