Robert Motherwell : What Art Holds [Hardcover]

Mary Ann Caws (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0231096445 | ISBN-13: 978-0231096447 | Publication Date: April 15, 1996 0

Caws discusses the artist's paintings, drawings, and collages in relation to the wide variety of American and European literature, philosophy, and art which influenced Motherwell.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

In a meandering, allusive text, Caws (comparative literature, CUNY) combines anecdotes from Motherwell's life with a wide variety of literary and artistic references to locate his place in the art movements of this century. This discussion is interspersed with Caws's responses to specific works or series by Motherwell. A chronology of the artist's life, photographs of him in his last years, transcripts of several interviews with him, and a generous selection of reproductions of his paintings and collages complete the volume. Some readers will find Caws's idiosyncratic prose puzzling, though others may find it quite compatible with Motherwell's abstract expressionistic spirit. Suitable for informed lay readers as well as scholars, this work is best suited to academic and special libraries.?Kathryn Wekselman, Univ. of Cincinnati
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 264 pages
• Publisher: Columbia University Press (April 15, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0231096445
• ISBN-13: 978-0231096447
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 7.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 1.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,281,356 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Book fell apart!, February 14, 2010

By 

N. A "readalot" (Santa fe, nm) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Robert Motherwell : What Art Holds (Hardcover)

Not only were the photos cropped, and in some instances upside down! The book has
fallen apart. I have pages that fell out, and are now just placed. What a shame!
The written content is there and so I go back to it now and then.
Shame on the publishers for such a disrespectful treatment to such an
important artist. Look elsewehere.

28 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A total travesty!, October 3, 2003

By 

artslover "artslover" (Kirkland, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Robert Motherwell : What Art Holds (Hardcover)

I feel so bad for the author, but not bad enough to keep this book. It's being returned. Although the written content is excellent, 10 of the meager 18 photos of Motherwell's work are problematic -- nine have been inadvertently cropped during the printing, and one is both cropped and printed upside down. These books should have been withdrawn and reprinted, but instead, Columbia University Press tucked a little sheet into the dust jacket explaining their regret. It's hard to believe they proceeded with the distribution of this book, and retail it for $46. This is unconscionable in any book, but especially an art book on a noted figure like Motherwell. Please note that Amazon says the other reviewer's comments are based on a different edition.

9 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars RoBert Motherwell - What Art Holds, May 12, 2006

By 

artist- Joe Monroe "Joe Coon artman" (Danville, Il.) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Robert Motherwell : What Art Holds (Hardcover)

I am a professional artist for 30 years, I am just getting to the time in my career where I want to pull the aBstracts out of my sketch Books and work them into what used to Be my representational
large art ,and Be more comfortaBle. So not only am I looking for other aBsract forms and shapes, But for me, the mayBe 15-20 paintings in color( I didn't need to see his Black and White paintings in color)When I saw the colored front page, I was excited to see what Motherwell had done with color. There must have Been 90 photo opportunites to show the command of, or his lack of command, when it came to color. I mean could you imagine 1/10 of any aBstract -expressionist Being in color , leaving us to image 9/10 in Black and White of DeKooning, or Pollock,or Davis,or Hans Hoffman,on and on. I will see if I can send this Back. I feel tricked, and that I paid top dollar, for an editor ( and I don't know how they thought they could get away with it)But...to you , the Editors of this Book, STOP printing Now, and spend much , much more on color and you will douBle your sales. If I would have seen this Book in full in a Book store , I would have memorized the short shaft of color paintings and gone on to look for one on Motherwell that had much more color. You see, when ABstract Expressionists are shown, they 9 out of 10 will use the Black and White paintings of Motherwell....so most of us, I would think have a need to see his work in color.....Yes, I am disappointed...Can I send this Back?