A. Everette James, Jr. SCM, MD A. Everette James, author of
North Carolina Art Pottery, 1900 - 1960, has produced an all-new
title, this time focusing on collectible American paintings.
In this comprehensive book with more than 300 photographs and
more than 450 illustrations, he outlines the necessary steps
in selecting a painting, authenticating a painting, determining
a value, acquiring a painting at auction, and evaluating the
condition of a piece. Both major and minor artists are briefly
discussed, and overviews of Impressionism, Tonalism, The Aschan
School, African-American artists, and Southern Women artists
are presented. There are even tips on managing your art collection,
the realities of funding and financing, and collecting what
you can afford. The beauty of American art is evident in this
collector's guide - a must-have for collectors of American paintings
and collectors of art in general
Reader review: If you are an art lover,
connoisseur, art history student, fashion designer,
or someone who wants to explore the mysterious
world of portraiture this book is an excellent
choice. The author assumed the difficult task
of providing a clear, comprehensive overview
of the history of portraits and portraiture
from the ancient world, through the Renaissance
to modern art.
I would give this book the best rating possible.
You ask why? The answer is simple. As an art
lover, I am particularly interested in the evolution
of portraits and portraiture of the Renaissance
and Baroque and this book covers the whole range
of my interest and beyond. In this lavishly
illustrated book the author, Shearer West, explains
why the portrait as a work of art occupies the
central position in art history, gives easy
to remember definitions of portraits and portraiture,
and studies the diversity of portrait forms
and functions. She discusses in-depth how portraiture
changed and developed over the centuries and
paints a unique, intriguing relationship of
artist, sitters, patron/s and viewer. She also
reveals who and why commissioned the portraits
and how a portrait can reflect and represent
the social status of the sitter (rich or poor,
powerful or subjugated, professional or servant)
in different historical periods. The history
of portraiture could not be completed without
a broad-range of methods and tricks, sometimes
very funny, used by artists to present themselves
to the publicity. Her investigation of the complexities
of contemporary ortraiture, of the 1950's onwards,
is clear and convincing. This fascinating book
is enriched with 146 high quality illustrations
with well written, highly informative commentary
to each painting.
At Home with Art is about art lovers, their
passion for art, and their seemingly unquenchable
desire to bring home the works that have captured
their hearts. Whether the artworks are Picassos
or posters, these people want to acquire and
live with the art they love. "I wake up
in the morning and exercise where I can look
at it," says John Robson about one of the
paintings in his San Francisco townhouse. How
these art lovers integrate their finds
into their living spaces, juxtaposing their
paintings and sculpture with the artifacts of
everyday life – furniture, rugs, books,
lamps, objets d'art – is vividly illustrated
here in more than fifty homes inhabited by people
for whom living with art is as essential as
breathing.
These homes are not mini-museums with art to
be admired from a respectful distance. Nor have
they been designed by interior decorators whose
goal is to harmonize the upholstery with the
pictures. Each home has been chosen for its
very personal and inspired expression of art
and decor, revealing a deep, even spiritual,
relationship between the pictures on the walls
and the people who place them there. From airy
lofts and old farmhouses to sleek city apartments
and cozy traditional houses, all are made special
by the paintings and sculptures within.
A wide variety of people appear in these pages,
from the president of MoMA to a young man in
love with poster art, to the writer who has
artist friends, to the young woman who inherited
pieces from her mother, to the actress whose
art travels with her wherever she goes. The
kinds of art that speak to them and that they
are impelled to acquire range from old masters
to outsider art, from folk art to contemporary
art, to prints, drawings, photographs, and sculpture.
We learn about what sparked their interest in
a particular genre, how they make their selections,
how they meld them into their homes, and what
living with their art means to them.
Though looking at these interiors proves there
are no fixed rules about displaying a work of
art, special sections on framing, hanging, lighting,
and caring for art, from oil paintings to delicate
works on paper, provide technical assistance.
A directory includes framers, dealers, auction
houses, and restorers in major American cities
and in London.
