The Last Nude by Ellis Avery flips the script on the traditional (and misogynistic) notion of the relationship between an artist and their muse. In some ways, it plays into the seemingly patriarchal trope of the famous artist passionately and erotically obsessed with a beautiful young woman in need of some perceived rescuing, whether physically […]
Read more "“The Last Nude” by Ellis Avery"The Wandering Art Historian book club met for the last time in 2020 on Friday, October 30th and we discussed an amazing book by Elise Hooper titled Learning to See. Telling the story of American photographer, Dorothea Lange, Hooper sheds light not only on Lange’s personal life, but also on the myriad of issues faced […]
Read more "My Covid Classics – #9"I will be perfectly frank… I had no idea what I was getting myself into with this book! What I thought was going to be an interesting crime novel about forgeries in the art world, turned into something wildly unexpected. I don’t want to give anything away because part of the appeal of this book […]
Read more "“The Forgery of Venus” by Michael Gruber"Have you ever heard the phrase, “Art begets art?” That’s the first thing I think of when I think about this book. It is one thing to write a biography of a famous person, even if it is someone you admire enough to call a “hero.” It is another thing entirely to create a piece […]
Read more "“Basquiat” – Paolo Parisi"Welcome to my 400th blog post!!! If you have followed this blog for any amount of time, then you know that I enjoy reading books about artists. Mostly, these books come in the form of historical fiction by highly regarded authors like Tracy Chevalier and Susan Vreeland. However, it is always good to hear from […]
Read more "James Rosenquist – “Painting Below Zero”"I recently reread Bluebeard by Kurt Vonnegut and it felt more profound now than the first time I read it. My first reading of Bluebeard was when I was in college, deep in the throws of becoming a baby art historian. This novel entering my sphere of existence seemed to line up perfectly with my […]
Read more "Bluebeard"I just finished The Lost Painting by Jonathan Harr and if you are at all interested in art historical research, the art restoration process or the artist Caravaggio, then you should probably read this book. Harr novelizes the sometimes frustrating and agonizing journey dozens of academics and scholars took to determine if the painting The […]
Read more "The Lost Painting"I want to make you aware of this incredible book just recently released titled Great Women Artists. While some may see this gorgeous and epic tome as a mere coffee table book, I would argue that it is so much more and so, so necessary at this time. From the not-so-subtle design of its cover […]
Read more "Great Women Artists"This book was brought to my attention by one of my students during summer classes. She loaned me her copy and after reading two pages of the foreword I knew I had to have my own copy of this book. Women Who Read Are Dangerous is an exquisite art book featuring an assortment of images […]
Read more "Women Who Read Are Dangerous"A few months ago I went in search of books that could potentially be included in my summer series, the Art Lovers Books Club, at the Winter Garden Art Association. I asked people who attended my events and I requested recommendations on social media. Thankfully, I received a ton of suggestions and Donna Tartt’s The […]
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