Customer Reviews

Klimt (Rizzoli Quadrifolio)

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

First of all, the book is not covered as shown in the amazon photo which shows the famous "kiss" painting. The book, apparently updated in 2006, shows a cover photo of Klimt's famous Danae (1907-8) oil on canvas painting. I think this cover is more provacative and more organic and softer than the famed Kiss painting which reveals a couple entwined in gold looking rather stiff. Danae was certainly a better choice for the cover. The book is definitely not written for the casual art reader. It is written with extreme depth as what I'd expect from a historian of the arts on a university research level. As verbose as it is, it has plenty, if not hundreds of photos of the famous works, including all of Klimt's paintings and lesser known sketches. The author discusses several of Klimt's famous paintings in depth and reviews various critics of Klimt's time period as well as Klimt's personal opinions and struggles. Culture, politics, and various movements in the arts is also discussed at length. This book is too deep for the casual browser or reader but makes a great coffee table book if only for the pictures alone. It is a high quality book and the pages are high quality (acid free) and glossy. The painting photos are rich and fully colored, better than other books I've bought on Klimt (where the precious gold paint is reduced to lousy brownish or greenish prints). The gold tones in this book, so famous in Klimt's work, are reproduced extremely well as well as the other vivid colors so characteristic of Klimt's work. It's a bargain to get this book at the price.

Klimt is my favorite artist and yet it is so difficult to find quality reproductions of his works; usually the color is faded or the gold leaf comes out a sickly yellow!! This book has beautiful reproductions and concise and informative explanations next to each painting as well as an interesting biography on Klimt. I highly recommend this book for a clear, concise overview.

The format of this book is wonderful -- the pages unfold to become full 20x22" images. This is a perfect size for a poster or teaching aid -- IF the image quality weren't so poor! I wanted to like this book, really... but I've seen Klimt's work in person as well as in many other books, and the reproductions here are just so dull and grainy. Rich violets appear brown; the firey red hair in several pieces looks very subdued. "The Kiss", shown on the front cover, shows the couple with skin that is positively green. And the golds that Klimt is famous for, while I appreciate that they must be difficult to photograph, just do not come across.

I would have gladly paid more for this book if the publishers could have reproduced it better. It is obvious they intended this to be a picture book -- there are literally only two pages of writing -- so it would make sense to give the best reproductions possible! Even using a glossy paper instead of the dull matte finish would have given a better presentation.

If you are interested in truly appreciating Klimt and his work, I would recommend Taschen's posterbook for large, good quality reproductions. I also would recommend "Silver, Gold, and Precious Stones" from the Adventures in Art Series. This is geared toward a younger audience, but it beautifully laid out and presented, and actually uses a gold finish on the areas with gold leaf (nice touch!).

Over the years, I've only looked at Klimt from the edges - that is, I was aware only of the more popular poster images you couldn't help seeing here and there. But this book is a big revelation to me. Such genius! He is truly amazing, and I had no idea of the range of his thought or the depth of his talent. He was a superb draftsman, which enabled him to take risks with the figure because he knew exactly what he was doing.

A well-designed book - a complete visual pleasure, and fire to the imagination.

klimt's work is endlessly fascinating... its eroticism, its mythological references, its composition. klimt captures the power and symbolism of color and shape in a way that is unique amongst artists in the canon. his images are not merely pictures of women (and a few men), but stories with complicated layers of meaning. all this delicate beauty could be easily lost in printing, but this book has somehow managed to preserve it, and it is amazing! the text gives biographical and historical context, which is always helpful, and even ventures into analysis -- i enjoy knowing other people's perspectives, because it helps me to read deeper into what i'm seeing. all the master works are here, as well as many treasures that are often overlooked. if you are interested in art nouveau, art history, symbolism in art, and/or art history you really should own this book. believe me, it is well worth the price -- i wasn't expecting much for (the price), and would have willingly paid much more. i wish i had it in hardback though...

This book is great. Contains alot of Klimt's paintings, all color plates, and alot of the drawings. The quality of prints is wonderful. I have seen many different books on Klimt's works and this one is definitely the best by quality and content and for a great price too! Highly recommend it to anyone.

A fine, quality book. The detail is amazing, the art is wonderful, and the format is unique and innovative. The Longing for Happiness unfolds to over four and a half feet! I'm happy.

This book is not about blabbing about art. It's about looking at it, and seeing for yourself, and staring in awe. Every page unfolds to reveal large size pictures. With only two pages of biography, you can read this book in a few minutes. And, you can look at it for the rest of your life.

I think this is an important book for anyone who likes Klimt. Also for anyone who appreciates a beautifully made book.

Klimt's art, whether one is a fan or not, is seen everywhere. Rarely can one spend much time in a college dormitory before running into "The Kiss" or another poster of Klimt. This book itself is a nice collection of his various artworks over his career. However, the text leaves much to be desired. To the author's credit, he avoids taking at face value many of the risque rumors that surround Klimt's life. Instead, the author attempts to psychoanalyze him, and the "crisis of the male liberal ego." This seems quite a trick, as the author even admits that Klimt was rather reticient about talking about himself or leaving a paper trail of his life. As such, and especially by removing the rumors from the equation, the author seems to have blessed little to go on to try and delve into Klimt's mind. In this regard, I must agree with Barzun - this type of psychological history is questionable at best. If you do consider purchasing this work, do it for the artwork - don't bother yourself with the text.

Payne presents a gorgeous and informative survey of Klimt's life and career. The earliest of the works shown, a life drawing from his late teens, shows his academic training and strictly classical competence. Although classicism would serve as the takeoff point for his later career, it dominated his career through the 1880s and mid-90s. That included a major series of frescoes for the Kunsthistorische museum.

By then, works like "Water Sprites" started to show a major shift in style. By about 1900, this led to run-ins with the art hierarchy of the time. His popularity and commissions let him go his own way. "Goldfish," from 1901 or 1902, shows this flirt with Art Nouveau and with decorative textures like a madly starry night. In this work, the model's back is to us, but she turns an impish smile over her shoulder. Her full, round bottom creates the visual anchor for the image. This cheeky salute may also carry the meaning of Klimt's original title for the painting: "To my critics."

By about 1910, Klimt had adopted the energetic brushstrokes and airy palette of the Impressionists, often with complex textures compared to Pointillism. His manner, including his open eroticism, continued to develop up to 1918, when he was taken abruptly by a fatal stroke. That left a number of works unfinished, many of which appear here.

Payne chooses a brilliant format for presenting Klimt's career through over 100 of his works in chronological order. Each two-page spread offers one work in large format and vivid color. There's generally a thumbnail of another work, too, for contrast with his later or earlier career. A brief essasy accompanies each piece, offering analysis or biographical notes describing the time the piece was done. I have only minor complaints about this volume. One is that it generally lacks any statement of the work's dimensions and present location. Another is that at least one work, "Danaë," appears to be cropped enough to make a difference in the impression it conveys, leaving me wondering whether other images have lost interesting bits. These are minor points, though. It's a visually rich and gently informative introduction to this remarkable and influential artist.

//wiredweird

Spend more. get a bigger book. the painting are worth it.