U. of Washington Press

Albert Bierstadt; Puget Sound on the Pacific Coast; a superb vision of dreamland.

Bierstadt, who painted large, imaginative landscapes, visited the west coast of the US in 1860, afterwards painting a highly romantic, imaginary view of Puget Sound. The centerpiece of an exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum in 2011, the painting receives in-depth discussion in this well-illustrated, slim, oversized catalog (9x12 inches). Bierstadt's travels, his method of composition, the importance of Carleton Watkins' photographs of the area, and comparative works supplement the discussion of the painting. Includes a bibliography, but no index. Distributed by the U. of Washington Press. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Ballets Russes; the art of costume.

Published in conjunction with a 2010-2011 exhibition at the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, this catalogue contains essays describing the history of the Ballets Russes and discussing the costumes. It has been 100 years since Serge Diaghilev established the touring company in Paris in 1911; interestingly, that was the same year that the design competition for Australia's new capital city, Canberra, was announced. Eventually, that city's National Gallery became the home of one of the three largest costume collections from the company. This catalogue showcases 150 costumes and accessories from the exhibition in an elegantly produced oversize volume (9.5x11.5 inches). Distribution in the US is by the U. of Washington Press. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

From New York to Corrymore; Robert Henri and Ireland.

This colorful catalog of the exhibit From New York to Corrymore running through August 2011 at the Mint Museum in Charlotte, North Carolina, showcases the work of the early twentieth century painter Robert Henri, focusing on his relationship with Ireland and the many paintings, especially portraits of children, that he produced during his visits there. The volume include two historical essays, Before Corrymore: Irish Images and Influences in New York by Jonathan Stuhlman and Rode to Corrymore: Robert Henri, His Art, and Ireland by Valerie Ann Leeds, as well as forty-three full color gloss plates. Distributed by University of Washington Press. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Henk Pander; memory and modern life.

Artist Pander was born in Holland and was academically trained there, then moved to Portland, Oregon where he has lived for 45 years. This catalogue is published in conjunction with a 2011 exhibition at the Hallie Ford Museum of Art at Willamette University (Salem, Oregon). Hull (emeritus, art, Willamette U.) curated the exhibition and wrote the text, which offers a detailed biography and thorough discussion of Pander's work. Distribution is by the U. of Washington Press. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

The lure of painted poetry; Japanese and Korean art.

Published in conjunction with an exhibition of the same title running at the Cleveland Museum of Art from March through August 2011, this colorful volume examines the inter-Asian communication of culture through artistic representations of Chinese classical poetry from the fourteenth century to the present. The work examines calligraphy, painting, ceramics, metal and textiles and includes numerous illustrations with detailed captions, essays on historical and artistic themes and a general chronology of the works and important periods. Distributed by Hudson Hills Press. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Monet's Water lilies; the Agapanthus triptych.

This catalog has been published in conjunction with an exhibition of the same name that brings together the three panels of Claude Monet's Agapanthus triptych, whose separate panels are owned by the Saint Louis Art Museum, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, and Cleveland Museum of Art, institutions which will present the exhibition from 2011 to 2015. The exhibition explores the water-lily triptych's genesis, evolution, and history, including Monet's revisions and original plans for its installation and in the context of his preliminary studies and the large-scale works he conceived, and new archival and technical research on one of the panels. Colorplates of the triptych and other works, as well as a fold-out of it, are included. Distributed by U. of Washington Press. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)