Category: Heroes of art history
New Carlo Maratta Catalogue Raisonné
September 26 2024
Picture: Ugo Bozzi Editore
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Exciting news from Italy that a new catalogue raisonné dedicated to Carlo Maratta has been published this month. The two-volume edition penned by Stella Rudolph and Simonetta Prosperi Valenti Rodinò contains over 1,000 paintings and drawings, including frescos and other studies for related works of art.
As is the ancient custom, the publication of this new catalogue will earn Stella Rudolph and Simonetta Prosperi Valenti Rodinò a place in the much-coveted 'Heroes of Art History' section of this blog.
Prado Shares 11,500 Publications Online for Free!
September 20 2024
Picture: Prado
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Prado in Madrid have announced a new digital library platform. The website contains 11,500 publications (including 5,600 magazines and 6,000 books) which are all freely accessible. As to be expected, it appears the collection is very strong in relation to the Prado's holdings.
Such a feat of resource sharing has earned this website a place in the much-coveted 'Heroes of Art History' section of this blog.
British Pictures at Witt Library Website Live!
August 3 2024
Picture: courtauld.ac.uk
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Courtauld Institute in London have just gone live with their latest digitisation of the British Picture cards from the Witt Library (thanks to Neil Jeffares for altering me to this). This first collection of photographs and clippings from old auction, exhibition and historic photos contains over half a million objects, which is staggering.
The opening of this resource is going to change picture research forever, I think. A seminal moment for both academia and the art market. I can't wait to see the discoveries start pouring in.
More national schools are on the way, it's time to get hunting!
Alastair Laing 1944 - 2024
July 8 2024
Picture: CODART
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
I was very sad to hear of the passing of the art historian Alastair Laing over the weekend. Known for his passion for eighteenth century French art, alongside his work as a curator at The National Trust, Laing had been focusing on completing a catalogue raisonné of Francois Boucher's drawings during the last years of his life. Here is a tribute from Neil Jeffares and here is an article from La Tribune de l'Art with more information on his life and achievements. Furthermore, here is an extended interview with Alastair on CODART which is worth reading.
Upcoming Release: Jean Nocret (1615-1672) Le peintre de Monsieur, frère du roi
May 31 2024
Picture: infine-editions.fr
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
A new monography dedicated to Jean Nocret (1615-1672) will be released on the 3rd June 2024. The book, written by the Versailles curator Élodie Vaysse, is the first to be dedicated to the artist since 1886. Nocret's most celebrated work is the painting depicting Louis XIV and his Family, a picture which has only recently been cleaned.
As the publication includes a summary catalogue of the works of Jean Nocret, this has earned Élodie Vaysse a place in the much coveted 'Heroes of Art History' section of this blog.
Carel de Moor Catalogue Raisonné
February 29 2024
Picture: primaverapers.nl
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Exciting news that a new monograph and catalogue raisonné on Carel de Moor (1655-1738) has been published today. The volume was compiled by Pamela Fowler and Piet Bakker and is published by Primavera Pers.
According to the blurb:
Carel de Moor (1655–1738). His Life and Work, a monograph and œuvre catalogue, is the first scholarly study of one of the most important Dutch portrait painters of his time. The book includes a comprehensive biography, which explores Carel de Moor’s life and multi-faceted career within the context of the economic, political, and social history of the Dutch Republic.
As a result of the authors’ thorough investigation of De Moor’s client networks, several hitherto unknown sitters have now been identified; other sitters have been provided with new identities.
The Catalogue Raisonné, arranged chronologically within the categories of portraits, history, pastoral scenes, genre and still life, allows us to view De Moor’s œuvre in its totality, to compare his work with that of his predecessors and contemporaries, and to evaluate the development of his artistic style.
As is the ancient custom on AHN, Pamela Fowler and Piet Bakker will now feature within the Heroes of Art History section of this blog.
The British Art Journal to Cease?
