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Prints (Smithsonian Illustrated Library of Antiques)
Prints - Smithsonian Illustrated Library of Antiques Author:Donald Karshan Over a four-century span the art of printmaking in the West evolved from the naive woodcut of the Middle Ages to the dramatic metal engraving of the Renaissance and the sophisticated lithograph of the nineteenth century. Like painting and sculpture, printmaking is a major form of artistic expression, and the staggering number of works accumulate... more »d from these centuries represent an important part of the West's cultural heritage.
But prints of this period not only serve to enrich Western culture, they also reflect the course of Western history during their time. The author explains: "From the demise of the illuminated manuscript in the late Middle Ages until the arrival of photography in the nineteenth century, books, if illustrated at all, were illustrated with prints, and prints were the principal means of disseminating pictures of any kind, sacred or profane, to the general public." The fascinating and rich variety of subject matter thus depicted has inspired the novel approach of this book: a survey of the subjects chosen by printmakers rather than the usual history of printmaking as an art form. With subjects ranging from "Visions of Christianity" to "Images Without Objects," and chosen by printmakers as widely diverse as Albrecht Durer and Wassily Kandinsky, this refreshing concept offers new insight into the viewing and collecting of prints and encourages readers to strike out on their own amidst the endless variety of subjects available.
A guide to the important techniques used by printmakers through the first third of the twentieth century is provided at the beginning of the book. Included are descriptions of the techniques and of the tools used for each as well as enlarged details from works exemplifiying the individual processes. Armed with this information, readers will be able to recognize the various techniques of the prints that appear in later sections. Here it should be empahsized that every print that is multicolored is reproduced in color. Included among the works in this handsomely illustrated volume are several prints from the Cooper-Hewitt Museum's own remarkable collection.
A chapter on collecting, a glossary of special terms, a list of further reading and a guide to public collections of prints extend the usefulness of this concise volume.« less