In this broad cultural survey, James Hall brilliantly maps the history of self-portraiture, from the earliest myths of Narcissus and the Christian tradition of 'bearing witness' to the prolific self-image-making of today's contemporary artists. Along the way he reveals the importance of the medieval 'mirror craze'; the confessional self-portraits of Titian and Michelangelo; the role of biography for serial self-portraitists such as Courbet and van Gogh; themes of sex and genius in works by Munch and Bonnard; and the latest developments in our globalized age. Hall covers the full range of self-portraits, from comic and caricature self-portraits to 'invented' or imaginary ones, and looks deeply into the worlds and mindsets of the artists who have created them. Offering a rich and lively history, this is an essential read for all those interested in this most enduringly popular and humane of art forms.
Rezensionen / Stimmen
'There is never a dull passage in this book: the detail is crisply imparted; the content richly arcane at times, but more usually profoundly human; the ideas come freshly coined. Hall manages to retain the intellectual high ground while writing with verve and enthusiasm.' - Frances Spalding, Guardian 'Fascinating, erudite and beautifully produced' - Sunday Times 'Beautifully designed ... delivers original and engaging interpretations' - RA Magazine 'This is really good art history, intelligent, knowledgeable and fired by ideas' - World of Interiors
Sprache
Verlagsort
Illustrationen
11 Illustrations, black and white; 109 Illustrations, color
Maße
Höhe: 229 mm
Breite: 152 mm
Gewicht
ISBN-13
978-0-500-23910-0 (9780500239100)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Klassifikation
James Hall is an art critic, historian, lecturer and broadcaster. He was formerly Chief Art Critic of The Sunday Correspondent and of the Guardian. He contributes to the Guardian Saturday Review, The Times and Times Literary Supplement, as well as to many magazines and catalogues. He is the author of several books including The Self-Portrait: A Cultural History (Thames & Hudson, 2014), which the Sunday Times hailed as 'fascinating, erudite and beautifully produced', and The Artist's Studio: A Cultural History (Thames & Hudson, 2022).
