Customer Reviews

Arthur Dove: Watercolors and Pastels

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I like this book because it offers a good text with some very nice reproductions of Arthur Dove's work. His work has always been a favorite and finding books about him specifically is a challenge. This book is very good for someone who wants to have a record of his watercolors in particular, since seeing actual shows with his work is even harder to come across!

I bought this book some time ago. Can't remember if I bought this at Amazon or not.I refer to it quite often, Dove is interesting for the wide use of various materials & mediums . He did original and interesting work in all of them.The chapter on watercolor is helpful, his work in the medium I like but most of them are small and were made into canvases. The pastels like the collages he did stand alone.They rival oils and enamels he did.Al Held (in an interview from the Smithsonian ) tells how he was overwhelmed when he discovered Dove.Most pastellist use the media for figurative work. In Dove's hands they take on a life of their own. An added reason to buy this book, most pastel books are all figurative. This book will be useful for the abstractionist..The photos include information on the supports he used ..The text does a good job of describing his working method.To digress a bit ..I was visiting the Terra museum in Evanston ,Dan Terra was there.I had recently visited Art Expo at Navy Pier. Terry Dintenflas gallery had sold him the pastel of a tree.Her assistant said that he thought Terra had paid too much.!5,000 dollars. I told Terra he was furious.!! Not a lot of money for a work that was probably one of Dove's best and unique pieces.I have re-read the book over the years good work ,but I like to go over the repros every so often. A very esteeemed artist for his originality,wit,color use. ..another good book would be one devoted to the wax enamels..his color in these are Right On...!! Some one should make a defense of his humor in art, for those boring pompous people that insist that great art is serious. Art with humor is serious if coupled with philosophy. Doves work does this,plus couples it with a unique vision of the world Winston Hough