Reviews provided by Syndetics

Library Journal Review

This sumptuous book is the catalog for the once-in-a-lifetime U.S. exhibition of the 17th-century Spanish artist frequently called the greatest painter of all time. The gorgeous reproductions illustrate every painting in the exhibition, and the many close-up details reveal the fabulous brushwork that makes Velazquez truly a painter's painter. The introductory essays provide a foundation in the history of Spain during Velazquez's life and a biography of the artist combined with an overview of his art. Catalog entries thoroughly describe each painting in terms of subject matter, style, and provenance, as well as any scholarly differences of opinion regarding dating or authenticity. This is a major publication documenting an important exhibition and should be acquired by all libraries for their patrons who love painting at its best.-- Lynell A. Morr, John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art Lib . , Sarasota, Fla. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

CHOICE Review

This beautifully produced book, the catalog of a recent exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, begins with a very brief essay on Velazquez's social and historical context, followed by a concise but masterful essay on the artist's career. Entries, intended for both the serious general reader and the scholar, take up the bulk of the book, documenting the 40 paintings in the exhibition. Although one does not find here the groundbreaking scholarship and conceptual thinking of, for example, Jonathan Brown's Velazquez, Painter and Courtier (CH, Oct'86), the authors are distinguished, the writing is fluent (although the translation sometimes gives surprising phraseology), and, above all, readers are treated to superb color plates, even of works not in the exhibition. Many outstanding details, also in color, are published, along with supporting materials. The index and bibliography are useful for the general reader. For all levels. -F. W. Robinson, Rhode Island School of Design

Booklist Review

The catalog for a landmark exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, this volume is a stunning presentation of Velazquez' career and masterworks. The contributing authors expertly explain just what psychic and technical skill the Spanish artist put into his paintings, while also describing the social and political world in which Velazquez lived and worked. The paintings in the exhibit receive the greatest amount of attention, with descriptions and commentaries accompanied by illustrations of each painting in full and in detail. Other works by Velazquez--many too large, too fragile, or too important to travel--and other artists serve as a standard of comparison and influence for this display of the painter's incomparable talent. Bibliography; index. --John Brosnahan