Book Description

This extraordinary work presents every known document concerning Raphael during a period of 120 years, from his birth in 1483 to 1602. The chronologically organized collection includes some 1,100 documents, many of which are newly discovered or little known, concerning the artist, his work, writings, family, properties, and other matters. The handsome two-volume set is an invaluable resource for art historians and historians of the Renaissance. Each document is included in transcription, in most cases made afresh from the original, and translations are provided for literary Latin and Greek. For each entry John Shearman provides commentary as well as a critical history and bibliography. In addition he offers an overall introduction that deals with the nature of documentary research, its limitations and possibilities, and the history of facsimiles and forgeries. Three useful indexes complete the two volumes. ... Read more

Book Description

This opulent, multi-faceted celebration of the man called "the prince of painters" is a treat for fans of Renaissance painting and students of art history alike.

Alongside Michelangelo, Raphael Santi is considered the second great genius of Italian Renaissance art. While his paintings epitomize the High Renaissance qualities of harmony and ideal beauty, their warmth and serenity shine through.

Throughout the volume Raphael’s own observations shed light on his creative process and his deep devotion to his art. Filled with biographical material, including excerpts from the artist’s letters, study of the art and life of Raphael uses brilliant color, dynamic layouts and in-depth research to yield a vivid picture of his life and work. Time lines, detailed historical background, and splendid reproductions of his depictions of the Madonna and Child and his commissions from the court of Pope Julius II lead toward a greater understanding of the forces behind his genius. Anyone fascinated with the life and times of this magnificent artist will find much to explore and savor within the pages of I, Raphael. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Jewish art analyzed in depth
This book was recommended to me by a professor who felt that the text would clarify my questions about what Jewish art is. The book did that and more. The book carefully goes through the many possiblities of what Jewish art is, how it has been understood in the past, and what the author thinks. Before this book I felt that Jewish art could really only be defined as religious, but now I understand much more about the ethnic dimensions of Judaism. According to the author, the "cultural" aspects of Jewish art are just as worthy as the religious ones. She expains all this with examples and by testing her ideas on the art of Raphael Soyer. R. Soyer's art is really great, as is this book. I recommend it to anyone interested in American art, Jewish art, or Soyer.

Fascinating on several levels
I found this book fascinating, and I'm just as fascinated by the reactions to it, especially the angry diatribe.

The value of this book is that Soyer has been known as a Jewish artist, but no one has talked about him as such in real depth. I recommend this book for its:
1. Attention to biography. The author quotes and analyzes Soyer's 4 autobiographies, his personal papers, and oral interviews. She's probed these sources and found interesting material there.
2. Multidimensional use of history. One reviewer states that the author doesn't tell us anything about the historical context of Soyer's art. I disagree. She tells us much, it's just that it's not the same old American stuff wrapped around him. She provides an alternate historical perspective: the Jewish one alongside the national and artistic ones. I especially like her use of literary works, such as Elias Tobenkin and Abraham Cahan, to help explain the mindset of the time.
3. Attention to visual details. Her interpretations of the art, especially Soyer's illustrations discussed in the last chapter, is impressive.

The author uses the evidence the artist has left behind, both verbal and visual, to construct an interesting portrait of Soyer. I think those uncomfortable with that portrait are those who have been, for whatever reason, perpetuating a static view of Soyer (gender, race and religion matter!), or have ignored him altogether.

This new look at Soyer is just what's needed - and not just for art history, but religious studies, gender studies, and all those interested in difference.

extremely disappointing
I agree with the first reviewer that Soyer deserves more attention than he has received, but, unfortunately, this book is not the kind of attention he deserves.

Baskind tries to fit all of Soyer's work into her narrow interpretative frame. I did not find her arguments convincing. Her focus seems to be on "outing" Soyer as a Jew (not really necessary, since this is a well-known aspect of his identity, and nothing he ever tried to hide), rather than telling us anything new about his work or its historical context. In fact, I found myself not trusting the biographical information she does report because it all seems to be twisted around to support her predetermined arguments.

If you are interested in the question of "What is Jewish art?" you might enjoy this book, but if you are an admirer of Raphael Soyer, you probably won't.

Important book on Soyer and Jewish art
Samantha Baskind's Raphael Soyer and the Search for Modern Jewish Art describes the life and work of Raphael Soyer, a Russian immigrant who arrived in America in 1912 at the age of thirteen. The oldest of six children, Soyer, his twin brother Moses, and their younger brother Isaac became artists. All three of these talented siblings sit on the periphery of American art, and in this well-researched book Baskind shows why Soyer deserves more attention than he has previously received. Along with describing how Soyer's art was influenced by his Jewish identity, Baskind also critically examines "the assumptions and methodologies scholars employ when discussing Jewish art" (4). Her lucid prose, even when dealing with challenging thinkers (Freud, Simmel, and Jonathan and Daniel Boyarin, among others), makes Soyer and his Jewishness accessible.

