Treasure Palaces - A Review

Have you ever taken a vacation and made sure to include a visit to a place or site that was mentioned in a book you read?  I know I can’t be the only one!  Over the years I’ve managed to cross a few things off my bucket list of places to visit … The Gardner Museum in Boston, The Cloisters, the Library, the Met and Central Park in NYC, The Art Institute in Chicago, and The Louvre and Versailles in Paris – yes – museums and galleries seem to be the theme of prominence.  My travel bucket list just got a whole lot longer after reading this book (now if only my lottery numbers would hit).  If this book is any indication they should definitely hire authors to write travelogues.

TREASURE PALACES – “GREAT WRITERS VISIT GREAT MUSEUMS” edited by Maggie Ferguson

When Tim de Lisle took over as editor of “Intelligent Life” magazine he was inspired by a museum trip with his children to publish a series of articles titled “Authors on Museums” in which “in each issue of Intelligent Life a distinguished writer – not an art critic – would return to a museum that had played some part in their life, and write about what they liked (or didn’t) about it, weaving in a thread of memoir.”  There were some misses such as when “David Sedaris admitted that he wasn’t a museums kind of person, but a ‘gift shop and café kind of person’.” 

In the stories selected for this book it is interesting to note that most of the museums the authors chose to revisit were small, often obscure, places that spoke to them on a personal level.  The galleries and museums range, geographically, from New York City to Zagreb and from Stockholm to Australia.  Each article is, of course, written in the first person and many have a conversational tone that made this non-fiction book very easy and most enjoyable to read.  Each author’s reason for their choice of museum was as varied as the choices themselves.  If you enjoy art galleries and museums or are an armchair traveler, like myself, this book is a must read.  I promise you will have a few places to add to your personal bucket list as well.

So which ones in particular made my list?

The Lower East Side Tenement Museum (Roddy Doyle)

The first article in the book is also the top pick on my revised bucket list.  On the morning of October 1874 Mrs. Gumpertz’s husband left for work and never returned, leaving her with children to support and no income.  The story was not uncommon in the tenements of 1800’s New York City.  This museum stands as the tenement did then, when the landlord did not want the expense of doing necessary repairs and evicted all the residents.  As the author explains, “That is why the Tenement Museum is so special and why I’m here for the third time in 15 years.  No famous people lived here.  But people did. It’s hard not to expect Mrs. Grumpertz to walk in and demand to know what I’m doing here, in their home.  ‘Looking at your wallpaper would be the answer.’”

Everything is original and the walls tell the stories … “The life of the house is in the walls, behind the flaking paint and in the flaking paint.”

The Museum of Broken Relationships (Aminatta Forna)

This museum is a collection of items donated by people who have lost their loves.  A married man donated a shaving kit given to him by his 17-year old mistress in the 1980’s.  When he donated the shaving kit he wrote a note that read, “I hope she doesn’t love me any more.  I hope she doesn’t know she was the only person I ever loved.”  The museum contains everything from stuffed animals and silk dresses to hats, books and a special pair of motorcycle boots donated by a young man who purchased them for his girlfriend Anna.  He and Anna eventually broke up and over the years several other girls wore the boots on the back of his bike but in his mind those boots would always be “Anna’s boots”.  Exchanging tokens of love is something we all do and all the best sources advise to get rid of those things if the relationship ends.  Sometimes we just cannot bear to do that so why not give them a home in the “Museum of Broken Relationships”?

One article in this book moved me to tears; In Flanders Fields Museum, Ypres (Michael Morpurgo) so this museum is on my list of places I will probably never seek out, for the same reason I did not go to Ground Zero when I was in NYC and will not visit the 911 Memorial.  I will not go to Auschwitz, nor the Holocaust Museum.  As touchingly as Mr. Morpurgo wrote of the museum and its stories, and as much as I enjoy most aspects of history these museums are difficult to walk through.  I did find myself at the memorial for the Oklahoma Bombing.  It was incredible and it stays with me to this day, so many years later and that’s why I won’t go back there or seek out Flanders Fields … the voices of the ghosts are too loud and haunt me for too long.

Other notable mentions?