October 24 2023
Picture: britishartjournal.co.uk
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Some rather sad news to report that The British Art Journal (BAJ) will cease publication on 31 December of this year.
According to the journal's website:
We very much regret having to announce that The British Art Journal will cease publication on 31 December this year, 2023, with the publication of Volume XXIV, No. 3, owing to the retirement of the editor. It may well start again under new management, but nothing has yet been decided.
In the circumstances, we are not accepting any new subscriptions.
This is genuinely sad news, as the journal has over the years been instrumental in publishing cutting edge research relating to the art of these isles. Indeed, the journal has always been a welcoming place for budding scholars, with many of them publishing their debut articles there (myself included). This has had much to do with the boundless energy and enthusiasm of its long-time Editor, Robin Simon, who will be a very hard act to follow.
I sincerely hope that a new editor is found in due course, to lead this vital British art publication into this new age.*
* - Maybe the present (woefully underqualified) writer of this post feels morally obliged to put his hat in the ring for the job!
Update - Bendor here, to add: first, that I can vouch for Adam's excellent and highly qualified editing skills; second that Robin Simon and the BAJ have been an extraordinary force for good in promoting British art history for the last few decades, and it has been a pleasure to be both a subscriber and occasional contributor; third, that British art history really needs a journal where people of all backgrounds can contribute, and not be excluded by the gatekeeping that afflicts some other publications.
But this shouldn't stop us celebrating Robin's achievements at the BAJ. Many years ago, when I was more diligent on the blog, I began a category called 'Heroes of Art History'. I hereby nominate Robin for AHN immortalisation - hail, Robin!
Upcoming Release: François Le Moyne Catalogue Raisonné
October 23 2023
Picture: silvana editoriale
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Exciting news that in January 2024 a new catalogue raisonné for François Le Moyne (1688-1737) will be published. The catalogue was edited by Professor Jean-Luc Bordeaux and (if my French is correct) has added 140 paintings and 250 drawings to his oeuvre.
For those who want to preorder their copy, the publisher's website has a very generous discount on at the moment of 30 euros off!
Recent Release: Scottish Portraiture 1644-1714
February 4 2022
Picture: brepols.net
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Brepols have recently published an enormous two-volume scholarly work entitled Scottish Portraiture 1644-1714: David and John Scougall and Their Contemporaries by Carla van de Puttelaar. The publication seems like a must-have for serious art libraries.
According to the book's blurb:
This book is the first comprehensive publication on Scottish portraiture from the period 1644 to 1714, with an emphasis on the painters David Scougall (1625-1685), and his son John Scougall (1657-1737). It is based on in-depth art historical and archival research. As such, it is an important academic contribution to this thus far little-researched field. Virtually nothing was known about the Scougall portraitists, who also include the somewhat obscure George Scougall (active c. 1690-1737). Thorough archival research has provided substantial biographical information. It has yielded life dates and data on family relations and, also, it has become clear that David Scougall had two parallel careers, as a portrait painter and as a writer (solicitor). The legal community in which the Scougalls were embedded has been defined, as well as an extended group of sitters and their social, economic, and family networks. The book includes a catalogue raisonné of the oeuvre of David Scougall.
The most important contemporaries of the Scougalls were the portraitist L. Schüneman (active c. 1655/60-1667 or slightly later), his successor James Carrudus (active c. 1668-1683 or later), whose work is identified for the first time in this book, David Paton (c. 1650-in or after 1708), Jacob Jacobsz. de Wet (1641/42-1697) and Sir John Baptist Medina (1659-1710). Their lives and work are discussed. An extensive survey of Scottish portraits, with an emphasis on the work of the Scougall painters, is presented for the period 1644 to 1714. Numerous attributions to various artists and sitter identifications have been established or revised. An overview of the next generation is provided, in which the oeuvres and biographical details are highlighted of the principal portrait painters, such as William Aikman (1682-1731), Richard Waitt (1684-1733) and John Alexander (1686-1767). Countless paintings have been photographed anew or for the first time, and have been compared in detail, which had hardly been done before, while information is also included on technical aspects and (original) frames. The resulting data have been complemented by analysing the social and (art-) historical context in which the portraits were made. The works of the portrait painters in Scotland from this period, as this book shows, now form a solid bridge between the portraits painted prior to George Jamesone’s death in 1644, and those by the renowned Scottish painters of the eighteenth century.
