This handsome tome is packed to the gills with paintings, and while readers might disagree with any of Sister Wendy Beckett's choices (that's half the fun, perhaps), there are still hundreds of unforgettable works of art that nearly any reader can appreciate. Most of the pictures, even those that seem unprepossessing at first glance, are made riveting by Sister Wendy's quirky, personal narratives, in which the simplest of images is suddenly rendered a dramatic focal point. A perfectly ordinary Dutch scene by Hendrick Avercamp--Frozen River, 1620--shows people going about their business on a lively patch of ice where children play hockey and adults chat and work. Sister Wendy seizes on a fishing hole cut into the ice through which a circle of cold, black water is apparent. "The hole that has been cut in the ice can frighten us when our eye falls into it, and this is the only hint of the inherent danger of the scene," she writes ominously. In Anthony Van Dyck's magnificent portrait of Charles I of England, she observes of his regal hauteur, "In hindsight we can see the tragedy: that a man so remote from common humanity, so superb in his conceit, must be heading for a fall."

There are bound to be some infelicitous matches in a book that is arranged alphabetically, such as the pages shared by Robert Mangold's hot, geometric Four Color Frame Painting No. 1, 1983, and Andrea Mantegna's profoundly reverent Dead Christ, 1480. And Rosalba Carriera's portraits look decidedly meretricious across from those of the masterful Mary Cassatt. But all in all, this is a page-turner with brief captions that offer guidance to any reader in search of the telling note that draws one to a work of art, whatever its era, style, size, or subject. --Martha Hardin


From Library Journal
The world's favorite nun-cum-art historian returns this season with two surveys of great art, both emphasizing mostly Western painting since the Italian Renaissance. As one might guess from the titles, the DK compendium is the larger book. It follows a format familiar from Phaidon's The Art Book: each page displays image and text representing a single artist, and the alphabetical arrangement by artists' names results in some illuminating, and some annoying, juxtapositions. Where The Art Book maintained one picture per page amid a rigorous structure with plenty of white space, 1000 Masterpieces lives up to its numerical claim by placing two gems to a page and varying sizes and text blocks to cram in as much information as possible. The space is tight, and the text is little more than extended captions with the Sister's piquant observations on content and meaning. Surprisingly, Sister Wendy makes no attempt to extend the text in her more generously formatted album of "favorites" from Abrams, yet she does achieve greater variety in the smaller number of works. Some sculpture, a few Asian works, and even a porcelain cup and saucer are included among these apparently more personal choices. Indeed, many of the Sister's favorites do not make the cut for 1000 Masterpieces, pointing up the vagaries of her selection processAin each book's short introductions (the only writing other than the captions), she simply declares how difficult the choosing was. In any case, both books well fulfill their purpose as introductory appreciations, and both will be popular with Sister Wendy's many fans. For sheer size, 1000 Masterpieces is a fine choice for libraries, while My Favorite Things may be better suited to gift-giving.AEric Bryant, "Library Journal" Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.


Book Description
Sister Wendy Beckett writes about art in a style that is idiosyncratic, fresh, and perceptive. In 1000 Masterpieces, she applies her unique intensity to what most inspires her in the artist's work as well as to the essential life events that shaped the work. Arranged alphabetically by artist, each work receives a full page of attention. The text contains information, annotated where necessary on materials and techniques, on the artist's symbolism, and on the location where the original work is displayed.


About the Author
Sister Wendy Beckett is a member of the Notre Dame order, a teaching order of nuns. She studied for her degree in English at St. Anne's College, Oxford where she graduated with highest honors. After teaching in South Africa, she returned to England in 1970 to live a fully contemplative life under the protection of a Carmelite monastery in Norfolk, where she lives in seclusion to this day. A lifelong art lover and recognized art historian, Sister Wendy began serious study of the subject in 1980. She writes for many art magazines and her wildly popular BBC television series, Sister Wendy's Odyssey, Sister Wendy's Grand Tour, and Sister Wendy's Story of Painting are seen on PBS.

FROM OUR EDITORS

Sister Wendy Beckett's fresh and idiosyncratic voice offers a much-needed break from the usually stodgy world of art interpretation. In Sister Wendy's 1000 Masterpieces, our favorite nun has chosen two representative works by each of 500 masters spanning nine centuries of painting to give an overview of the greatest contributions to Western art. Arranged alphabetically by artist, this 512-page volume includes biographical information on the artists; details about materials, technique, and visual symbolism; and a location guide that lists the current home of each of the works. Full-color reproductions throughout.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Sister Wendy Beckett writes about art in a style that is idiosyncratic, fresh, and perceptive. In 1000 Masterpieces, she applies her unique intensity to what most inspires her in the artist's work as well as to the essential life events that shaped the work. Arranged alphabetically by artist, each work receives a full page of attention. The text contains information, annotated where necessary on materials and techniques, on the artist's symbolism, and on the location where the original work is displayed.

SYNOPSIS

Sister Wendy Beckett is a member of the Notre Dame order, a teaching order of nuns. She studied for her degree in English at St. Anne's College, Oxford where she graduated with highest honors. After teaching in South Africa, she returned to England in 1970 to live a fully contemplative life under the protection of a Carmelite monastery in Norfolk, where she lives in seclusion to this day. A lifelong art lover and recognized art historian, Sister Wendy began serious study of the subject in 1980. She writes for many art magazines and her wildly popular BBC television series, Sister Wendy's Odyssey, Sister Wendy's Grand Tour, and Sister Wendy's Story of Painting are seen on PBS.

FROM THE CRITICS

Library Journal

The world's favorite nun-cum-art historian returns this season with two surveys of great art, both emphasizing mostly Western painting since the Italian Renaissance. As one might guess from the titles, the DK compendium is the larger book. It follows a format familiar from Phaidon's The Art Book: each page displays image and text representing a single artist, and the alphabetical arrangement by artists' names results in some illuminating, and some annoying, juxtapositions. Where The Art Book maintained one picture per page amid a rigorous structure with plenty of white space, 1000 Masterpieces lives up to its numerical claim by placing two gems to a page and varying sizes and text blocks to cram in as much information as possible. The space is tight, and the text is little more than extended captions with the Sister's piquant observations on content and meaning. Surprisingly, Sister Wendy makes no attempt to extend the text in her more generously formatted album of "favorites" from Abrams, yet she does achieve greater variety in the smaller number of works. Some sculpture, a few Asian works, and even a porcelain cup and saucer are included among these apparently more personal choices. Indeed, many of the Sister's favorites do not make the cut for 1000 Masterpieces, pointing up the vagaries of her selection process--in each book's short introductions (the only writing other than the captions), she simply declares how difficult the choosing was. In any case, both books well fulfill their purpose as introductory appreciations, and both will be popular with Sister Wendy's many fans. For sheer size, 1000 Masterpieces is a fine choice for libraries, while My Favorite Things may be better suited to gift-giving.--Eric Bryant, "Library Journal" Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

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