Musee Rodin in Paris (Allison Pearson)

Who has not seen at least a picture of Rodin’s famous “The Kiss”?  Ms Pearson visits the museum 30 years after her first introduction to the statue, “Three decades on, I wonder what I saw in this monumental snog.  It would sit perfectly in a Las Vegas chapel of lurve.  Sometimes marble feels too smooth, too chilly for Rodin’s purposes; these days I am moved by the rougher and readier terracotta Kiss that sits in a modest glass case to one side of the original.  Still, I owe that first Kiss.  For a group of weary teenagers from the Midlands, here was remarkable news.  Dead people had felt these things; and the living went on feeling them.”  Explaining a scene from a movie in which Ingrid Bergman is overcome by looking at the agonized figures cast in the ashes of Pompeii Ms. Pearson explains “I recognized the expression on her face … What Vesuvius did by accident, Rodin did by design.”

Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford (Frank Cotrell-Boyce)

The first question every visitor asks when visiting the Pitts River for the first time is “where are the shrunken heads”.  These heads are the star attraction even inspiring a scene in Harry Potter.  The Pitts Rivers is a giant cabinet of curiosities. “Nowadays it’s well signposted and staffed.  Back then it took a bit of nerve to step out of the soaring daylight of the National Museum into the shadows of the Pitt Rivers.  A museum hidden, tucked inside a museum.  Inside there were more doors to dare.”

The above were some of my personal favorites but all of those included in the book were wonderful.  I borrowed this book from the library but it will definitely find its way onto my permanent bookshelf sometime in the future, if only to use as a reference when I accumulate enough Air Miles to take another amazing trip.

Highly recommended and definitely 5 stars.

ABOUT THE EDITOR (from the book cover)

Maggie Ferguson was for many years the literary editor of “The Economist’s” lifestyle magazine, “Intelligent Life”, and is the author of two biographies, “George Mackay Brown: The Life” and “Michael Morpurgo: War Child to War Horse”.

The Vanishing Valazquez - A Review

THE VANISHING VALAZQUEZ by Laura Cumming

John Snare purchases a portrait of Prince Charles with the suspicion that the artist is Diego Valazquez.  As the subtitle of this book suggests that painting became his lifelong obsession and ultimately his ruin. 

This book has three main themes; John Snare’s obsession with the painting and the impact it has on his life, art history featuring the times and works of Valazquez and the history between England and Spain.  All of them interesting in their own right and the research Ms. Cumming did is obviously extensive.  She goes into great detail for all three of the themes.  I found each interesting and enjoyed Ms. Cumming’s writing. 

The flow of this book is where I had some issues.  It jumped around a little too much.  I understand wanting to intersperse the history of the painting with Snare’s story but often the information didn’t quite mesh coherently.

That aside it was an interesting read and anyone interested in Diego Valazquez and his works will enjoy this book.  I would highly recommend purchasing a physical copy of the book because it does include photographic reproductions of the paintings that an eReader does not do justice.  (I ending up reading the book and googling the paintings)

I received this book at no charge from the publisher, Scribner 

via Netgalley in the hopes of an honest review.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR (her Simon and Schuster author page)

Laura Cumming has been the art critic of the Observer since 1999. Previously, she was arts editor of the New Statesman magazine, literary editor of the Listener, and deputy editor of Literary Review. She is a former columnist for the Herald and has contributed to the London Evening Standard, the Guardian, L’Express and Vogue. Her book A Face to the World: On Self-Portraits was widely reviewed to critical acclaim.

29/30

Mystical Landscapes and An Evening with Author Ross King

Yesterday I was fortunate enough to spend an evening at the AGO listening to Ross King give a wonderful talk about Claude Monet – an introduction to both his new book and to the AGO’s new exhibit “Mystical Landscapes: Masterpieces from Monet, Van Gogh and More”.  The AGO opened the exhibition in style turning the walls of the AGO's Walker Court into “A Starry Night Over the Rhone at Aries” with a light show for the opening gala..

Mr. King, historian and author of several books including “Judgement of Paris” which he refers to as the prequel to his most recent “Mad Enchantment: Claude Monet and the Painting of the Water Lillies”.

