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The Art of Praxiteles
Praxiteles is one of the most famous sculptors from ancient Greece. This study looks at both his personal background and the activities of his workshop. Chapters are devoted to placing Praxiteles in the artistic context of the period, alongside his rivals, before Corso examines his birth, family, early life and education. Subsequent chapters look at the work of Praxiteles in the workshop of Cephisodotus the Elder in the late 4th century and the art he created then, before turning to Praxiteles' own workshop and the now famous collection of works that he The kidnapping of Persephone, Persephone descending to the Underworld, The Caryatids, the Maenads, and the bronze statues of Dionysus and Eros, to name just a few.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published December 31, 2004
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May 8, 2019
While this book is about the famous Attic sculptor Praxiteles, it is something of a slog to get through.
To be fair, the average reader isn't the target demographic for this and the following tomes about the artist and his oeuvre. It is very much a dry, academic book. With persistence and lots of short breaks, I was able to read it.
One thing that really disappointed me was the paucity of photos. When I get a book about an artist, I take it for granted that there will be photos and illustrations -- lots of them. It is akin to writing about the life and art of Leonardo da Vinci and providing only a few small photos of his principle works. I'd expect color photos of his paintings, drawings, and the copies made thereafter. It is the same with Praxiteles. He is arguably among the most well-known sculptors from Classical ancient Greece.
Unfortunately the black and white photos used are uninspired and typical of the kind I'd find within a few seconds via a search on the internet.
If you are an armchair fan of Greek sculpture don't get this book. It is just dry and and long. If you are a serious student or a researcher, this book will be of much more value to you.
To be fair, the average reader isn't the target demographic for this and the following tomes about the artist and his oeuvre. It is very much a dry, academic book. With persistence and lots of short breaks, I was able to read it.
One thing that really disappointed me was the paucity of photos. When I get a book about an artist, I take it for granted that there will be photos and illustrations -- lots of them. It is akin to writing about the life and art of Leonardo da Vinci and providing only a few small photos of his principle works. I'd expect color photos of his paintings, drawings, and the copies made thereafter. It is the same with Praxiteles. He is arguably among the most well-known sculptors from Classical ancient Greece.
Unfortunately the black and white photos used are uninspired and typical of the kind I'd find within a few seconds via a search on the internet.
If you are an armchair fan of Greek sculpture don't get this book. It is just dry and and long. If you are a serious student or a researcher, this book will be of much more value to you.
Displaying 1 of 1 review