The Forward
"A truly distinguished, revelatory book."


Review
A truly distinguished, revelatory book.


Book Description
Jacob Epstein (1880-1959) was a pioneer of modern sculpture in Britain. Yet he always felt an outsider in his adopted country, subjected as he was to relentless attacks and vilification. With his determination to break the taboos surrounding the depiction of sexuality, and his use of expressive distortion of the figure in a manner modeled more on non-Western art than the classical ideal, he aroused hostility throughout his career. Such controversy has meant that considerable attention is paid to certain aspects of Epstein's long and productive career, while in other respects the true nature of his overall achievement has been overlooked. This book intends to redress the balance. It provides a fascinating account of a sculptor who had a profound influence on successive generations of artists--not only for his carving but also for his courage.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Jacob Epstein was a pioneer of modern sculpture in Britain. Yet he always felt an outsider in his adopted country, subjected as he was to relentless attack and vilification. With his determination to break the taboos surrounding the depiction of sexuality, and his use of expressive distortion of the figure in a manner modelled more on non-Western art than the classical ideal, he aroused hostility throughout his career, and the true nature of his overall achievement has often been overlooked. This publication intends to redress the balance. It provides a fascinating account of a sculptor who had a profound influence on successive generations of artists - not only for his carving but also for his courage.

FROM THE CRITICS