Georges de La Tour ranks with Vermeer and the Le Nain brothers among those seventeenth-century painters whose unmistakable talent is matched only by the aura of mystery that surrounds the artists themselves. Jacques Thuillier's groundbreaking monograph, first published in 1993, places La Tour's oeuvre in the specific context of the Lorraine region where he lived and worked, but also repositions La Tour alongside the greatest European masters. Available for the first time in paperback, this beautifully designed volume, complete with an illustrated catalogue raisonné and translations of key documentary sources, remains the essential reference work on this important and fascinating artist.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
One of the grand masters of French painting, Georges de la Tour (1593-1652) paradoxically evolved a highly contrived style to accommodate his uncompromising realist vision. Seeking to reveal inner character through outward appearance alone, he pared down his universe to its absolute limits. In his famous nocturnal scenes, dramatically lit by a candle or hidden light source, the characters, with their calm, mask-like faces, exude an aura of mystery. La Tour's diverse output encompasses the stylized social comedy of The Fortune Teller , the spiritual rapture of Saint Jerome and the earthy realism of A Flea Catcher , which depicts a semi-nude woman ridding herself of fleas before going to bed. In this exhaustive, erudite, sumptuously illustrated study, Thuillier, a French art historian, examines the life and work of an artist who exerts a continuous appeal.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Library Journal
Now recognized as one of the preeminent figures of French art, the great 17th-century Lorrainese painter was almost completely unknown to historians until early in this century. Even today, La Tour remains an enigmatic figure, making this, the first noteworthy monograph on him in English, an extremely welcome and important book. Thuillier (College de France) contributes a very interesting essay surveying the man and his work, but he also wisely allows La Tour's art to speak for itself. This it most definitely does in the volume's 330 illustrations, many of them full-page enlargements from La Tour's most famous canvases. The paintings reveal a wonderful blend of Italian and Northern influences, resulting in an orderly, calm style distinguished by its muted but luminous palette. An excellent book on the maker of truly unforgettable paintings, this is highly recommended for both general and scholarly collections.
- Douglas F. Smith, Oakland P.L., Cal.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
- Douglas F. Smith, Oakland P.L., Cal.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
FOR ART HISTORIANS AND AFICIONADOS,
This review is from: Georges de la Tour (Paperback)
His dramatic use of light - often placing the source of illumination within the picture - enchants, conveying a sense of serenity, calm. The works of La Tour, apotheoses of seventeenth century French classicism, are unified in remarkable composition by warm, rich colors and placement of light. His body of paintings, rendered with brilliant luminosity, are unforgettable. So is this magnificent monograph by College de France professor and specialist in seventeenth century art, Jacques Thuillier. A lushly beautiful volume, Georges De La Tour, holds over 300 stunning illustrations and a comprehensive catalogue of works. Both art historians and aficionados will delight in the flawlessly reproduced full-color double-page illustrations that remind one of the artist's deft touch and draftsman's skill. A tribute to La Tour is long overdue, but worth the wait when the end reward is this work of impeccable scholarship and illustration.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
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This review is from: Georges de la Tour (Paperback)
Excellent printing, great selection of works with close-ups of most. I use mine as a painting reference when I can't get to the Met. If you are a painter and like Sargent or Valasquez, then you should own this book.
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