From reading some of Mr. King’s previous books I know he has the enviable ability to make the subjects of his books come to life.  He writes non-fiction that is not endless boring art history lessons and biographical facts but is rather great story telling with amusing anecdotes, tidbits, illustrations and photographs enhancing the facts.  His talk at the AGO was no different, including beautiful slides, great stories and intriguing (new to me) facts about Claude Monet’s life.  Judging from the Q&A following his talk the audience was filled with fans of Impressionist Art in general and Monet in particular yet Mr. King held everyone enthralled for the hour he spoke.  My daughter joined me for the evening, and while she enjoys art of all genres he certainly peaked her interest in Monet’s massive Water Lillies art installation.  She is lucky enough to be traveling to New York next week and after seeing the slides and hearing the story behind the mural-like paintings has added a MoMA visit to the “must fit in” list for NYC.

As enthusiastic as Mr. King was about his subject matter he was very careful (by his own admission – at his editor’s behest) not to give away everything in his book.  The line up to purchase his book at the end of the evening proved that he had succeeded in whetting everyone’s appetite.  I definitely picked up a copy and had it signed.  Mr. King was also kind enough to sign my copy of “Judgement of Paris” as well.  Mr. King was so generous with his time taking a few minutes to speak to everyone as he was signing his or her books.

Kudos definitely go to the AGO for putting on an enjoyable evening.

 

When I traveled to Paris recently friends knew I would definitely be going to the Louvre – I mean who goes to Paris for the first time and doesn’t take the time to see the Mona Lisa (okay one person I know, who will go unmentioned, you know who you are!) – but those same friends, knowing of my interest in Impressionist Art said “DO NOT miss Musee D’Orsay”.  Definitely good advice!  While packing for the trip I had included a favourite top.  I didn’t think about it, just threw it in because I like it.  I wanted to wear it one day and when she saw it my daughter suggested that I should save it and wear when visiting D’Orsay.  She takes the greatest pictures wherever she goes and the wheels were already spinning for this “Monet/Mom-et” moment.

To quote another Mr. King (Stephen) “Ka is a wheel” and that certainly proved true in this case.  Barely a week after I returned the newsletter from AGO popped into my electronic mailbox announcing their newest Impressionist special exhibit, which includes many paintings on loan from D’Orsay, and the talk by Ross King.  My tickets for Mr. King were booked in almost a heartbeat.  I wasn’t sure about spending the money on the AGO exhibit (it seemed a little redundant after “D’Orsay) but after hearing Ross King speak we decided that we are definitely going back to walk through “Mystical Landscapes”.  Planning to make a day of it we are going skip across town and check out the Chihuly Glass exhibit at the ROM on the same day.

Looking forward to it!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR (from www.rosskingbooks.com)

Ross King is the bestselling author of books on Italian, French and Canadian art and history. Among his books are Brunelleschi’s Dome(2000), Michelangelo and the Pope’s Ceiling (2002), The Judgment of Paris (Governor General’s Award, 2006), and Leonardo and The Last Supper (Governor General’s Award, 2012). He has also published two novels (Domino and Ex-Libris), a biography of Niccolò Machiavelli, and a collection of Leonardo da Vinci’s fables, jokes and riddles. He is the co-author with Anja Grebe of Florence: The Paintings & Frescoes, 1250-1743 (2015), the most comprehensive book ever undertaken on the art of Florence.

Ross’s latest book, published in September 2016, marks his return to French Impressionism ten years after his award-winning The Judgement of Paris. The story of Monet’s struggles and triumphs in the last dozen years of his life, Mad Enchantment: Claude Monet and the Painting of the Water Lilies has been written with “a historical novelist’s attunement to the interplay of place, temperament, and society … Never before has the full drama and significance of Monet’s magnificent Water Lilies been conveyed with such knowledge and perception, empathy and wonder” (Donna Seaman, Booklist).

