American Folk [Hardcover]

Gerald W.R. Ward (Author), Abaigeal Duda (Author), Pamela A. Parmal (Author), Sue Welsh Reed (Author), Gilian Ford Shallcross (Author), Carol Troyen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 2, 2001

Folk art has been part of the American idiom for nearly as long as America has been a nation. Today it remains one of the best-loved and most fervently collected forms of American art, a diverse and authentic vernacular expression. American Folk presents over 60 remarkable objects from one of the country's most prominent collections of folk art, many of them never before published. Included are paintings, carvings, textiles, prints, "frakturs", furniture, and utilitarian objects, dating from the late 18th to the early 20th century. They include such masterpieces as Erastus Salisbury Field's lush "The Garden of Eden", E.L. George's surrealistic "Child in a Rocking Chair", a complex, monumental quilt by the former slave Harriet Powers, and Wilhelm Schimmel's extraordinary carved animals--as well as a remarkable assortment of whirligigs, windmills, decorated chests, figurines, and even carousel animals. The introductory essay by curator Gerald W.R. Ward discusses the elusive notion of "folk art" itself and presents the history of its acquisition by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Published in conjunction with a major exhibition at the MFA, American Folk is a vibrant and engaging introduction to one of our proudest cultural traditions. 9 x 10 inches, 88 color illustrations.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Accompanying the first major exhibit from the folk art collection at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, this volume highlights everyday life in 19th-century America. Written by an interdepartmental staff of curators, including Ward (editor, American Furniture with Related Decorative Arts, 1660-1830) and Carol Troyen (Awash in Color: Homer, Sargent, and the Great American Watercolor), the book provides a sampler of the museum's rich collection of American folk art objects made before 1920. Ward's eloquent introduction defines and describes folk art in general, then discusses the collection's evolution at the museum and its New England focus. Organized into five subject sections, the generous color photographs, with selected detailed enlargements, present a sufficient alternative for those who cannot physically observe the exhibit. Accompanying captions complement each piece with both descriptive and historic information. The authors present an informative, well-researched, and visually accessible volume, whetting the appetite for in-depth reading, which is suggested in the selective bibliography. Despite its regional focus, the work should appeal to aesthetes across the country; recommended for libraries with strong folk and early American art collections. Rebecca Tolley-Stokes, Eastern Tennessee State Univ. Lib., Johnson City
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

Ward's eloquent introduction defines and describes folk art in general...An informative, well-researched, and visually accessible volume --Library Journal --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: MFA Publications (May 2, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0878465952
• ISBN-13: 978-0878465958
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 9.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,502,569 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A gorgeous presentation, September 11, 2001

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: American Folk (Hardcover)

Folk art is of ongoing interest, and American Folk accompanies a major ongoing exhibition of folk art at the Museum of Fine Arts, gathering over 50 objects from across the country and adding background history and enough biography for even newcomers to appreciate their significance. A gorgeous presentation.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Folks who love FOLK, February 15, 2008

By 

Nikki (sacramento,ca) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: American Folk (Hardcover)

This book is fantastic for those who love FOLK ART,
good overview of American variety. Enjoy!

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Expensive picture book, April 12, 2009

By 

Jason Case (South Jordan, UT) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: American Folk (Hardcover)

I used this book for a folklore class at BYU a few years ago. At the conclusion of the course, our instructor asked us what we thought of all texts used. This one was universally unappreciated.

The majority of this book (70% I'd estimate) is pictures. Some are of good folk art, others are of things I would associate (as would many folklorists) as kitsch, or folk trash. The book could easily be borrowed from a library and studied in an afternoon. There is value here, but I don't believe it is worth the price in bookstores and on amazon. Hence, the number of stars.