Baskind begins her book by stating that Soyer "did not want to be known as a Jewish artist" (1), and then proceeds in the following five chapters to look closely at a single work or a group of related works by Soyer. She explains how Soyer was never a parochial painter - she does not connect his work to the religious elements of Judaism - but that the religiocultural dimensions of Judaism influenced his art. The first chapter, for example, examines a self-portrait from 1927. She tenaciously digs at the meanings in this portrait, and her attention to details, both visual and socio-political, is impressive as she shows how Soyer negotiated the challenges of being Jewish in the first decades of the twentieth century.

Baskind's discussion of past analyses of Soyer's well-known painting Dancing Lesson illustrates her accomplishment. This painting has been previously understood as Jewish, but, as Baskind explains, a close look at the work's iconography has never been performed. Baskind does this with panache and insight. Baskind carefully examines the painting, pulling out the "Jewish signs" (64) in Dancing Lesson, finally providing a paradigm for why this painting has fascinated so many as an example of Jewish art.

This book may be the impetus for others to take Soyer more seriously as an artist. Importantly, Baskind never attempts to claim Soyer. She only offers possible meanings - she mindfully phrases her interpretations with words like "seems," "may," and "perhaps," and states in her conclusion that "If this discussion of Soyer's professional self-definition opens up new perspectives on Soyer's art and incites scholars to reevaluate Soyer, then I have done my job" (196). She wants others to write and comment on Soyer; she does not pretend to be all-knowing and understands the limits of scholarship. Baskind also acknowledges that "Soyer cannot be understood adequately as [solely] a Jewish artist or an American artist" (196), thus opening up a hopefully new field of Soyer studies to interpretations from various perspectives.

The book culminates with Baskind's discussion of Soyer's book illustrations for Isaac Bashevis Singer. Her attention to Soyer's artistic precedents, especially the illustrations' uncanny resemblances to Marc Chagall's art and that of Jacob Epstein, is art history as it should be done. Beautifully written with an astonishing depth of understanding of twentieth-century American art and culture, Baskind's exceptional scholarship has enriched our understanding of Soyer and Jewish art. ... Read more

Book Description

All of Raphael's most important paintings as well as a significant number of his drawings and engravings are reproduced, principally in color, in this splendid new tribute to one of the most admired artists of the Italian Renaissance.

In this lavishly illustrated book featuring some 300 illustrations, the author takes a fresh, critical look at the life and work of Rafaello Sanzio, or, as he signed certain paintings, Raphael Urbinas--in homage to his native city of Urbino. Described as "an artist touched by grace," Raphael is considered along with Michelangelo and Leonardo to be one of the greatest painters of the Italian Renaissance.

Raphael (1483-1520), whose birth and death were on a Good Friday, belonged to a family of merchants; aside from his training in the studio of Perugino, little is known about his earliest years. He arrived in Florence in 1504, where he studied the masters: Masaccio, Ghirlandaio, Leonardo and produced magnificent paintings of the Madonna as well as remarkable portraits; in 1508 he went to Rome, where he died a dozen years later at the height of his powers, after creating monumental works at the Vatican. At thirty years of age, he was, in the eyes of his contemporaries, a living legend. In his Lives of the Artists, Vasari wrote: " While we may term other works paintings, those of Raphael are living things, the flesh palpitates, the breath comes and goes, every organ lives, life pulsates everywhere."

In a fascinating text De Vecchi reexamines each of the major periods of Raphael's short career dispelling the myths about him that have accumulated over the centuries. He reminds us that the most "profound" element of Raphael's art was his striving to express in his work the dialectic between earthly and heavenly love, which was an important concern of his contemporaries The coverage of the text extends beyond the paintings to Raphael's significant work as an architect and designer of interiors. The reference material in the Appendix includes a chronology and a bibliography.

Other details: Approximately 300 full-color illustrations ... Read more

Reviews (1)

For Art Lovers
Let me first mention that I am reviewing the 1994 edition, 128 pages, which is a slightly abridged edition of an earlier 1973 edition. It has 100 illustrations, 40 full-colour plates. I have perused the 1973 edition and found the text to be exactly the same. There are just fewer illustrations and colour plates. That seems to be the only difference.
My one complaint about the book is that there really is no personal information on Raphael; it basically concerns just his painting. How much he produced in his short span of 37 years! Never married, his work is his legacy. An art class I once took focused some time on his "School of Athens" fresco in the Vatican. He painted a surprising mixture of classical, religious, and secular themes. Among the greatest artists of the Italian Renaissance, along with Da Vinci and Michelangelo, both of whom were older. I highly recommend this book for any lover of the Arts. And especially if you have been to Rome and the Vatican. Or, if you are planning such a trip. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