As is the ancient custom, due to the fact this publication contains a catalogue raisonné of the oeuvre of David Scougall, Carla van de Puttelaar has earned a place in the much coveted Heroes of Art History section of this blog.
Jonathan Brown (1939-2022)
January 19 2022
Picture: impactolatino
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Sad news to report that the art historian Jonathan Brown passed away this week at the age of 82. Brown will be remembered for his scholarship on seventeenth-century paintings and particularly the works of Diego Velázquez. His resume includes many scholarly publications on the likes of Velázquez and Spanish Art, alongside his pioneering exhibitions held at the Frick, Princeton and Prado museums.
For those who can read Spanish, the Prado Museum has shared the first two chapters of a set of essays dedicated to Jonathan Brown's career which were published in 2012.
Julien Dupré Online Catalogue Raisonné
October 13 2021
Picture: juliendupre.org
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Rehs Gallery in New York have published an online Catalogue Raisonné for the artist Julien Dupré (1851-1910). Dupré grew up in Paris and contributed many pictures to the Paris Salon from 1876 onwards.
Explaining more about the history of the project:
During the project's early years, Mr. Howard Rehs [The gallery's owner] received encouragement from Dr. Gabriel P. Weisberg and Yvonne Weisberg, who kindly shared their earlier research on the artist, and recommended several research assistants, including Fleur Levitz and Lynsi Spaulding in the U.S. and Stéphanie Peyrissac in France. Mr. Rehs also met Jérémie Jouan, a descendent of the artist who has generously shared his own research into Dupré's extended family history. As the catalogue raisonné began to take shape, the Weisbergs again played a crucial role in introducing Mr. Rehs to art historian Janet Whitmore, Ph.D., who joined the project full time in 2015.
As AHN welcomes the news of such research, no matter how well-known or obscure the artist, this will earn the Rehs Gallery a place in the highly coveted 'Heroes of Art History' section of this blog.
Ernst van de Wetering (1938 - 2021)
August 15 2021
Video: Toledo Museum of Art
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Sad news to report that the Dutch art historian Ernst van de Wetering (1938 - 2021) passed away last week. Van de Wetering became one of the great modern scholars on Rembrandt. He is most widely known for his association with the Rembrandt Research Project, an endeavour he dedicated 46 years of his life to. The six volumes of the Corpus of Rembrandt's Paintings, begun in 1982 and finished in 2014, will surely remain one of the greatest pieces dedicated to questions of authenticity, connoisseurship and scientific analysis. This is not to mention the other books he has published on the artist, which always made for extremely enjoyable reading in my experience.
Fortunately, there are many of his videos on YouTube to browse through, which give a wonderful sense of his passion for the artist and period.
Jacobus Vrel Catalogue Raisonné
May 25 2021
Picture: Hirmer
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Exciting news today regarding the publication of a new monograph and catalogue raisonné dedicated to the elusive Dutch Golden Age painter Jacobus Vrel (fl. 1654-1662). The publication has been edited by scholars Bernd Ebert, Cécile Tainturier and Quentin Buvelot and was originally planned to coincide with an exhibition which has been pushed back to 2023.
