The artwork in The Symbolist Prints of Edvard Munch is so beautifully reproduced that one might be tempted to tear out pages, frame them and hang them on the wall. Munch's work, which constitutes some of the 20th century's greatest printmaking, is presented through the lens of an extraordinary private collection that includes almost every one of his prints along with alternate versions and early sketches. Elizabeth Prelinger's essays provide background on Munch's life, printmaking techniques, and the development of his symbolist aesthetic. An exciting element of the book is an evocative essay by renowned critic, Peter Schjeldahl, who, in inimitable style, likens Munch's effect on the viewer to that of listening to the early work of a favorite rock-star. Published on the occasion of an exhibit at the Art Gallery of Ontario in early 1997, this book provides excellent documentation of an artist whose work remains vital more than fifty years after his death.
From Library Journal
Published as the catalog for an exhibition at the Art Gallery of Ontario, this is an attractive and thoughtful consideration of early prints by the Norwegian painter and graphic artist Edvard Munch (1863-1944). The 59 exhibited prints, all from a private collection, provide the armature for three essays. Prelinger's essay on Symbolism and graphic techniques explores a theme also found in her Edvard Munch: Master Printmaker (1983. o.p.); Michael Parke-Taylor discusses the reception of Munch's sometimes difficult work in America; and art critic Peter Schjeldahl provides a poetic appreciation. Somewhat narrower in scope than the catalog for the 1990 exhibition at the National Gallery ("Edvard Munch: Master Prints from the Epstein Family Collection," National Gallery of Art), yet with accessible text and excellent illustrations, this is highly recommended for general collections as well as for specialists.?Jack Perry Brown, Art Inst. of Chicago Lib.Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
The New York Times Book Review, Robin Lippincott
"Munch is our contemporary, as he will be the contemporary of our children's children, because his subject is life in the present tense, which may pass in and out of intellectual vogue but will not become obsolete." So Peter Schjeldahl, art critic for The Village Voice, writes in The Symbolist Prints of Edvard Munch ...Certainly the prints reproduced in this revelatory book support Mr. Schjeldahl's claims--and then some.
Symbolist Prints of Edvard Munch: The Vivian and David Campbell Collection FROM OUR EDITORS
Millions of people the world over know the iconic image from Edvard Munch's "The Scream"; it has made its way onto T-shirts, posters, and even inflatable dolls. But thousands more have experienced the wider range of Munch's output by viewing the Vivian and David Campbell Collection, which recently toured North America. Whether you caught the Campbell Collection when it was in your area or know Munch only from T-shirts and posters, you'll want to check out the exhibition's accompanying catalogue, The Symbolist Prints of Edvard Munch. Lavishly illustrated with reproductions of Munch's paintings, it details the life and work of the celebrated Norwegian artist.
Art & Photography
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