In tandem with his writing, Ross is an active fundraiser for the arts and a passionate lecturer and tour guide. He serves on the Council of Academic Advisors for Friends of Florence (FoF), the fundraising charity that ensures the survival of Florence’s art and architectural treasures. He has participated in numerous FoF study tours throughout Italy, including in Rome, Assisi and Milan. He is a regular participant in the Italian Renaissance seminars at the Aspen Institute, and has given Impressionist tours of Paris, Normandy, Brittany and Provence. He has lectured in many American museums, including at the Smithsonian, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Frick Collection, and the National Gallery. When not traveling for work or pleasure, he lives in the historic town of Woodstock, near Oxford, with his wife Melanie.

His books include:

About “Mad Enchantment” (from his website)

Claude Monet is perhaps the world’s most beloved artist. Among all his creations, the paintings of the water lilies in his garden at Giverny are the most famous. Seeing them in museums around the world, viewers are transported by the power of Monet’s brush into a peaceful world of harmonious nature. Monet himself intended them to provide “an asylum of peaceful meditation.” Yet these beautiful canvases belie the intense frustration Monet experienced at the difficulties of capturing the fugitive effects of light, shade, depth and color. Their calmness and beauty also conceal the terrible personal torments—the loss of loved ones, the horrors of World War I, the infirmities of age—that he suffered in the last dozen years of his life.

Mad Enchantment tells the full story behind the creation of the Water Lilies. The history of these remarkable canvases begins early in 1914, when French newspapers began reporting that Monet, by then 73 and one of the world’s wealthiest, most celebrated painters, had retired his brushes. He had lost his beloved wife, Alice, and his eldest son, Jean. His famously acute vision—what Paul Cezanne called “the most prodigious eye in the history of painting”—was threatened by cataracts. And yet, despite ill health, self-doubt, and advancing age, Monet began painting again, this time on a more ambitious scale than ever before.

Linking great artistic achievement to the personal and historical dramas unfolding around it, Mad Enchantment presents the most intimate and revealing portrait of an iconic figure in world culture—from his lavish lifestyle and tempestuous personality to his close friendship with the fiery war leader Georges Clemenceau, who regarded the Water Lilies as one of the highest expressions of the human spirit.

Early praise for “Mad Enchantment”

“King consummately meshes biography with art history … Never before has the full drama and significance of Monet’s magnificent Water Lilies been conveyed with such knowledge and perception, empathy and wonder.” - Booklist (Starred Review)

“Readers will rejoice at this critical and social “biography” of Monet’s stunningly ambitious final signature painting cycle, Water Lilies, a deeply immersive companion to the author’s memorable The Judgement of Paris … King is ever the brilliant docent murmuring the right, telling details and critical backstories in our ear as we move through space and time. He ultimately brings the man and his work into perfect focus while increasing his audience’s interest in both all the more.” – Literary Journal

Success of the AGO Gala evening:

The event raised $673,000 for the Gallery, which will be used to support its education and outreach initiatives as well as exhibitions like this one, which not only brought Starry Night Over the Rhone to Canada for the first time, but will also take significant Canadian works from artists like Emily Carr and Lawren Harris to the Musée d’Orsay in Paris.

Visions of Genius - A Review

HIERONYMUS BOSCH: VISIONS OF GENIUS by Matthijs Ilsink and Jos Koldeqeij

If you find yourself fortunate enough to be in a gallery standing in front of a Hieronymus Bosch painting I think it would be safe to wager that you would be bent at the waist with your nose as close as possible – without attracting the ire of the security guards – to the painting, quite possibly scratching your head in either wonderment or bewilderment.  Bosch is well known for adding whimsical items to even his most serious works of art.  He randomly adds machinery, wild imaginary and mythical creatures, and hybrids of both man and animals.  Lavish landscapes are dotted with fanciful items and, more often than not, owls.  Even his human figures sport exaggerated features and are frequently participating in lewd behavior.

“The Garden of Earthly Delights” is quite probably his most well-known painting (triptych) and I’ve often wondered if Bosch was “having one over” on his potential audience?

