The Best of Pastel (v. 1) (Hardcover)

~ Constance Flavell Pratt (Compiler), Janet Monafo (Compiler)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Pastels are pure pigment, taken from the stones of the earth. One of the oldest of all media, pure pigment paintings have been found on the walls of caves in Altamira, Spain and Lascaux, France. "The Best of Pastels" is a wonderful collection of more than two hundred works of art created by masters in the medium of pastel. Juried by award-winning pastel artists Constance Flavell Pratt and Janet Monafo, with an introduction by Flora B. Giffuni, founder of the Pastel Society of America, this is an essential volume for all who are fascinated by the beautiful medium of pastel.

About the Author

Janet Monafo was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and has had a number of solo exhibitions at such galleries as the Allan Stone Gallery and the Sherry French Gallery in New York. Monafo received a Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts in 1982. Her work is held in many public and private collections. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: North Light Books (September 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1564962695
• ISBN-13: 978-1564962690
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 9.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,324,842 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful grouping of contemporary pastelists, January 7, 1999

By A Customer

This is a richly illustrated book of some of the best contemporary pastelists working today. The introduction by Flora Giffuni (founder of the Pastel Society of America) re-affirms for the reader that pastel is, indeed, a glorious medium, as do the many fine examples illustrated throughout the book. The full color reproductions are of very good quality, nicely demonstrating the vivacious qualities of this fabulous yet often misunderstood medium. Each reproduction is accompanied by the title and dimensions of the work, the artist's name, and the support used. Future editions would benefit from artists' statements (as is the case in "The best of Pastel 2"), as well as the types of pastels used by each individual artist. One minor criticism is that there are often four reproductions to a spread, which of course can distract from each individual piece (the 2nd edition eliminates that problem by placing one image to a page). The directory of artists in the back of the book is also a nice addition. This book is highly recommended to both the devout pastelist and those who are unfamiliar with the medium.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars nice format, August 15, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Best of Pastel (Paperback)

This is a nice small book: however, if readers have Best of Pastels and Pastels 2, it the same examples of pastels from these two books.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not as good as Best of Pastel 2, January 21, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Best of Pastel (Paperback)

Sorry to disagree but this volume has almost no figure works and has little if any explanation of the paintings and drawings. The next volume has figures and helpful explanations and background.