According to the write up from CODART:
His pictures look rather odd, his figures introverted and his street scenes curiously stage-like. Jacobus Vrel appears to record everyday life in the Dutch Republic during the 17th century, yet creates miraculous worlds at the same time. The painter himself is like a phantom. In spite of years of research, the mystery surrounding his identity remains unsolved. We only know his name from a single contemporary inventory and from the signatures on his 50-surviving works, which can scarcely be compared with those of his contemporaries. Vrel was a pioneer in his field. In their austerity and sometimes oppressive silence, his paintings seem unexpectedly modern, and it is for that reason that they are compared with the work of Vilhelm Hammershøi.
With detective-like investigations from the authors, and extensive technical examinations of the paintings, this monograph explores the enigmatic pictures of an artist whose works were once thought to have been created by Vermeer. The volume’s three editors, Bernd Ebert, Cécile Tainturier and Quentin Buvelot (all CODART members) present a monograph-cum-catalogue raisonné that examines Vrel’s oeuvre from different angles and contributes significantly to our understanding of this elusive painter. The present publication is the result of an international research project that brought together the Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen in Munich, the Fondation Custodia, Frits Lugt Collection in Paris and the Mauritshuis in The Hague, working in close cooperation with numerous international specialists from a variety of disciplines.
As is the custom on AHN, the publication of a new catalogue raisonné will earn Ebert, Tainturier and Buvelot a place in the highly coveted Heroes of Art History section of this blog.
New Release: Mattia Preti, Life and Works
April 11 2021
Picture: midseabooks.com
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Professor Keith Sciberras of the University of Malta, and writer on all things regarding the Baroque in Malta, has a new book out entitled Mattia Preti, Life and Works.
The volume also includes a full catalogue of the artist's works, which will earn Prof. Sciberras a place amongst the highly coveted Heroes of Art History section of this blog.
The title is available for pre-order through the publisher.
Giacomo Farelli (1629-1706) Catalogue Raisonné
March 4 2021
Picture: Il Giornale dell'Arte
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
News from Italy that the Neapolitan painter Giacomo Farelli (1629-1706) has been treated to his first ever catalogue raisonné. The new publication Vita ed opere di Giacomo Farelli (1629-1706). Artista e gentiluomo nell’Italia Barocca has been penned by the art historians Riccardo Lattuada and Laura Raucci.
As is the custom on AHN, Lattuada and Raucci will now both inhabit the highly coveted 'Heroes of art history' section of this blog.
Jan van Mieris Monograph and Catalogue Raisonné
February 17 2021
Picture: CODART
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
CODART (The International curators network of Dutch and Flemish Art) have drawn attention to this new monograph and catalogue raisonné on the artist Jan van Mieris (1660-1690) by Margreet van der Hut.
To quote the website's brief biography of the painter:
Jan van Mieris was the oldest son and pupil of the famous Leiden painter Frans van Mieris I (1635-1681), who in turn had studied under Gerard Dou (1613-1675) and Abraham van den Tempel (1622-1672). Jan and his brother Willem (1622-1647) followed in the footsteps of their father by working in his manner. This is why their works are often difficult to distinguish from one another and nearly every painting of Jan van Mieris has been attributed to Frans I, Willem or even Willem’s son Frans II (1689-1763) at some point. Jan was not only a painter but a poet as well. Some five poems and a lyrical version of the play Aminta by the Italian poet Torquato Tasso (1544-1595) have been preserved in a manuscript at the University Leiden.
As AHN likes to promote such stellar work, Margreet van der Hut will now feature in the prestigious Heroes of Art History section of this blog.
Gainsborough catalogue raisonné
February 17 2019
Picture: via Amazon
Tremendous news that Hugh Belsey's long-awaited two volume Thomas Gainsborough catalogue raisonné has been published, by the Paul Mellon Centre). It follows in august footsteps; to the famed names of Ellis Waterhouse and John Hayes (previous authors of Gainsborough catalogues) we can now add Hugh's name. As is customary for catalogue raisonné writers, AHN creates him a Hero of Art History.
I've ordered my copy via the dreaded Amazon (for £121) here.
