Customer Reviews

Painting and Sculpture in France 1700-1789 (The Yale University Press Pelican Histor)

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I bought the book because I am interested in sculpture, so my comments only concern the chapters on sculpture. Being a regular visitor to the Louvre I often find it hard to appreciate the museum's exhibition of French sculpture from the 17th and 18th centuries. The book clarified a lot of the issues I used to have. It draws attention to the tensions between influences of the Italian baroque and more classical or natural trends. It made it clear to me that the period is to be considered on its own and not as a preparation to neoclassicism or a part of Italian sculpture (this may sound obvious and of course it is, but my way of looking at the works was always blurred by too much thinking of Italy or Canova).
So much for the benefits of the book. There are some flaws as well. The most important of these in my view is this: the author begins every section with biographical notes on the sculptor under consideration. This constitutes a pattern that makes the book a rather dull read. Also, not of every piece discussed there is an image.
Still I am glad I bought and read the book (the chapters on sculpture that is).