Russian Painting (Temporis Collection) [Hardcover]

Peter Leek (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2005 | Series: Temporis Collection

Russia is often viewed as the outsider of the art world, with creative genius frequently being hidden behind the representation of icons such as Rublov. However, with the succession of Pierre Le Grand, it was Europe which brought light to this otherwise ostensibly uncivilized empire. Saint-Petersburg suddenly rose out of the darkness thanks to the brilliance of an Italian artist, and for more than a century afterwards, became a highly important cultural focus. The all powerful Tsar, and later Catherine the Great allowed exchanges between Russian and European artists which eventually gave birth to a new Russian form of painting. Although this was greatly inspired by Italy and its vibrant colours, it stayed true to its foundations in Russian culture. However, it was not until the 20th century that a true national style came into its own with the emergence of the Ambulants and the Blue Roses. This was then followed by the revolutionary period which led to the Russian Avant Garde and then modernism. In this book, we come to understand the author's viewpoint on Russian culture as a combination of western culture as well as eastern. These influences are demonstrated in the works and cover a vast pictorial scope. Artists such as Borovikovsky, Serov, Vrubel, Briullov, Fedotov, Repin, Shishkin and Levitan, among many others, bring their own fundamental contribution to the history of art. Peter Leek puts the evolution of the history of Russian art after the fall of communism into perspective.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Although touted as a major survey of Russian art, this is more of a coffee-table book than a research title. The 304 color illustrations are attractively reproduced and grouped into three main chapters: "From the 18th Century to the 1860s," "From the 1860s to the 1890s," and "From the 1890s to the Post-Revolutionary Period." Each chapter includes portraiture, historical painting, landscape, and still life among other painting types and trends. The brief chapter introductions and sparse text found amid the book's glorious images leave the reader wanting more information. Leek, who is never clearly identified, has simply tried to cover too much material. Because Leek attempts to include everyone from Karl Briullov (1799-1852) to Vasily Kandinsky (1866-1944), each of these influential artists is described in just a few sentences. A tighter focus would have been to this book's advantage. Marginally recommended for larger public and academic library art collections in need of Russian art images.
-Jennifer Mayer, Univ. of Wyoming Libs., Laramie
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Peter Leek is a British Art historian who has participated in the publication of a number of works recognised by his peers.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 271 pages
• Publisher: Parkstone Press; 1St Edition edition (November 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1859959393
• ISBN-13: 978-1859959398
• Product Dimensions: 12.6 x 10.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,957,855 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Overview, February 18, 2007

By 

R. Craig Johnson "redart" (Salt Lake City, UT USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Russian Painting (Temporis Collection) (Hardcover)

This book is certainly worth having in any collection of students of Russian art. While it is not terribly useful for any particular period and is a bit short on detailed information, it does accomplish the main purpose of having an overview of the various types and historical periods of Russian art. It has an excellent collection of color plates which speak for themselves and exhibit the various traditions. It has a very short section on post revolutionary Russian Impressionism and I found that useful, but for others who want an indepth look at any particular period or genre, it is pretty basic. Worth having for historical and tradition context, but for serious focus on a particular tradition, other books are more detailed. I'm happy I have it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful gift for a Russian friend, December 8, 2009

By 

M. Szakacs "purveyor" (Florida) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Russian Painting (Temporis Collection) (Hardcover)

This is not strictly a review, but a reccomandation. I bought the book for a Russian friend who loves art, but has no Russian art books. I soon found out why. It is very hard to find a book on real Russian art. Plenty of books on the Hermitage collections and other foreign artists collected by Russian.
The book was a great success, my friend was so touched to see pictures by the artists she had studied about. It was worth every penny.

4.0 out of 5 stars Great introduction before visiting Russia, March 11, 2008

By 

Kenneth East (Chicago, Illinois) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Russian Painting (Temporis Collection) (Hardcover)

This a beautifully illustrated book that can introduce you to the major Russian painters. And--if you're like me--all of them before the early 20th century will be unknown to you. I've read a fair amount of the text. I've found it good background for someone who just wants to know a little about Russian art before visiting Moscow and St Petersburg. There are good plates of the most important paintings. It's easy to go online to find more biographical background and even more plates if you find artists that intrigue you. I wish the index were better. The book is organized by genres--portraits, historical paintings, landscapes, etc. If you're trying to find all the paintings--or commentary--on a single painter, it's a struggle. But that's a quibble. I'm very pleased with the book. It's useful as I'm doing background research for my trip. I'll love having it as a reference once I return.