Update - a reader writes:
I hate to do this to you, but Books Etc are selling the book for £90.33. British company, usually cheaper than Amazon (or anyone else), free postage on all books, usually send books more securely packed than Amazon do, I use them almost all the time. And Books Etc prices on Amazon Marketplace are usually higher than on the Books Etc website because of the fee paid to Amazon, so going direct is the best option. Of course, I understand that if you get a small payment for everyone who clicks through from AHN to Amazon and makes a purchase there is a reason for having the link (I don't know if this is the case, but I remember reading about this when I was thinking of having my own blog), but you might want to consider Books Etc for your own purchases. I have no connection with Books Etc apart from being a very satisfied customer.
For the record, I get no payment from Amazon, or indeed anyone else, for any links or content on this blog.
Finding Michaelina
August 15 2018
Picture: KHM, via Apollo
Here's a fascinating article in Apollo from the art historian Katlijne Van der Stighelen on her research into Michaelina Wautiers, the mid-17th Century Flemish artist, who is the star of a major exhibition now on in Antwerp:
I discovered Michaelina Wautier back in 1993, when attending a symposium at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. I’d wanted to view a portrait attributed to Van Dyck that was in storage. A curator led me down long corridors in which ‘second class’ Flemish paintings were stored. As I was leaving the stores, my eye fell upon a monumental piece I wasn’t familiar with. Looking closer, I saw that it was an enormous Triumph of Bacchus [above], executed in a style I didn’t immediately associate with the 17th-century Antwerp School. I learned that the work had been recorded in 1659 in an inventory commissioned by the Archduke Leopold Wilhelm, of paintings he had acquired in Brussels, where Wautier lived. The curator noted that it had been painted by a woman: ‘Jungfrau Magdalena Wautier’. While the Triumph of Bacchus is Wautier’s greatest work, it is by no means her only one. Very soon a small body of work had been assembled – the 15 fully signed paintings that had survived served as the basis for attributing 10 more works to her.
It's all very well art historians like me claiming to make the occasional discovery of a painting. But to discover an actual artist, forgotten about for centuries, is a major undertaking, and an extraordinary contribution to art history. AHN hereby adds Prof. Katlijne Van der Stighelen to the list of 'heroes of art history'!
Katlijne's exhibition is on until 2nd September.
Weenix catalogue raisonné
July 20 2018
Video: Spy Newspapers of Maryland
Did you know that there's a new two volume catalogue raisonné on the works of the father and son artists, Jan Baptist Weenix & Jan Weenix? It's written by Dr Anke Van Wagenberg, who is also Chief Curator at the Academy Art Museum in Maryland, and in the video above she is talking a little about the Weenixs' career. Says the publisher:
This book fills a gap in art history and throws new light on the appreciation of Dutch art. Since 2004, hundreds of paintings have been documented as either Weenix I or Weenix II. For centuries, attributions had been confused because of the two artists’ similar subject choices and (at least for a time) similar style. Following the death of his father (and teacher), Jan gradually changed his style to conform to the more courtly taste of the late 17th and early 18th century.
This first ever published monograph on Jan Baptist Weenix and his son Jan Weenix includes over 500 paintings.
You can order the book here, or on Amazon here. It looks to be well worth it for the very reasonable price of €95, or £85. Normally these catalogues can cost hundreds of pounds.
Of course, anyone who writes such a fantastic resource as a catalogue raisonné is automatically enrolled as an AHN 'Hero of Art History'; bravo Anke!
Francis Towne online catalogue raisonné
March 30 2018
Picture: Paul Mellon Centre
Feast your eyes on this - an online catalogue raisonné of the work of the British 18th Century artist Francist Towne (1739-1816). There are over 1,000 works, of which some 800 are shown in high resolution. The catalogue was written by Dr Richard Stephens, who regular readers will know is the force behind another wonderful online resource, The Art World in Britain 1660-1735.
