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The Art of Richard Diebenkorn (Ahmanson-Murphy Fine Arts Book) | 
 enlarge | Author: Jane Livingston
Publisher: University of California Press
Category: Book
List Price: $49.95
Buy New: $32.97
You Save: $16.98 (34%)
New (14) Used (8) from $27.84
Rating:  13 reviews
Sales Rank: 238033
Media: Paperback
Edition: 1
Pages: 240
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 4
Dimensions (in): 11.8 x 9.7 x 1
ISBN: 0520212584
Dewey Decimal Number: 759.13
EAN: 9780520212589
ASIN: 0520212584
Publication Date: November 1, 1997
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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Amazon.com Review
On the process of painting, American painter Richard Diebenkorn once wrote, "I want painting to be difficult to do. The more obstacles, obstructions, problems ... the better." In part, he meant that the freest artistic expression was often the result of some sort of restraint. Much like Shakespeare writing within the rigorous poetic form of the sonnet, Diebenkorn found his format in the vertical, rectangular, human-size canvases that he used to paint his famed Ocean Park series, which occupied a large portion of his magnificent career and included many figurative works. This sequence consists of more than 100 paintings created primarily over the course of the 1970s. There is a tranquil, mystical quality to his works: geometric lines define fields of color evoking the tones, landscape, atmosphere, and quality of light in Ocean Park. His paintings thus hover on the boundary between abstraction and landscape. This paperback exhibition catalog of the retrospective at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City contains a beautifully produced plate section, arranged chronologically, that spans nearly the entire second half of the 20th century. A special highlight are Diebenkorn's notes to himself on beginning a painting.
Product Description
Recognized as a major figure in postwar American painting, Richard Diebenkorn (1922-1993) was an artist strongly identified with California. Published to coincide with the first retrospective of Diebenkorn's work since his death, this catalog is the most comprehensive volume on the artist now available. 192 color illustrations.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 8 more reviews...
Viewing the diversity of this painting master was triumphant May 9, 1998
markart@netrax.net (Baltimore, Maryland)
45 out of 46 found this review helpful
Being a painter myself, Richard Diebenkorn has influenced my life and work. To see the freshness of the paintings in this book was magical to me. The Ocean Park series is the most accessable works or the most widely shown works by Diebenkorn. To see the horizontal development of the works throughout Diebenkorn's life in one volume is spectacular. The book is an asset to anyone interested in seeing what it takes to make a fine painter. The drawings, the still-life paintings of tomatos and a knife with their luscious quality and subtle sexual symbolism is pure genius. The slow and subtle transition from landscape painting to completely abstracted landscape of the Ocean Park series is extremely useful visual material. The book is worth it for the plates alone, however, the writing is thought provoking and insightful.
Modern Master April 2, 2005
Maclen (Hawaii, USA)
11 out of 12 found this review helpful
Richard Diebenkorn has finally achieved the status of Modern Master, but his success was only secured later in his life and after his death. Although he was at first an Abstract Expressionist artist who painted as convincingly as Still, Rothko, Kline and Motherwell, he was too much identified with the Bay Area, and therefore he did not have the imprimatur of the New York critics. Then, in the 1950s, he was viewed as having betrayed the New York Abstract Expressionists, when he turned to figurative painting with David Park and Elmer Bischoff. Eventually, until his death, he returned to abstraction with his much-acclaimed "Ocean Park" series. And then the critics finally realized what had eluded them for years: That Diebenkorn painted abstract realism, leaning more to one and then the other, all his life.
Jane Livingston does a fine job of portraying the life of Richard Diebenkorn through his stunning paintings, which exemplify fire beneath the calm. Be sure to read the Norland book as well, since his book is still the seminal book on Diebenkorn.
One of America's 20th century masters August 15, 2000
Chris Caron (Oxford, England)
8 out of 9 found this review helpful
A great book that presents the vitality of Diebenkorn's best work. This book includes plates of all major phases of his oeuvre. While not a great admirer of his Ocean Park series, his expressionist Berkeley series and his figurative paintings and drawings are really stunning! He was a great colorist and a painter's painter. I would consider this book to be a must-have for any student of 20th century art...
Great painter, Great book June 9, 2003
john ritthaler (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic)
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
After reading a few of the other reviews I felt like throwing my 2 cents worth. First of all, I am amazed and love the fact that Diebenkorn has recieved so much press. Its a shame he was shunned from the New York art world when he was alive.(Although, I don't think he was terribly upset by this) I didn't even hear of him untill I went to England to do my M.A.! I bought my first book of his then in 94'. I think its whitechaple press. In any case, this book is much more complete with great- great photos and essays. It is pure joy. The biggest problem I have with the book is trying to keep it out of my studio, so as not to get paint on it. If you happen to go to the San Francisco MOMA check out their nice collection of his work!
Comprehensive and Beautiful July 12, 2001
Spencer Harvey (Acton, MA USA)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
This book contains plates of most of Diebenkorn's well-known works -- all very high quality reproductions. If you are a student of abstract expressionism, you deserve this book. It is an absolute steal at the current price. This will likely become a collectors item.
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