Reviews (1)

Buy Two. One to send to everyone. One to send to yourself.
Every postcard in this book is beautiful. Each will make the recipient feel special. I am convinced of it. ... Read more

Book Description

Continuously in print for more than 20 years, Abrams' Masters of Art series has always been known for its exceptional quality and value. Now these classic volumes devoted to the lives and works of the world's greatest painters have been newly redesigned and released in paperback for the first time. Comprehensive introductory texts written by distinguished art historians provide incisive and informative portraits of the artists, and their analysis is accompanied by sketches, related works by other artists, and black-and-white photographs. Each book features 40 full-page, full-color plates with commentaries on the facing page.

Jan Vermeer's mysterious and poetic paintings-with their luminous power and their simple, studied, everyday scenes-continue to fascinate us. This volume reproduces all of Vermeer's known works, including Saint Praxedis, which had only recently been validated by scholars as an important early work of the artist at the time of the book's original publication. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

The author/illustrator, Robert A. diCurcio, believes that he is the first to demonstrate conclusively that the Dutch Master painter Johannes Reynierzoon Vermeer (1632-1675) used an esoteric geometry to compose his masterpiece paintings. The author presents eight of Vermeer's paintings, downloaded in black-and-white from the internet, on which he has drawn lines and geometric figures, connecting the salient features of these paintings. The author has also provided untouched illustrations of the same paintings on which the skeptical reader can verify the analysis.

This book is in two volumnes:
VOLUME 1 -- The TEXT - 102 pages.
VOLUME 2 -- The ILLUSTRATIONS - 46 pages. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A NEW DISCOVERY IN VERMEER'S PAINTINGS
"VERMEER'S RIDDLE REVEALED The SPHINX, The JESTER and The GRAIL GEOMETRY" by Robert A. diCurcio

There is a lot to swallow in that title and too much to chew at one sitting, but if one wants to learn about a new discovery concerning this Dutch Master's paintings it is worth the effort.

The author's objective is to prove that Vermeer used Grail Geometry that is hidden in some of his paintings. Like Vermeer's paintings that can be viewed at different levels, this author provides an analysis that delves beneath the paint itself. He painstakingly constructs geometric shapes from positions of objects in the paintings and reveals the artist's intention to hide what is known as the Grail Geometry that leads to a secret map. It is a map known by few that allegedly leads to a sacred burial location, Mt. Cardou, France. It is the author's belief that the artist's Grail Geometry was applied before he began painting and he proves it.

Interwoven with his proof is a discussion of who Vermeer was, what is known of his paintings and why he would use the Grail Geometry. Vermeer was known as "The Sphinx of Delft," i.e. the riddle of Delft, hence, the author's title to this work. In conjunction with his explanation of Grail Geometry, the author adds a riddle of his own and solves it in an attempt to break the tedium of labels and lines. The proof is there if one has an open mind to scientific discovery and will concentrate on finding it. In recent private correspondence, the author has provided reproductions of "The Astronomer" and the "Geographer" that are more clear and simplified to clean up some of the cluttered graphics.

For this reader, uncovering the Grail Geometry in Vermeer's paintings is enough and considered to be an important discovery in the study of art. The author goes further, however, with his discussion and examples of Vermeer as a jester who incorporated supernumeries, hidden faces and beasties in his paintings. Although these visions may be found, they are vague to begin with and made more so by reproduction, some requiring a leap of faith so that they detract from holding the reader's interest in the Grail Geometry. Just when the reader is convinced that the author has met his objective, one is faced with another question, "Now what?" Perhaps the Jester should remain so, but part of an additional publication.

The author includes a bibliography, parts of which the reader should be familiar with, if one is to comprehend the background that led to R. A. diCurcio's discovery.

The gateway to another wonder
The first mistake that the reader might make would be to judge this book by its cover. A spiral-bound book is often considered the work of a stubborn amateur who decided to self-publish the result of his discoveries after being rejected by every possible publisher. This hypothesis is soon rejected after checking Amazon's extensive data concerning the author. We find that he wrote other spiral-bound books, among which, one is about his own Nantucket - nothing less than a book about Herman Melville's "Moby-Dick". Of the four books currently listed in amazon.com's online catalog, three of diCurcio's books are spiral bound, while the fourth is a hardcover edition containing almost 100 superb color reproductions of historic paintings. After reading "Vermeer's Riddle Revealed", the purchaser will understand why this book was produced in two spiral-bound volumes: to open both wide and to lay both flat -- so that the text volume and the full-page illustrations volume can easily be compared.

His starting point is something we take too many times for granted. We do not see everything around us. This untouchable truth is, alas, most of the time fully ignored. Our eyes cannot discern every chromatic line of colours (sometimes they can't see some at all), just as our ears cannot hear every possible sound outside the 20 to 20,000 Hz. range. What lies before us is not always perceived.

