Poussin: The Triumph of Flora - Hardcover

Federico Zeri, an eminent art historian and critic, was vice president of the National Council for Cultural and Environmental Treasures and was decorated with the Legion of Honor by the French Government. He passed away in 1998.

Grade 7 & Up--The texts of these titles were based on interviews with the late Italian art historian and critic, Zeri. Each book examines one painting in detail. Separate sections cover an analysis of the featured work and an overview of the artist's career, the man and his time, and his legacy. The disjointed comments about the paintings under discussion are really no more than bullet points. Much of the other commentary is in the form of captions. Although there are numerous quality illustrations, one major problem is the size of the artwork reproduced for purposes of comparison. Its thumbnail dimensions make it difficult to see the details noted in the captions. Supplementary material include two-page spreads on "The Artistic Journey," a series of reproductions in chronological order accompanied by brief explanatory paragraphs. But again, the reproductions are too small to reveal significant detail. Each volume also provides a few quotes from primary sources, a time line of the artist's life, and a catalog of paintings indicating locations. The majority of the books listed in the bibliography are written in Italian or French. Although the titles might be of interest to teens serious about art, many other more accessible sources are available.

Tim Wadham, Maricopa County Library District, Phoenix, AZ

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