Degas [Hardcover]

Robert Gordon (Author), Andrew Forge (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1996

The authors of Abrams' highly successful Monet and The Last Flowers of Manet have made the definitive book on the French Impressionist Edgar Degas. The New York Observer said, "In the wonderfully readable text . . . we are put in very intimate touch with the artist's own sensibility. . . . This is a book notto be missed". 324 illustrations, 121 in full color. 2 gatefolds.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this tony album, Degas's paintings, pastels, drawings and sculptures are grouped thematically in six chapterstheater, horses, portraits, pantomime, dancers, batherseach prefaced by a short biographical sketch. This arrangement follows the authors' sometimes vague interpretations; "Pantomime," for example, splices brothel scenes, a woman in her bathtub and shimmering impressionist landscapes. Gordon and Forge, coauthors of Monet and The Last Flowers of Manet , are primarily concerned here with formalist esthetics. They show how Degas's preoccupation with theater and ballet gave him opportunities for thinking about pictures in new ways. Superb color plates make this a book worth owning. It is pleasingly decked out with old photographs, eyewitness impressions of Degas and his studio, and four of Degas's sonnets. BOMC featured dividend selection.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams (September 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810981076
• ISBN-13: 978-0810981072
• Product Dimensions: 13 x 10.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #265,471 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars great artist, less than great book, October 11, 2002

By 

D. McGinnis "dkm72" (Flagstaff, AZ) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Degas (Hardcover)

I love Degas, so don't get me wrong. For a book as big as it is, it's lacking. Way too much text at the expense of Degas wonderful work. It is a big book, why are there so few big reproductions in it. There could be more color images too. This would have been a great book had they made use of the size and done a better layout between text and image, as all books on artist should be. It also seems like they've left out a lot of good stuff the should have had room for. Overall, it just seems like not much thought went into the actual layout of the book.

I don't recommend it as a keeper book on Degas, however if you find a cheap copy, why not, it is Degas afterall and the reproductions do look decent.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars EDGAR DEGAS, July 3, 2006

By 

Corinne Boniface "AMATEUR OF ART" (USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Degas (Hardcover)

I THOUGHT THE ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE BOOK TO BE EXCELLENT. THE COLOR RENDITION ARE OF VERY HIGH LEVEL AND I DID REALLY ENJOY THE BOOK FOR THAT REASON. BUT CONCERNING THE TEXT AND ANALYS OF THE PAINTINGS I FIND THEM VERY CONFUSING. THE MENTION OF THE TITLE OF THE PAINTINGS WERE OFTEN WRONG OR I HAD NO IDEA OF WHICH PAINTING THEY WERE REFERING TO. FOR THIS BOOK TO INDICATE THE PAGES OR THE NUMBER OF THE COLOR PLATES WOULD HAVE BEEN EASIER TO UNDERSTAND THE TEXT ANALYSIS.

14 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The photoplates alone make this book well worth it!, February 20, 2002

By 

Capricious Momma "Cindy Lou" (Hobbs, NM United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Degas (Hardcover)

This book is incredible! I stumbled upon it at a [local] book store and it was marked down to an incredible [price] so you can bet I snatched it right up. This book goes from his drafts up through wonderful color photoplates. It has a total history of Degas, his family etc. Wonderful! Buy this book!