At an international conference in 1983 commemorating the 500th anniversary of Raphael's birth, art conservators and historians benefited from a rare opportunity to discuss with each other new data obtained from the scientific examination and treatment of an artist's works as they were being readied for exhibitions. Each paper, presented by a conservator to an audience composed mainly of art historians, focuses on one painting or group of paintings by Raphael and discusses how such approaches as infrared reflectography and studies of color technique yield useful historical insights--for example, the range and variation of technique one can expect from the painter and the play of artistic influences on his work. As a whole, these papers constitute a step toward a history of Raphael's technique, but more importantly they suggest possibilities of collaboration between art conservators and historians. In addition to the editors, the contributors to this volume are Rafael Alonso, J. Bauch, J.R.J. van Asperen de Boer, Sylvie Bguin, Marco Chiarini, Carol Christensen, Burton B. Frederiksen, Peter Klein, Raffaella Rossi Manaresi, Fabrizio Mancinelli, Priscilla Grazioli Medici, Joyce Plesters, Wolfgang Prohaska, and Hubert von Sonnenburg. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Certainly the most valuable book on Raphael's techniques!
This is perhaps the most important monograph on a renaissance artist yet written. The body of technical information, and anomalies, is the most comprehensive available on this artist. Any scholar of Raphael that has not fully examined this marvelous compendium is now decades behind their counterparts that have. The combination of stylistic and technical material and evidence presented within this book has set a new standard in scholarly art literature. The role of the art historian is changing, and this book presents the guidelines by which futrure art historians shall be judged. Regardless of the area of specialization, every art historian should become thoroughly familiar with the format and content of this incredible compilation. ... Read more

Book Description

Five centuries ago a stunningly beautiful young man with flowing blond locks sat for a portrait by Raphael. In the artist’s dynamic conception, Bindo Altoviti turns as if to speak to his Florentine bride, Fiammetta. Ardently admired over the years, as it is today, Raphael’s portrait was also coolly received by more than one influential critic who cast a shadow on its reputation. This gloriously illustrated book tells the story of the portrait’s creation and of its unexpected trajectory through history.
Focusing on viewers’ responses to Bindo Altoviti, the book describes the transformation of the picture from a family treasure into a supposed self-portrait of the artist; its public display in Munich, where first it was celebrated, then dismissed by skeptics claiming that it was neither of nor by Raphael; and its acquisition by canny English dealers who lured the panel out of Nazi Germany. Purchased as a Raphael by American collector Samuel H. Kress, the painting was donated in 1943 to the newly opened National Gallery of Art, where Bindo’s image has beguiled visitors ever since.

... Read more

Book Description

Raphael's Stanza della Segnatura in the Vatican Palace has often been considered the artist's most aesthetically perfect work. Executed between 1508 and 1511, it features a painted ceiling, a pavement of inlaid marble, and four frescoed walls, all orchestrated with a cast of famous historical figures who exemplify the various disciplines of learning.Joost-Gaugier's study is the first to examine the elements of the Stanza della Segnatura as an ensemble, exploring the meaning of the frescoes and accompanying decoration in light of recent studies into the intellectual world of High Renaissance Rome. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An Important New Interpretation of Raphael's Stanza
Raphael's "School of Athens" is one of the best-known works of art in the Western world, yet it has been little understood until now. Many figural attributions, which appear in the standard art history textbooks, are either conjectural or just plain wrong. And even the best of these former writings, have not carefully considered the relationship of the "School of Athens" to Raphael's other three paintings in the same room. Fortunately, Dr. Joost-Gaugier has written this book to set us all straight. Her scholarship is impeccable, and she considers the Stanza in the full context - historical, artistic, literary, and philosophical - of its time. Her book will appeal to many different audiences - art historians, students, scholars, and really anyone who is interested in the art and thought of the Renaissance. ... Read more

Book Description

The first systematic study of Raphael's impact on the theory, criticism, and practice of French art from the founding of the Academy to the Romantic period.

"This book is well written, thorough in its scholarship, and subtle in its interpretations."-Donald Kuspit, SUNY, Stony Brook

From ancient Greece to Renaissance Italy to the Modern period, the classical ideal, with its elusive goal of perfecting nature, has held a tenacious grip on Western culture.Nowhere has its hold on the artistic imagination been more pervasive than in France between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries.The art and life of Raphael formed the bedrock of the classical tradition in French art, yet no comprehensive study of Raphael's impact on the art theory, criticism, and practice of classicism exists.This book fills that gap.Transcending limited notions of artistic influence, the book demonstrates that Raphael had as much impact as a symbol as he did as a paradigm of the classical tradition.

Focusing on French art and theory from the classical to the Romantic era, Raphael and France is part of the ongoing revision of views of that period which has been taking place for the last twenty years.The book demonstrates that the shifts from classical to Rococo to neoclassical aesthetics were not as abrupt or as all-encompassing as has been assumed.By tracing the continuity and transformation of the classical ideal, with Raphael's art and image as central paradigms, Rosenberg achieves a broader, more accurate, and comprehensive view of French artistic developments during this period.

Rosenberg draws on careful readings of primary sources, including the correspondence and lectures of the French Academy, some of which are unpublished; most of the major theoretical treatises by French and foreign authors; and contemporary criticism and works of art.In the process, he strikes a methodological balance between traditional art-historical approaches and insights provided by more contemporary approaches, such as semiotics and poststructuralism.As the notion of isolated genius as the prime force in art has given way to a broader, more contextual view of art and history, interest in past traditions once regarded as outmoded or dead has grown tremendously.This book makes a timely contribution to this widening area of inquiry. ... Read more