Modern Prints and Drawings: A Guide to a Better Understanding of Modern Draughtsmanship. [Hardcover]

Paul Joseph, Sachs (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1954

This book is a facsimile reprint and may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Random House (January 1954)
• ISBN-10: 0394436652
• ISBN-13: 978-0394436654
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 7.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,188,739 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A TIMELESS WORK., March 15, 2008

By 

D. Blankenship (The Ozarks) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Modern Prints And Drawings: A Guide To A Better Understanding Of Modern Draughtsmanship (Paperback)

This work first came out in 1954. It is that edition that I am reviewing here. This 262 page volume contains several hundred prints and drawings, halftone reproductions, black and white of some of the best prints and drawings in the world. This collection was put together and edited by Paul J. Sachs and of course has been around for years, and is thankfully still in print, or at least, easily found. I must admit that this work hold special place for me, as it is the first "art book" I had access to as a child. I spent hours and hours pouring over the pictures and text. The old hardback copy I have now is getting pretty ragged, not unlike myself, but still gets a going over every time I go into one of my nostalgic moods. (I also have to admit, that in 1954 the nudes featured in this work were pretty heavy stuff for a ten year old boy..even better than National Geographic!)

The book is divided into several chapters, David and the Great Moderns of the Past, Cezanne and Post-Impressionism, The School of Paris, Matisse and the Fauves, Cubism, Surrealism, Expressionism and the Abstract Art in North Europe, Italy, England, Mexico and the United States. The works of approximately 115 artists are represented here. Sachs (more about him later) has made a short comment on each work. He, Sachs has included works that he felt were important, but fully admits that it is far beyond all inclusive. He has given us a brief history of each artist in the back of the book.

As a side note; the story of Paul J. Sachs himself is quite fascinating (it is not covered in this book) as he was one of the members involved in the "Albertina Affair," when the Archduke Alberecht of Hungry tried to sell off the entire collection of prints and drawings from under the Austrian Government's noses. This is probably the finest collection in the world. Fortunately (for Austria, I suppose), the plot was foiled, the art work nationalized, etc. etc. This would make a great story within itself.

Anyway, this work has brought a lot of joy to me over the years, starting when I was a very small boy. I realize there are many, many volumes of this ilk out there, and I am quite sure some of them are better. I do know that this particular volume certainly meant a lot to me, and still does. I cannot see how anyone with the slightest interest in art would not enjoy it and find it useful, even today. Recommend this one highly.
D. Blankenship

5.0 out of 5 stars favorite art book, June 27, 2011

By 

Nick "ndoble" (rolling stone) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Modern prints & drawings;: A guide to a better understanding of modern draughtsmanship (Hardcover)

This is my favorite art book, thanks not only to Paul Sachs (former head of Harvard's Fogg museum) selection but more to his trenchant comments of only a sentence or two. I give this book frequently as a gift to people who are becoming sensitive to art, and thankfully it is still available as a used book through this fine dealer.