When I saw this book offered on Netgalley I knew I wanted to learn more about the why behind the paintings.  The authors attempted to explain that elusive “why”, and they did an admirable job – unfortunately not much is known about Bosch.  Unlike other historical figures Bosch left behind no diaries or correspondence.  Everything gleaned about his personal life has been learned through municipal records in his birthplace of ‘s-Hertogenbosch.  Born Jeroen Anthonissen van Akeniwas; his actual date of birth is merely speculation, estimated to be around 1450.   Public records indicate that he was married while children are also a question mark.  He died in 1516 and was buried on August 9^th.  Really, it’s not much to go by when one is writing a book about his life, so kudos to Ilsink and Koldeqeij for undertaking this task to mark the 500^th anniversary of his death.  A retrospective exhibition was held in his home town of ‘s-Hertogenbosch bringing together more that fifty works of art that are held in 25 collections spread across 10 countries.  This book is a result of extensive research, scientific testing and scholarly discussion that took place during the exhibition. 

After I read the forward by the authors I was a little intimidated to start this book and must admit to looking at the illustrations and pictures and then putting it aside for a little while.  When I finally delved in clear writing pleasantly rewarded me, there was none of the “art-babble” sometimes included in such books.  Each section of the book is accompanied by the work of art it describes and then smaller detailed pictures of specific sections of the work are on the following pages.  It was an easy book to follow and I now have a slightly better understanding and significantly more appreciation for Bosch’s art.  Could it be possible that I am finally creeping out of my “impressionist fan” box?  Maybe not too far though – I think Bosch was a bit of a rebel in his time too.

So while not so much as a self-portrait remains of this painter (only a pencil sketch speculated to be Bosch) and the fact that he very rarely dated or signed his paintings (resulting in mere 25 works definitively attributed to him) he remains a baffling artist.  My only regret is that I had a digital copy of this book rather than a beautiful hard cover as I think the electronic version did not due the pictures justice.  Despite that this book did what I wanted it to do – it made sense of some of the bafflement.  For that, I give it 5 stars.

I would like to thank the publishers, Yale University Press & Mercatorfonds,

for providing me with a free copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange

 for an honest review.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Matthijs Ilsink is project coordinator of the Bosch Research and Conservation Project and teaches at Radboud University, Nijmegen. Jos Koldeweij is professor in art history of the Middle Ages at the University of Nijmegen, the Netherlands. 

Jos Koldeweij is Professor of Art History at Radboud University Nijmegen, an expert in the work of Jeroen Bosch and initiator of the Bosch Research and Conservation Project (BRCP). He is in charge of the research project and, together with Matthijs Ilsink, curator of the Jheronimus Bosch – Visions of Genius exhibition.

The Girl in the Painting - A Review

THE GIRL IN THE PAINTING by Kirsty Ferry.

This book was a lovely little gem!

I have never read any books by Ms. Ferry before and requested this one based purely on cover love and the mention of the magic Pre-Raphaelite trifecta of Rossetti/Millais/Hunt.  If you are not familiar with the artists – no worries – Ms. Ferry gives you all the pertinent information cleverly interwoven into the story.  In spite of the painters from the past and the little time slip to the mid-19^th century I would not classify this as straight-up historical fiction or a time travel book.  And, even though it does have a healthy does of romance it is definitely a giant step above “chick-lit”.  And, yes there is a ghost and some definite “tingle” moments but it’s not just a ghost story either.  “The Girl in the Painting” is a book anyone who loves one, some or all of the above can enjoy. 

Cori Keeling has had a fascination with the Pre-Raphaelite painters for as long as she could remember.  It could be because of family rumor that a great-great (oh so many greats ago) relative had an affair with Dante Rossetti.  In fact Cori had been named after this wayward relative, Corisande and bore a striking resemblance to Millais’ Ophelia.   As the book begins Cori had been living in London for almost 5 weeks and had not yet gone to the Tate to see the paintings she loved.

Lizzie Siddal

The Pre-Raphaelites had a penchant for painting redheads, so when Cori was standing in front of “Ophelia” and looking so similar to the model, Simon Daniels couldn’t help but notice her.  Soon enough they find themselves enjoying a coffee together when they discover they have a mutual friend Lissy, who went to University with Cori and works with Simon.  Lissy is well aware of both Simon’s and Cori’s love of the “Ophelia” painting and surprises them with the news that a diary has been found that may call into question whether Lizzie Siddal (favorite Millais model and wife of Dante Rossetti) may not be the model for “Ophelia”.  This could be scandalous as Lizzie Siddal has been referred to as “the face of the pre-raphaelites”.

