This encyclopedia was produced in 1997 and is now getting near 20 years old.
It aimed to cover Dutch Art from just before 1500 to the 1990's
See the Amazon descriptions
About half the articles are written by North American Scholars and the other half by Dutch Scholars whose essays are translated
My guess is that it is aimed at those studying art history at college or university ( I didn't study art history--- my field was medicine , so I comment as one interested in art ,rather than one who has to write essays, take seminars etc)
Initially I was a bit disappointed with this work, but with further use I can come to appreciate its qualities.
It has a very wide brief to cover Dutch Art History from its start to the 1990's
This no doubt gave the Editor headaches on the best way to arrange material-- one cannot please all readers and I think part of my initial dislike was due to my preference for some of the material being structured in a different way
The book is structured around a very helpful
Entries Grouped by Major Categies
Architecture
Arts
Biography
Cultural History
Drawing , History of Drawing
Groups , Schools, Movements
Ideas, Concepts, Themes
Internationalism
Painting, History of Painting
Patronage
Photography, History of Photography
Printmaking, History of Prints
Sculpture, History, History of Sculpture
Writing about Art
In Architecture there are some 17 entries . * (starred items ) are basic introductory items
You can read all the starred items in architecture to get a general overview or you can branch out in a number of directions either using the thematic guide, or the see also at the end off the article.
There is a very comprehensive well organized index. Pages 463--489
Articles have bibliographies with well selected works in both English and Dutch. Part of the reason for works in Dutch is that is the language where much of the best material is published in. ( The Editor felt these works should either be in major metropolitan libraries, or in College or University libraries or easily obtained by them)
I didn't count them , but my rough guess is that there are some 170 artist biographies
To access the artists works the index often proves helpful
To give you a idea of how the encyclodia works I will give a couple of examples
Rembrandt. ( articles are in strict alphabetic order)
##Rembrandt Research The vast majority of the bibliography in English with some French, Dutch and German ( I only read English ). See also 4 items
##Rembrandt School with some 30 items in see also. With9 items in the bibliography
##Rembrandt van Rijn with 16 items in see also and a meer 14 items in the bibliography ( generally well chosen)
###Index has Rembrandt Research, Rembrandt School, Rembrandt which covers the basic Rembrandt article but covers a number of other topics like art academies, conversation pieces, drawings, etchings,Italian influence,Jewish Subjects,landscapes to self portraits and Group Portraits
There is also a see also list
You have to go to N to find the 8 references to the Nightwatch
You can go to the article on Self Portraiture and also the index on that subject
While in the index you may note the articles on Music and Musical Instruments, and musicians,musical companies musical performers ( I had recently reviewed "Celebrating in the Golden Age"
While in the index you may look upClothing, costume, fashion to get more detail on the 17th century costumes you noted on the above exhibition
Example two
Mondrian, Piet 4 collection mn article ( 2 columns per page)
There are some 15 see also items including people, movement like De Stiil, and other items like North American Painting--Dutch influence
There are 11 items in the bibliography
The bibliographies aim to cite it important work mainly in English or Dutch , with catalogue raisoones, major exhibitions especially those since the early 1980's , important essays and important monographs
Summary
Once you get to know your way around this work you will find it very helpful
It has an excellent Thematic Guide at the start of the book.
The articles are well written and up to date to the time of its writing
The articles have a very helpful comprehensive see also at the end of each article
There are up to date bibliographies with both English and Dutch works
All articles are signed-- some scholars I recognise, others not. I think they all did a good job.
The Editor did a good job of co-ordinating the articles and cross referencing-- as space is usually at a premium in works like this
The book is very well produced but see my comments on illustrations below
I am speaking outside my area of training but I would think this would be a very useful took for anyone with an interest in Dutch Art be they a student or a moderately interested onlooker like myself
The encyclopedia is a xpensive so you have to decide whether to buy new or a good second hand copy
My main complaint is that I think the full page black and white illustrations lack crispness-- I haven't got all my books on Dutch art out to compare them but that is my view. This comment doesn't apply to all the B&W illustration but to enough of them to make one unhappy
There are some 150 or so B&W illustrations and a small number of Full page colour illustrations
Although I am a bit unhappy about the illustrations, this Encyclopedias closed ia is packed with information and you will keep returning to it over the years
ISBN-13: 978-0815300656
ISBN-10: 0815300654
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Top review from the United States
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A very useful guide to Dutch Art from its Beginning to the1990's, Well written and packed with information
Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2015
