Customer Reviews

George Inness and the Science of Landscape

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a terrific book, beautiful and thought-provoking, about one of America's best and most intriguing artists. The author shows how Inness' desire to help people see more deeply, to see God behind the landscapes, shaped his paintings. It is a delight to read how ideas have consequences in art; how deliberate Inness was in his project; and then to see how gorgeous his paintings are.

The only reason it does not get 5 stars from me? Not enough color plates. But it really is a fine book.

It is with no end of begrudging that I award five stars to this book. It is unconscionable that University of Chicago Press published this fabulous text on Inness' work, but included a mere twenty-one color prints, at that most of them two a page, and charges $50 for it! If you consider buying it, do so with the sure knowledge that Dr. DeLue's work is a classic, not to be missed, her analysis extremely depthful, her prose elegant. As for UofC Press, how greedy. For shame!

There were 21 color plates. Some of the color plates were not very large. It was my fault for not checking more, before I purchased the book. Lots of history to read, but I was more interested in seeing the paintings of George Inness. Many black and white photos, which are helpful, in seeing values in paintings. Perhaps by the time I read all of the book, I will be much happier with my purchase.