Above all, At Home with Art shows that there
are all kinds of art to be loved and cherished,
however grand or simple, and that living surrounded
by art's beauty can bring boundless personal
satisfaction.
Shows Internet users how to locate online art information and images
and how to supplement these data with material in other formats
to produce the best research results.
The Scalavision Guide To Art On The Internet combats
information overload by listing only the best, most useful,
most consistently accurate sources of information on hundreds
of art subjects. These sites have been selected after an exhaustive
surfing process to weed out incomplete, inaccurate and out-of-date
sources. Whether it's Monet or cave paintings, the Uffizi Gallery
or the Museum of Modern Art, this book takes you right to the
best sites, complete with a wealth of screenshots to help you
decide at a glance if this is the site you need. Best of all,
it's linked to the new Scalavision web site for information
and access to new sites as they are established.
Caring for Your Art by Jill Snyder, Joseph Montague (Illustrator),
Maria Reidelbach Paperback, 192 pages Revised edition, Allworth
Press, 1996
Caring for Your Art describes the best methods to store,
handle, mount and frame, display, document and inventory, photograph,
pack, transport, insure, and secure art. Coverage is also given
to proper environmental controls to protect art works. The non-technical
approach makes the book ideal for artists, collectors, galleries,
and small non-profit institutions. The revised edition includes
a chapter on new computer applications in these areas.
Caring for Your Collections
by Arthur W. Schultz (Editor), Huntington T. Block, Robert McCormick
Adams (Illustrator) – Hardcover, 216 pages (April 1992)
Although a vast amount of our country's art and antiques is
still in private hands, most books on conservation and maintenance
have been written for professional curators and museum staff
members. This handy and eminently readable volume is the first
comprehensive, practical care guide aimed at the average person.
118 illustrations, 50 in full color.
This book offers beginners the simple and honest A, B, C's of developing
a collection of contemporary art. With integrity and insight, it
answers many questions about the often mysterious world of art as
well as the business of art. In simple to read language, it arms
readers with the right knowledge to avoid the pitfalls, while maintaining
an enthusiasm that viewing and acquiring art have to offer.
A private dealer who got her start as a clerk at a department
store gallery in the 1960s, Frank sets out to bring knowledge
and confidence to novices who might be interested in modern
art but feel shut out by the "mystique" of the art
world. Her convivial tone and offhanded dismissals of gallerists
and critics may go far in developing readers' self-assurance,
but, unfortunately, her casual way with the facts of her business
call the work as a whole into question. Artists' names are misspelled,
art historical terms are confused, and her own pronouncements
on the art world sometimes sound as autocratic as those she
criticizes. (Bibliography not seen.) By contrast, Vartian, a
lawyer for galleries and collectors, has written a useful if
sober guide to the legalities of collecting art and popular
items such as stamps and coins. His text will not inspire any
reader actually to enter the world of collecting; indeed his
anecdotes of theft, fraud, and miscommunication may scare some
away. But anyone who has bought even one work and suddenly realizes
the need to learn the basics will welcome his clear explanations.
Offering just the right amount of detail, he discusses the various
tax advantages of being an investor rather than a collector
and what to consider when choosing between reserves and guaranties
if consigning at auction. Frank's book cannot be recommended
in its current form; Vartarian's work will serve flea-market
mavens and art connoisseurs alike in almost all public library
collections. —Eric Bryant, "Library Journal"
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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DISCLAIMER:
There are many books where Amazon does not have a cover image
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cover displayed.
Collecting
American Paintings: Identification & Value
Portraiture
(Oxford History of Art)
At Home With Art: How Art-Lovers Live With and Care for Their
Treasures
Art
Information and the Internet: How to Find It, How to Use It
The Care of Bronze Sculpture: Recommended Maintenance Programs
for the Collector
Scala
Vision Guide to Art on the Internet
Caring for Your Art
Caring for Your Collections
The
Basics of Buying Art 
Legal
Guide to Buying and Selling Art and Collectibles 
