Mainstreams of Modern Art

Last updated
First edition (publ. Simon & Schuster)
Cover art:
Pablo Picasso, Girl before a Mirror, 1932
Thomas Eakins, Miss Amelia Van Buren, 1891 MainstreamsOfModernArt.jpg
First edition (publ. Simon & Schuster)
Cover art:
Pablo Picasso, Girl before a Mirror , 1932
Thomas Eakins, Miss Amelia Van Buren , 1891

Mainstreams of Modern Art: David to Picasso (1959) is a reference book by John Canaday. It comprehensively covers modern art from the start of Romanticism in the 18th century to Cubism and Abstract art in the early 20th century. Mainstreams enjoyed wide commercial and critical success, and was awarded the 1959 Athenaeum Literary Award. [1]

John Edwin Canaday was a leading American art critic, author and art historian.

Modern art Artistic works produced during the period extending roughly from the 1860s to the 1970s

Modern art includes artistic work produced during the period extending roughly from the 1860s to the 1970s, and denotes the styles and philosophy of the art produced during that era. The term is usually associated with art in which the traditions of the past have been thrown aside in a spirit of experimentation. Modern artists experimented with new ways of seeing and with fresh ideas about the nature of materials and functions of art. A tendency away from the narrative, which was characteristic for the traditional arts, toward abstraction is characteristic of much modern art. More recent artistic production is often called contemporary art or postmodern art.

Romanticism period of artistic, literary, and intellectual movement that started in 18th century Europe

Romanticism was an artistic, literary, musical and intellectual movement that originated in Europe toward the end of the 18th century, and in most areas was at its peak in the approximate period from 1800 to 1850. Romanticism was characterized by its emphasis on emotion and individualism as well as glorification of all the past and nature, preferring the medieval rather than the classical. It was partly a reaction to the Industrial Revolution, the aristocratic social and political norms of the Age of Enlightenment, and the scientific rationalization of nature—all components of modernity. It was embodied most strongly in the visual arts, music, and literature, but had a major impact on historiography, education, the social sciences, and the natural sciences. It had a significant and complex effect on politics, with romantic thinkers influencing liberalism, radicalism, conservatism and nationalism.

It also contains a ten-page appendix "Notes on Modern Architecture", the final five pages of which are devoted to criticism of Frank Lloyd Wright, whose design Canaday states "have failed disastrously." But in the same sentence, he also praised Wright's buildings as "some of the most beautiful structures of the century bearing his name." This, combined with Canaday's other outspoken views, led a group of artists, collectors, and academics to write a letter to the New York Times in protest. [2]

Frank Lloyd Wright American architect

Frank Lloyd Wright was an American architect, interior designer, writer, and educator, who designed more than 1,000 structures, 532 of which were completed. Wright believed in designing structures that were in harmony with humanity and its environment, a philosophy he called organic architecture. This philosophy was best exemplified by Fallingwater (1935), which has been called "the best all-time work of American architecture." His creative period spanned more than 70 years.

A revised edition was published shortly before Canaday's death in 1985, and is still required reading at the university level in the United States [3] and worldwide. [4]

Editions

International Standard Book Number Unique numeric book identifier

The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is a numeric commercial book identifier which is intended to be unique. Publishers purchase ISBNs from an affiliate of the International ISBN Agency.

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References

  1. Literary Award Winners, The Athenæum of Philadelphia
  2. John Canaday, Duke University Libraries
  3. "Bibliography". Archived from the original on November 20, 2003. Retrieved 2006-02-24.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link), ART 506: Art for the Talented and Gifted, Eastern Michigan University (Retrieved on 13 March 2005)
  4. Required texts Archived 2006-01-11 at the Wayback Machine , Western Modern Art, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur