Nancy Siegel's Susie M. Barstow: Redefining the Hudson River School (Lund Humphries, 2023) is the first-ever biography of Susie M. Barstow, a greatly under-rated Hudson River School artist, teacher, and adventurer. I really enjoyed reading about Barstow's adventurous life and beautiful art.
Tag: Books
Cocktails with a Curator, the Book
Cocktails with a Curator (2022) is the book version of the Frick Collection's wildly-popular 2020-21 video series of the same title. It's definitely not the same experience as the series, but it's a good textual companion and all-around enjoyable art book.
Art is a Tyrant – an Entertaining Biography of Rosa Bonheur
I wasn't planning to review Art is a Tyrant: The Unconventional Life of Rosa Bonheur (London: Icon Books, Ltd., 2020), Catherine Hewitt's new biography of French animal painter Rosa Bonheur. But after enjoying it so much, I decided to spread the word.
The Dig: a Book and Movie About Sutton Hoo
Beautiful, bold, and vibrant, the treasures from the Sutton Hoo ship burial have fascinated me ever since I first studied them in freshman art history. A new movie called The Dig, based on a novel of the same name, tells a fictionalized tale of their discovery.
The Fascinating Story of Belle da Costa Greene
If you're interested in rare books, notable bibliophiles, awesome women, or African-American history, I recommend reading Heidi Ardizzone's biography of Belle da Costa Greene.
A New Graphic Novel Introduces Edmonia Lewis
As a big fan of 19th-century African-American and Native-American sculptor Edmonia Lewis, I was excited to find out that she's now the subject of a new graphic novel, Seen: Edmonia Lewis. Thanks to publisher BOOM! Studios, I was able to read and review an advanced digital copy ahead of its September 2020 release.
Irving Stone’s The Agony and the Ecstasy Brings Michelangelo to Life
Irving Stone's The Agony and the Ecstasy is a 1961 biographical novel about Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564). I'm glad that people kept pushing me towards this book until I couldn't resist anymore; I enjoyed it greatly and recommend it highly. Here's why.
Some of My Favorite Art Books
Here are fifteen entertaining, informative, and highly readable art-related books that I have personally read and loved.
Christine Coulson’s Metropolitan Stories – a Poetic Ode to the Met
Christine Coulson's Metropolitan Stories: A Novel is a set of vignettes about life at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It's a beautiful, whimsical poetic ode to one of the world's most significant art museums.
King of the Confessors – a Crazy Story About the Cloisters Cross
I just finished reading Thomas Hoving's King of the Confessors, which is about Hoving's adventures in acquiring what's now called The Cloisters Cross. Thanks to him, this English Romanesque carved ivory cross is one of the highlights of the Met Cloisters. The story is wild, and I couldn't put it down.
A Scholarly Skater 