Customer Reviews

500 Self-Portraits

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An interesting collection of self portraits commencing with Ni-Ankh-Ptah (c. 2350 BC) through to Maurizio Cattelan (1997). The selction provides an interesting chronology of how portraiture has changed over the years. I'm uncertain as to which edition the previous reader has, as my version has 10 self portraits by Rembrandt. I would have liked to have seen more portraits by recent artists as the variation in how to approach the modern portrait is extensive compared with say the 17th C. The reproductions are good and the quality of paper is also good. The introduction by Julian Bell is well written and could have even been expanded upon further. It provides an excellent overview of how portraiture and art in general have changed over the centuries. A worthy book to have on the shelf - lends itself to random browsing.

I am enjoying this book very much. With 500 portraits the book remains interesting and educational for a long time. More than seeing what the artists look like is the variety of styles and attitudes. I recommend it!

This work is based on an earlier collection of self- portraits made by the scholar Ludwig Goldscheider. It contains many of the great works in the self-portrait including six self- portraits by the artist whose signature is written most prominently on this type of work, Rembrandt.
It is difficult to fault a work which has so many great paintings in it, but I do find a couple of problems with the volume. The introduction is small and inadequate and there is no explanatory text whatsoever. I also found disconcerting and unpleasant a number of the more recent paintings selected.
I would also point, to what it seems to me, is an inherent inadequacy of a book of this kind. Rembrandt teaches us that the true - self- portrait of an artist is a long series of self- portaits, is a history and a life of the person. The single self- portrait made of one time can show a moment of a life, can represent a person as they would be represented, but cannot tell us the whole life.
Six self- portraits of Rembrandt are not enough.

Is an excellenty little book to carry with you to art class. has some famous artists as well assome more obscure so definetly a toll for those who want to learn more.

I am a mother of four and my oldest son, Marty, got me a computer for Christmas this year. Marty works in the city and always has the newest gadgets and gizmos. He has the most complicated phone I have ever seen. It's not even plugged into the wall! Over dinner this year (Beef bourguignon and egg noodles, my family recipe), he was talking about pods and pads and I got so confused that the noodles nearly boiled over! I'll tell you one thing - where I live, the only pods we have are the sweet peas in my garden. And the only pads that I know of are...well, bless Marty for trying. LAL, as the kids say.

I was still flustered about the noodles when Marty showed me this new computer. The crock pot wasn't getting hot enough, either. But Marty kept insisting, "Mom, you have to get on face book, you have to get on face book." Well, I don't know about any face books. "You can keep in touch with me and Aunt Eileen and the kids," Marty says. "And you can even talk to your old high school classmates." I don't know. I can always call them on the telephone. And as far as classmates are concerned, the only one I care to talk to is Robert Goldman. I saw Ruth Ann at the supermarket, and she says that Robert is a producer on the George Lopez Show! I don't care too much for George Lopez (too "ethnic" if you ask me), but I was happy for Robert. He & I spent a good deal of time together. Speaking of pads...well, look at me reminiscing about past flings when my poor sweet Harold is only three years gone this April, God rest his soul.

Anyway, all I really remembered about Marty's talk was the face book. I thought to myself, "Stop being such an old fuddy-duddy" (pardon my French). I'll see what the kids are up to. So, I wanted this book. I called Marty and he told me that if I wanted to buy a book from the internets, to go to the Amazon. I was confused. South America?

I'll say, I'm still confused. Marty came over and typed a bunch of letters up top. And that's how I got here, two weeks later with the face book on my lap. I can remember Harold's old typewriter, so don't worry...this old gal can still put a sentence together! LAL!

Now, regarding this book...I'm not too clear on how to use it. Marty isn't at home. I know he has that expensive phone with him, but it just rings and rings when I call him. I don't understand why you would buy a phone that you can take anywhere, and then not answer when your mother calls! But that's neither here nor there (pardon my French).

This is definitely a face book. There is one on every page, except toward the end. I'll admit that I'm not art expert (I do like Thomas Kinkade), but the last third of this book looks like a dog ran across a canvas with a paintbrush on his tail! No faces anywhere!

But the first two-thirds I enjoy. All kinds of faces, and mostly men. No Robert Goldman, though. No George Lopez, either.

So I suppose if you want to get the face book, here it is. I'm not too sure on why it's so popular, and I have yet to get a call from Eileen. But there's some pretty pictures of people. Just don't read the back pages. LAL!