Had To Start from Scratch but Here I go

Monday, October 21, 2019

The Art of Looking Up by Catherine McCormack Review


The Art of Looking Up
by Catherine McCormack
Quarto Publishing Group - White Lion Publishing
Arts & Photography , Travel

The Art of Looking Up surveys 40 spectacular ceilings around the globe that have been graced by the brushes of great artists including Michelangelo, Marc Chagall and Cy Twombly.

From the floating women and lotus flowers of the Senso-ji Temple in Japan, to the religious iconography that adorns places of worship from Vienna to Istanbul, all the way to bold displays like the Chihuly glass flora suspended from the lobby of the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas: this book takes you on a tour of the extraordinary artworks that demand an alternative viewpoint.

History of art expert Catherine McCormack guides you through the stories behind the artworks – their conception, execution, and the artists that visualised them. In many cases, these artworks also make bold but controlled political, religious or cultural statements, revealing much about the society and times in which they were created. Divided by these social themes into four sections – Religion, Culture, Power and Politics – and pictured from various viewpoints in glorious colour photography, tour the astounding ceilings of these and more remarkable locations:
Vatican Palace, Rome, Italy
Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, UK
Louvre Museum, Paris, France
Dali Theatre-Museum, Figueres, Catalonia
Museum of the Revolution, Havana, Cuba
Capitol Building, Washington, DC, USA
Four eight-page foldout sections showcase some of the world's most spectacular ceilings in exquisite detail.

First and foremost, this is a visual feast, but also a desirable art book that challenges you to seek out fine art in more unusual places and question the statements they may be making.

I received a complimentary copy.

Cassandra's' Review-  The beauty and grace filled in the pages is a great way to spend a splendid afternoon.  I am able to either relax with the photos or read it to get even more of a mental  challenge. 

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.