The Last Romantics: The Romantic Tradition in British Art: Burne-Jones to Stanley Spencer [Paperback]

John Christian (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1989

The third reprint of an indispensable resource for students and art historians alike. This book continues to be the only general survey of this field, covering the diverse group of talent from the decline of Pre-Raphaelitism in the late 19th century to the rise of "Neo-Romanticism" in the 1940s.

From Burne-Jones to Stanley Spencer, with sculpture and children's book illustrators, there is no other volume as comprehensive or as broad of scope.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Lund Humphries Publishers (December 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0853315523
• ISBN-13: 978-0853315520
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 9.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #589,795 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #37 in Books > Arts & Photography > Schools, Periods & Styles > Romantic

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Indispensible book, November 15, 2001

By 

[e-mail] (England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Last Romantics: The Romantic Tradition in British Art: Burne-Jones to Stanley Spencer (Paperback)

Quite simply the best book/catalogue of it's type I have ever seen. The presentation of the book is good, as is the reproduction of the paintings. The short biographies of the artists are quite simply the brilliant, and contain more information than much longer articles. If you only have one book about late romantic art have this one.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good, but not THAT good., August 6, 2008

By 

C. Harrigan - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Last Romantics: The Romantic Tradition in British Art: Burne-Jones to Stanley Spencer (Paperback)

I should preface my review by saying that I have not read any of the text yet and so have not considered that aspect in my rating. That said, I was really disappointed with this book. I am an artist and I appreciate visually stunning art books, but this is not one. Perhaps in 1989 (first edition) it would be acceptable to print so many black and white images in an art book, I'm not sure. But by 2008, it is almost inexcusable and really outdated. There seems to be about three b/w images per one in color. Really disappointing, and it certainly doesn't deserve the 5 stars it currently has. If there is a redeeming quality, it would be the inclusion of many lesser known British artists of the period whom I have never seen before.

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb, so far as it goes, February 4, 2005

By 

Stokie Dave - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Last Romantics: The Romantic Tradition in British Art: Burne-Jones to Stanley Spencer (Paperback)

This review is based on the 1995 UK reissue.

What a superb book! An awesome depth of scholarship, but arrayed in a palatable semi-encylopaedia -like arrangement. Wonderful reproductions of all manner of rare paintings, many in colour and many at a size large enough to see fine detail and even brush-strokes. If you think you've "seen" some of these works on the web, these reproductions will make you think the web versions look very fuzzy and 'off-color'.

Three gripes: 1) the sub-title would lead you to think that the book covers the post-1930 neo-Romanticism revival and on through the Second World War. True Stanley Spencer is in here briefly, but only three early works and they are not his best. Otherwise, coverage after around 1929 is poor. 2) no index! 3) it's mostly painting - no literature or poetry, no music, no photography, no film-making, very little sculpture. There are whole books yet to be written on post-1900 British Romanticism that go 'beyond painting'. But until we get them, enjoy this gem of a book.