Cori comes into possession of the diary and something seems to posses Cori at the same time.  Daisy Ashford is one restless spirit and for some unknown reason is bound and determined to haunt Cori until the circumstances surrounding her life and death are resolved.  This plays havoc not only with Cori’s physical and mental well-being but with her budding relationship with Simon.

"Ophelia"

Can Cori survive being haunted by Daisy?

I wasn’t more than a few pages in and I was quickly hooked.  This little book had everything you could want in a wonderful Sunday afternoon read … a likeable female lead, romance, a little trip back in time, some wonderful art, a bit of art history and a vengeful ghost and, always a bonus, is well written too.  I mean, what else could you possibly ask for?

I fun, light read that I am glad I picked.  This is the second book in Ms. Ferry’s “Rosetti Mysteries” series.  I am definitely going to try and get my hands on the first book “Some Veil Did Fall”.

I received this book at no charge from the publisher, Choc-Lit via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR (from her Amazon author page)

Kirsty is from the North East of England and won the English Heritage/Belsay Hall National Creative Writing competition in 2009 with the ghostly tale 'Enchantment'.

Her timeslip novel, 'Some Veil Did Fall', a paranormal romance set in Whitby, was published by Choc Lit in Autumn 2014. This was followed by another Choc Lit timeslip, 'The Girl in the Painting' in February 2016. The experience of signing 'Some Veil Did Fall' in a quirky bookshop in the midst of Goth Weekend in Whitby, dressed as a recently undead person was one of the highlights of her writing career so far!

You can find out more about Kirsty and her work at www.rosethornpress.co.uk, catch her on her Facebook AuthorPage or follow her on Twitter @kirsticupcake.

Gallery Pieces - A Review

GALLERY PIECES by Larry Witham

A former Navy Intelligence officer now working for Medici Studios in New York Julian Peale is entering the art world as an attempt at a new start in life.  Russian art smugglers are wreaking havoc on the New York art scene and Julian is tasked to run a sting operation in cooperation with NYPD.  The sting does not quite go as planned but an interesting clue emerges in the form of an art catalogue with some graffiti type markings on various pages.  When Julian begins to investigate the markings it takes him on somewhat of a wild goose chase as he learns about art auctions, street and performance artists as well as the seedier side of the art world including forgery and organized crime.  Coincidentally it also leads him down an unexpected path allowing him to try and resolve some ugly family history.  Julian never believed the accusations of stealing works of art made against his grandfather when he was involved with WWII’s “monuments men”.

Always intrigued by books dealing with the art world the book description caught my attention right away.  I must admit that I was also quite captivated by the cover image, although the book has nothing to do with the infamous art theft in Boston, it did bring to mind the empty frames hanging in the Gardner.

This book is well written, filled with interesting insights into the art world (and it’s underworld) yet not bogged down with facts.  Mr. Witham weaves his research and knowledge expertly into the story so it never feels like a lesson in art history.  I did enjoy the chase of the bad guys, the insight into the inner workings of the art auctions and the under story involving organized crime and forgery, but the part of the book that really took off for me was the part tying in the “monuments men” and the looting after WWII.

Julian Peal is an interesting character and Mr. Witham included just enough of his personal life to keep me invested in what happens to him during the book.  An obviously well thought out plot, the ending leading right back to the beginning, rounds out the rest of the book nicely.  Well-done Mr. Witham.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone who, like me, enjoys a fast paced mystery set against a backdrop of the art world.

Thank you to WordSlinger for sending me a copy of this book 

in exchange for an honest review.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR (from his website)

Larry Alan Witham is a veteran journalist and author in the Washington D.C. area who has covered current events, history, religion and society, science, philosophy, and the visual arts. He is currently exploring new writing and visual arts projects, following a decade of full-time writing and editing of books. He is the author of fifteen books, editor of a ten-book series, and in 2007 served as editor of the bimonthly magazine Science & Spirit. His latest three books have been on the visual arts and art history. From 2011 through 2012 he wrote a weekly art blog, "Artschooled."

