Reviews for Making Art: Form and Meaning

The average rating for Making Art: Form and Meaning based on 2 reviews is 5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2018-12-06 00:00:00 Kimberly Anderson I would highly recommend this for layperson wanting a reasonably comprehensive introduction to Expressionist art and its historical and cultural context. This book presents a fairly thorough sampling of the major artists and groups, and can be understood without much background in art theory. The author occasionally lapses into jargonish phrases such as "autonomous colors" but for the most part technical elements are clearly explained. The art reproductions are numerous and of high quality. After the introduction, the chapters are arranged by groups or cities. Each begins with an overview and is followed by detailed treatments of the major artists, with a small amount of pertinent biographical information. Thus, we have Die Brücke Group: Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Erich Heckel, Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, Max Pechstein, Otto Mueller. Kirchner's portrait of the group Northern German Expressionism: Emil Nolde, Paula Modersohn-Becker, Christian Rohlfs Paula Modersohn-Becker - Pram, children and goat The Blaue Reiter: Wassily Kandinsky, Franz Marc, Alexei von Jawlensky, Gabriele Munter, Marianne von Werefkin Wassily Kandinsky, The Blue Rider Rhenish Expressionism: August Macke, Heinrich Campendonk, Wilhelm Morgner Campendonk, Bucolic Landscape The Subject of the City: Max Beckmann, Otto Dix, George Grosz, Conrad Felixmuller, Ludwig Meidner, Lyonel Feininger Meidner, Burning City Expressionism in Vienna: Oskar Kokoschka, Egon Schiele Kokoschka, Lovers with cat Obviously some of these individuals belonged to more than one group or location. And some who are grouped together had no contact with one another. Elger explains in the text which people influenced each other and when.

Review # 2 was written on 2011-09-25 00:00:00 Gaye Conway An outstanding introduction to the early years (1905-1920) of German Expressionism, esp. the Brücke School, the Blaue Reiter, and with shorter sections on Dix, Grosz, Kokoschka, Schiele, and many others. The prints are clear and highly selective, and the text is generally quite informative. A biographical/bibliographical sketch of each artist concludes this well-produced and well-priced volume.