Famous Works of Art—And How They Got That Way
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- $20.99
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- $20.99
Publisher Description
In a world filled with great museums and great paintings, Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa is the reigning queen. Her portrait rules over a carefully designed salon, one that was made especially for her in a museum that may seem intended for no other purpose than to showcase her virtues. What has made this portrait so renowned, commanding such adoration? And what of other works of art that continue to enthrall spectators: What makes the Great Sphinx so great? Why do iterations of The Scream and American Gothic permeate nearly all aspects of popular culture? Is it because of the mastery of the artists who created them? Or can something else account for their popularity?
In Famous Works of Art—And How They Got That Way, John B. Nici looks at twenty well-known paintings, sculptures, and photographs that have left lasting impressions on the general public. As Nici notes, there are many reasons why works of art become famous; few have anything to do with quality. The author explains why the reputations of some creations have grown over the years, some disproportionate to their artistic value. Written in a style that is both entertaining and informative, this book explains how fame is achieved, and ultimately how a work either retains that fame, or passes from the public consciousness.
From ancient artifacts to a can of soup, this book raises the question: Did the talent to promote and publicize a work exceed the skills employed to create that object of worship? Or are some masterpieces truly worth the admiration they receive? The creations covered in this book include the Tomb of Tutankhamun, Botticelli’s Birth of Venus, Raphael’s Sistine Madonna, El Greco’s The Burial of Count Orgaz, Rodin’s The Thinker, Van Gogh’s Starry Night, and Picasso’s Guernica. Featuring more than sixty images, including color reproductions, Famous Works of Art—And How They Got That Way will appeal to anyone who has ever wondered if a great painting, sculpture, or photograph, really deserves to be called “great.”
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Art historian Nici considers some of the world's most revered pieces of art and the "peculiar and often inexplicable" circumstances that contributed to their current significance. These include the 1922 discovery of the ancient Egyptian tomb of King Tutankhamun, which benefited from press coverage stimulating the public's interest, and the steady rise in prominence of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa over centuries, further enhanced by its 1911 theft. The statue Winged Victory sat in the Louvre "friendless and unnoticed" before a mere change in location to the grand central staircase made it a visitor favorite. Nici outlines the controversy surrounding Manet's Luncheon on the Grass, criticized by the stodgy French Salon, but lauded by more liberal impressionists. Van Gogh is lionized for his cult of personality and tortured history boldly on display in Starry Night, and Grant Wood's American Gothic is noted for its "ambiguity of form and interpretation," evident in arguments over the artist's sincerity. Nici also recalls Andy Warhol's explosion into celebrity via the Campbell's soup prints and the multiple controversies surrounding the construction of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, designed by 21-year-old Yale undergraduate Maya Lin. Viewing the artistic material through the angle of fame is a unique approach and Nici provides ample and accessible theory, interpretation, and historical context to make this an interesting and educational read.