A native of Los Altos, Calif. (born June 1952), Witham earned a bachelor's degree in fine arts from San Jose State University (1974). He and his wife, Kazui Yamamoto, live in the Maryland suburbs of Washington D.C.

An artist by avocation (painting and drawing), Witham's artworks may be seen at: www.larrywithamart.blogspot.com.

"After college, class of 74, I detoured from my training in the visual arts. Now I am finding time to return to that lifelong interest. I enjoy using traditional mediums and, at times, copying from traditional works, all part of a learning process as I form my own topics, voice, and techniques. For the past thirty-four years, I have been in the writing business. This has probably given me an overly literal view of the world—and of art. With me the art of painting or drawing is about observing nature, objects, or society, and enhancing that with human invention."

Women Who Read are Dangerous

WOMEN WHO READ ARE DANGEROUS by Stefan Bollman

This book was first published in German in 2005 under the title “Frauen, die Lesen, Sind Gefaerlich” and then in English in 2006 titled “Women Reading”.  This 2016 incarnation translates the German title and as soon as I saw it I knew I had to have a look buy it … art and reading … and, with such a title – how could I resist?

The forward, written by Karen Joy Fowler, gives the reader an overview of attitudes through the ages on the though of women reading.

“Should women be permitted to have secret lives?  Should they be permitted, even within the confines of their own imaginations, to be unchaste?  Can they be allowed to imagine themselves as men?  Is reading, in its inextricable essence, a combative act; the woman so engaged being temporarily self-interested and independent rather than other-directed in an appropriately womanly way?

In 1523 the Spanish humanist Juan Luis Vives proposed careful male surveillance – ‘The woman ought not to follow her own judgment’ he said, as she has so little of it.  She should read only what men deemed proper and wholesome’.” 

Fifty years later, Edward Hake proclaimed that the woman who loved frivolous books would “smell of naughtiness even all her life after”.  If that’s true then that is my cross to bear – I guess I smell of books and naughtiness!

Ms. Fowler has her own image of the modern female reader.  A young girl in her own bed all too soon being told by her parents to turn off the light and go to sleep – this she dutifully does until she hears her parents occupied in another room – at which point she “will make a cave under the blankets and open her book inside the cave.  This girl knows the value of a good flashlight; she learned that from Nancy Drew”.

If paintings are any indication reading for women began to take firm hold in the 17^th century and then took root more strongly in the eighteenth.  The introduction gives the reader a little more historical background to reading (for women) and takes us through subjects such as where we read, how we read and, why we read. 

Then the book moved on to my favorite part – the art depicting the act of women reading.  Divided in seven sections with subtitles such as “Blessed Readers” (religious paintings), “Enchanted Readers” (depicting quiet time spent reading in solitude), “Self Confident Readers” (reading as a pleasure of the mind), “Sentimental Readers” (identifying with emotions set out in books), “Passionate Readers” (searching for oneself and the dangers of equating what we read to real life) and, lastly “Solitary Readers” … “once a passion, reading now offers women the possibility of escape”.  Each painting depicted is accompanied by a brief explanation of the artwork as well as its present location. 

The text in each section was as interesting as it was informative, most well known artists were well represented as were some lesser known (and some, to me, unknown) painters.  The art ranged from 17^th century paintings to 20^th century sketching and photography.  The book itself is beautiful with glossy pages that do the reproductions justice.  It was a pleasure just to flip through the pages and look at the art.

I could go on and on about how much I enjoyed going through this book, but if I’ve left you with the impression that I enjoyed it very much then this review met its objective – I loved it – and it has a deserving home on my shelf along with some of my other art books.

“Reading is a free dream”

          Jean Paul Satre

Of course, how could I resist sharing some of my favorite examples from the book?

 An Old Woman Reading

Rembrandt

A Young Girl Reading

Fragonard

Girl Reading

Ebyl

Goodnight Story

Ebert

 

The Magic Grammar

Jessie Marion King

Rose Garden

Kroyer