- Hardcover: 288 pages
- Publisher: W&N; illustrated edition edition (6 Nov 2003)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0297646710
- ISBN-13: 978-0297646716
- Product Dimensions: 22.4 x 18.8 x 2.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 246,541 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Matthew Collings' Old Masters book is bold, quietly scholarly, copiously filled with full colour reproductions and characteristically opinionated. In his early books (This is Modern Art and It Hurts) Collings promoted, with his penetrating and wry critical intelligence, what to many seemed like the indulgences--not to say the inanities--of the brand of popular modern art characterised by Charles Saatchi's patronage and Cool Britannia's posturing. His last book, Art Crazy Nationwas, however, more cautious: Collings wasn't retreating but not all the work of the Young British Artists was good and he knew it.
In this book, his wonderful study of Titian, Rubens, Velazquez and Hogarth, Collings returns us to "proper" painters who did "proper" painting. Addressing an audience who are now at ease decoding the gestural puzzles of conceptual art, he seeks to re-engage with work usually written about in as dour and stuffy a manner as the old galleries in which they often hang. This art is all about the painting: the verve and the style and the practice of how colourful goo can make powerful, challenging pictures. Appreciating it takes a little patience and some art historical context and Collings does a fine job aiding the would-be aesthete's eye and brain.
Collings is never dull and this is a hugely entertaining and amusing read. It is a further pleasure still to see the author turning his attention to painters who looked like they were going to miss out on his earnestly ironic readings. --Mark Thwaite
Review
'In jaunty vernacular prose, he provides a romp through the life and style of four painters.' (Sue Hubbard THE INDEPENDENT )
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First Sentence
This is a book about three painters who stand for the highest that painting can go - Titian, Rubens and Velazquez - and then another one who didn't weigh in quite so heavy - William Hogarth. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
This is a book about three painters who stand for the highest that painting can go - Titian, Rubens and Velazquez - and then another one who didn't weigh in quite so heavy - William Hogarth. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I bought this after watching the wonderful series of programmes on Channel 4.
Matt Collings lays open the world of the great masters in a down to earth and humorous style. All to often, the world of art is shrouded by elitism and snobbery, despite the earthy appetites and lifestyles of the great masters themselves.
Where Collings gets it right is in the fact that he doesn't dumb the subject matter down, or patronise his audience, he just comunicates themes, motifs, styles and concepts in a down to earth manner.
The fact that he included our own Hogarth in his small group of masters was especially interesting and pleasing. The book, like the programme is something that you could recommend to anyone without laying yourself open to accusations of Bohemian pretentions.
Format:Hardcover
Matt Collings must be one of the most inept art critics ever to put pen to paper; he even began as an 'expert' critic on contemporary art, and this book, and his banal commentary to the television series it accompanied, has evidently been written to show that he has some sort of art historical background and authority to back up his opinions on contemporary art. The truth is he has approached the contemporary artists he has written about with no real understanding of the art history of the past, and it shows very completely in this poorly written book, an attempt to make up for any serious study of art history at an academic level, and suitable perhaps only for children at junior school who need to be wowed into looking and enjoying paintings by his 'Look at this, isn't it fantastic,' approach to the old masters. Frankly it will not do, and readers should eschew such shallow and frivolous writing and go and buy Gombrich's ever-useful and engaging 'The Story of Art', or read some of Brian Sewell's beautifully honed art criticism that justifiably overshadows Mr Collings' puerile attempts at art history and criticism. I am afraid Mr Collings would not know an old master if it hit him in the face.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
2 reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
great book for art lovers and artists alike
17 April 2008
Format:Hardcover
Art history can be painfully dull, but not when you're reading Matthew Collings. This guy is so passionate about art that you can't help but share in his excitement about these four great masters from history. Somehow he manages to bring these artists to life -- to show us their worlds, to explain why they were important figures in their own times, to reveal what the artists themselves loved about art, and to illustrate how we're still seeing the ramifications of these artists in art today. Along the way, he brings in lots of comparisons and extra info about plenty of other great masters. Of all the art history books I've read, this one is really special -- a favorite I'll read again. Loaded with fantastic four-color reproductions, too!
binding quality is poor
2 Feb 2010
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I really like the book, but the binding quality is really poor. I wasn't even half-way through the (brand-new) book when the cover came off. What a shame...
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