The End
Artists' Late and Last Works
Published on 14. October 2019
Book
Hardback
336 pages
978-1-78914-131-3 (ISBN)
Description
When is a work of art finished? Can it be complete in a mental sense? And who decides? In this highly original and wide-ranging study, Carel Blotkamp explores the concept and manifestations of 'the end' in art.
From the idea of a mortal end to the notion of completeness, Blotkamp describes a fascinating array of historical facts and myths as well as novels on art and artists. He examines the value of the last works of artists, considering how a particular end came about and how that might affect our perception of the work; the difference in the styles of artists in old age; unfinished last works and those completed by another's hand; and the mythology inherent in the reception of last works, taking the last works of Raphael and Mondrian as prime examples. For students, artists and art enthusiasts looking for a new perspective on modern art, The End is the perfect place to start.
From the idea of a mortal end to the notion of completeness, Blotkamp describes a fascinating array of historical facts and myths as well as novels on art and artists. He examines the value of the last works of artists, considering how a particular end came about and how that might affect our perception of the work; the difference in the styles of artists in old age; unfinished last works and those completed by another's hand; and the mythology inherent in the reception of last works, taking the last works of Raphael and Mondrian as prime examples. For students, artists and art enthusiasts looking for a new perspective on modern art, The End is the perfect place to start.
Reviews / Votes
International Association of Art Critics Award (Dutch section) 2021 * Winner * Late style may be the visual expression of what it feels like to face the end - or it may be nothing more than a critic's fantasy, a by-product of our hunger for hidden meanings, narrative closure, and valedictory statements. More likely, it is both at once: the subjective expression of an artist, viewed subjectively. That's why lateness means something, if it means anything at all, only in our time-bound experience of late works. There is a specificity - a fragility - to lateness. * Max Norman, The New Yorker * In The End, Carel Blotkamp tells us that the last works of visual artists often have a mythology attached to them. Often this is read into the works retrospectively; we can perceive in last works the summary of a career, and the perfection of a style, such as Mark Rothko's last paintings, which seem to be an endpoint of abstraction and meditative calm . . . Blotkamp suggests that unfinished paintings - and last works are often and inevitably unfinished - show a more human side to artists, especially, like Raphael, those who are lauded as godlike in their abilities. * Insights Magazine, Australia *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Adult education
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
60 illustrations, 24 in colour
Dimensions
Height: 217 mm
Width: 164 mm
Thickness: 32 mm
Weight
859 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-78914-131-3 (9781789141313)
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 Classification
Person
Carel Blotkamp is Professor Emeritus of the History of Modern Art at Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam and a well-known authority on Mondrian and De Stijl. He is the author of Mondrian: The Art of Destruction (Reaktion, 2001).