The Art of Tom Lovell: An Invitation to History [Hardcover]

Don Hedgpeth (Author), Walt Reed (Author), Tom Lovell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1993

One of the great artists of the Old West, Lovell's paintings capture the grand sagas of history on an intimate level. A collection of full-color art by the painter whose work was featured in the PBS documentary The Civil War. Shrinkwrapped. 95 full-color reproductions. 30 illus. 2 gatefolds.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

A commercial artist who started out sketching in the 1930s for pulp magazines, Lovell advanced to the glossier "slicks" in the 1950s and has since specialized in Old West, Plains Indian, and Civil War themes. He here presents from that long career his best canvases, among them his famed depictions of Lee's surrender and the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts' assault (in film, the climax of Glory). His spark of inspiration is usually to visualize an incident he has read of in the journals of the first white explorers and trappers, such as those of Lewis and Clark. Whether it's Clark firing his rifle or Indians encountering a cannon lost by Fremont, Native Americans are generally presented as wary but curious about the newcomers; Lovell puts the warfare outside of the frame. Themes aside, he works expertly with natural color, and though not a modern George Caitlin, his attention to the detail of Indian dress, carriage, and equipage is quite affecting, fully reflective of his respect for the cultures of Apache, Sioux, etc. A rich tribute to a captivating artist who evokes the West's vast landscape and its individual braves and traders in moods of exuberance and perseverance. Should turn heads on the display rack. Gilbert Taylor

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow & Co; 1st edition (August 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688126456
• ISBN-13: 978-0688126452
• Product Dimensions: 12.3 x 9.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #503,954 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Superb illustrations - but let down by presentation, February 10, 2008

By 

Benjamin (UK) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Art of Tom Lovell: An Invitation to History (Hardcover)

A large format, boldly illustrated book, providing an insight to the Tom Lovell, and artist who specialised in painting the American West - native Americans and the Civil War. Following the introduction the book is divided into five parts, the first four deal with a specific subject or area highlighted by Lovell's work, the final part concerns itself with the artist. The book concludes with a list of plates, but there is no bibliography and no index.

Each of the first four parts has a few pages of text to be followed by many pages of Lovell's paintings, each of which is accompanied by a few lines of text. These sections and the companying notes to each picture do not discuss the paintings as such, but use them as starting points or illustrations to a history discussion or lesson of the West. While the Introduction does concern itself with being just that: an introduction to the artist, it is really only the final part which actually discusses the artist and his work, and here we have an outline of the man and his career and some brief mentions of his approach to his work. The paintings in this section are also discussed in their own right.

The book is lavishly illustrated with well in excess of 100 full colour plates, along with a good number of black and white sketches and drawings. The work included while predominantly is not exclusively his Western art; the final part covers a wide range of subject matter including modern war paintings and historical illustration.

The plates in this book are superb, many full page or larger, there are several double page bleed images and even some fold out pages. However the text and the overall presentation let the book down. Apart from the title there is little indication of the aim of the book; is it about American history or about Tom Lovell? Certainly the first four sections suggest the former; it is only the Introduction and the final section which concern themselves with the artist. As for the presentation, it is unnecessarily brash so that it detracts from the work; Lovell's paintings are so full of energy and vitality they do not need a colourful graphic presentation, they would be better appreciated presented simply. It is still a fine book, but purely for the wonderful large reproductions of the artist's work.