The "unperceived" is Robert diCurcio's starting point. In his analysis of Vermeer's paintings, his approach seems heretical - he removes all the colours from the paintings he examines. He reproduces them in black-and-white, like those dark illustrations we would prefer to see in colour in art books. But this is exactly the procedure that serves his agenda. The author maintains that Vermeer's paintings conceal a hidden occult geometry - a coordinated pattern of points, lines, and angles. The reader soon realizes that by removing colour to enhance the tonal values used by the artist, the author is able to see - and enables the reader to see -- patterns hitherto camouflaged for centuries. His analysis, demonstrating a geometrical basis for Vermeer's compositions (and some other very remarkable discoveries), appears to be undeniable.

This reviewer has no sympathy for those who might reject these findings by saying that you can see anything you want to see. The patterns are solidly confirmed by careful numbering of features that Vermeer placed at the nodal points of the same pattern that emerges in eight of Vermeer's paintings - in at least eight paintings out of the entire total of only 35 paintings in a lifetime's oeuvre. It is truly remarkable that modern technology - photography, the computer, and the laser printer - has enabled us to dig down below the camouflage of color to see the geometrical tonal patterns that Vermeer painted as underlayment for his masterpieces. One wonders if the Dutch master painter might ever have dreamed that one day the secret patterns, faces, and figures he lightheartedly concealed in the folds of drapery and carpeting would see the light of day some three hundred years in the future.

DiCurcio's work takes the reader into the world of Dutch master painting via the magic carpet of geometry - a field in which he spent many years as a teacher and as an engineer. After reading this extremely interesting book, a quote from Bob Dylan came to my mind: "There's no exit in any direction 'cept the one that you can't see with your eyes." ... Read more

Book Description

Prestel Minis

Attractive, affordable and adorable, these miniature versions of popular Prestel titles and subjects are perfect gifts.

They're packed with color and small enough to fit into a pocket.They're as inviting to the eye as they are to the wallet.And there are titles to suit every occasion, taste and interest.Like all of Prestel's products, these "Minis" feature amazing artwork of all kinds, elegantly designed and packaged.Whether for a birthday, an anniversary or just as a surprise, these miniature treasures prove that little things mean a lot. ... Read more

Book Description

This digital document is an article from The Washington Times, published by News World Communications, Inc. on June 16, 1996. The length of the article is 8176 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Old Masters exhibit from stunning Italian collection: 12 seldom-seen works a fitting follow-up to Vermeer show.(Arts)(Art)
Author: Joanna Shaw-Eagle
Publication: The Washington Times (Newspaper)
Date: June 16, 1996
Publisher: News World Communications, Inc.
Page: 3

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Reviews (1)

These solve the problem and enhance the reading experience
There have been several historically based novels, as well as Biographies of noted artists in the last year. A common complaint has often been the lack of illustrations in general, and the very few color plates in particular. Full color plates are extremely expensive, and are often scarce in a work for that reason alone. Major books on an artists works can be extremely expensive, and almost prohibitively so, when what is desired is a companion reference to another book.

The volume I comment on here pertains to Vermeer as it makes books like "Girl With A Pearl Earring", "The Music Lesson", and "Girl In Hyacinth Blue" more enjoyable. This comment is not meant to detract from any of the works mentioned. These great reference works allow the reader to quickly find full color illustrations of the paintings mentioned in the books, together with additional information on the pieces themselves. These books add to the reading experience, they supplement, they do not replace.

There are dozens of these available on a variety of Artists. Caravaggio is another painter who has been written about extensively, and the books, even when they did have color plates, only a fraction of what was referred to in the book was shown. Often illustrations are offered in black and white, and while better than nothing, they are barely that, for these artists chose color, and to appreciate/understand their work, color is a prerequisite.

The alternative is either very expensive coffee table books, or handfuls of airline tickets to globe trot to the location of the works. The latter is certainly the best, but for just under $10.00, these are much more efficient. ... Read more

Book Description

The late-Renaissance Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer created some of the most exquisite paintings in the history of art. He captured men and women transfixed in quiet meditative moments, using dramatic lighting and perspective to effect a moody and poetic ambience. Here is a selection of twelve favorite paintings from institutions with the greatest Vermeer collections.

... Read more

Book Description

This digital document is an article from New Criterion, published by Foundation for Cultural Review on June 1, 2001. The length of the article is 4607 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Vermeer's world.(Critical Essay)
Author: Karen Wilkin
Publication: New Criterion (Magazine/Journal)
Date: June 1, 2001
Publisher: Foundation for Cultural Review
Volume: 19Issue: 10Page: 46

Article Type: Critical Essay

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Reviews (1)

Brilliant analysis of Vermeer's work... the best yet!
This book looks at Vermeer's works in a beautiful and compelling light.He compares and contrasts Vermeer's life works and takes a look at women and their relationship with the world.Some are peacefully stong andcentered-- compared even to Madonna's and various Annunciation scenes. Other women are caught up in the world-- off balance and looking astray. He creates wonderful visuals through his words... but also includespictures of Vermeer's work with side sketches showing the use of space andconverging lines.One of the best art analysis books I've read. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Details, Background, Beauty
The reproductions of the paintings are beautiful, and that is what we buy an art book.The author has fascinating details to relate and he is lively and impassioned in style! He writes about Vermeer's "suspended psychological moment". John Nash divides the paintings into Music, Letters, etc. He shows the works ofmaster painters of Delft of the time and how they treat similar subjects.Nash also has Biography, Patrons and Style. ... Read more