Daily Life in Art [Hardcover]

Béatrice Fontanel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2006

"The comforts of home" may be a cliché, but how has its meaning evolved over centuries? Béatrice Fontanel seeks answers to that question through the prism of visual art. Her close reading of nearly 100 European and American paintings, reproduced vividly in large format, illuminates the technical innovations and practical improvements brought about from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. How did fireplaces become the preferred source of warmth? When did people stop sleeping in the nude? From the bedchamber to the chamber pot, art has borne witness to our most intimate domestic activities. Just as How to Read a Painting helped readers to appreciate the art itself, Daily Life in Art helps them understand the painting not only as object, but also as cultural artifact.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Béatrice Fontanel is an author and art director who has contributed to a number of books, including Abrams' Support and Seduction and Babies Celebrated. She lives in Paris, France.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 204 pages
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams (June 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810955377
• ISBN-13: 978-0810955370
• Product Dimensions: 11.7 x 9.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,590,782 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars All Sorts of Little Hidden Treats..., August 30, 2007

By 

Bridget ORell (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Daily Life in Art (Hardcover)

I'm a professional artist, and have made a definitive hobby of browsing art books for inspiration and education.

Written concisely, Fontanel's book is absolutely unique - in the vast, uncommon selections of artwork displayed and in the hearty illustration of western civilization's evolution, as experienced in the home. In adding together the quiet details documented in paint, she produces a fascinating and highly personal glimpse into the past six hundred years.

I finished this book feeling grateful to live today, and feeling a sense of awe about the shifts and changes in life... sometimes ugly... but ever-blossoming into greater overall vitality.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Material Culture Through the Ages, November 23, 2009

By 

Marco Antonio Abarca (Colorado) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Daily Life in Art (Hardcover)

In "Daily Life in Art" the French author Beatrice Fontanel examines the particulars of daily life through close observation of paintings. These works range in time from the Medeival period to the contemporary. She is most interested in the small details of material culture. Fontanel's take on ordinary things as diverse as fireplaces and beds are very interesting. This is an enjoyable book but a potential purchaser needs to understand that this is not an academic art book. Ms. Fontanel is a children's book illustrator. She is not an anthropologist or art historian. The book is well printed but it is not a "coffee table", highly quality art book. This book can be purchased new at a reasonable price and I believe it is a good value. Recommended.