Customer Reviews

George Grosz: Berlin-New York

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To my knowledge, this book, the catalogue for an exhibition held in 2007 in Rome at the Villa Medicis, is the best book on George Grosz available in English, with wonderful reproductions of paintings as well as drawings, watercolors and prints. The entire career of the German master who fled Nazism to find shelter in the U.S. is covered in an enlightening book that places the works in their historical context and explains their political meaning.

The text is very complete and studies such topics as Grosz and Dada, Grosz and Italy, Grosz and Russia, Grosz and France, Berlin as a Metropolis, Grosz and "degenerate" art, Grosz becoming an American and his late years in NYC and back in Berlin. His relationship with the US is especially interesting and is analysed by the French critic from the newspaper "Le Monde", Philippe Dagen, in a brilliant chapter entitled "Not too bitter, Herr Grosz!".

The illustrations are numerous, all in color and show all the most important works in a high quality fashion.

Every single work is a mixture of comic and tragic that blends into a stinging criticism of war, extremism and cowardness. Grosz's works are a powerful reminder of the horrors of war(he could be considered a modern Goya in this respect) and of the passivity of a certain self-satisfied middle-class that, in the 1930's, comfortably accomodated itself in Nazi dictature.

Highly recommended.

I have several other books on George Grosz: Herbert Bittner,Hans Hess,Beth Lewis,Serge Sabarsky among others.I have the first G.Grosz book A Little Yes and a Big No by Grosz. I also have the same book in a later year.Probably one of the best books written by an artist.I bought this volume in hopes it would have new work reproduced. I haven't any work that I don't already have from other books. His work in watercolor is shown off to good effect here;not superior to other books I have.Some discussion here about the problems of teaching art.The necessity of making everyone happy in order to keep sufficient students.Gone was the income he had as a free-lance artist in Germany.He admired Norman Rockwell but, his fame didn't give him the work he needed. He deplored the prettiness of American Illustration.In New York his work in watercolor became more experimental. His oils never came up to the Oscar Panizza street scene painting.In America he changed his forms and palette.His paint became thicker,his use of surface texture was wanting.His use of color less resonate. This book has a number of the robot paintings,influenced by the "Scula Metafisica" from Italy Such as his "Republican Automatons".Again these are watercolor/drawings and reproduce well.Gone are the life drawings that are in the Bittner book.Anyone teaching illustration and drawing could use these to show students.His last period has merit..such as his "stick men"I would like to see more of these paintings. Even though they don't come up to the quality of a work like"Republican Automaton"It is an idea that is metaphysical and existentialist.But as a visual organization they are not as well realized as the earlier work of the "the New Objectivity" period.Grosz cannot be forgotten in the thirties American art was filled with artists inspired by George Grosz,such as Ben Shahn.THis book raises many questions about his career. But,you will have to read more books and letters from Grosz. This is a book that has very high standards in paper cover,graphic design and production values. It is well worth the price.No one book can answer fro George Grosz top draftsman of the 20th century . Never again to be realized by the lack of a media for a similar series of publications for a high editorial art."Purchased on Amazon"

This is everything I like in an art book---a lot of reproductions and just enough text to give me a good background on what I am looking at. I like to see an artist's early work and sketches, not just the choice things for which they are best known.

If you've never been a fan of 20th century German art, this book could turn you around. The image on the cover says it all: edgy, unconventional, mezmerizing. Grosz was a master at caricaturing German life in the 20's and 30's and this collection represents some of his best work. Includes many full color plates with a large sampling of pen and ink line art.

This book covers a wide range of styles of the pictures of George Grosz. The printing (artwork) is quite good. This is a must for anyone interested in German painters of the 20th Century.