American Masterpieces: Singular Expressions of National Genius - Hardcover

by John Wilmerding (Author)

Twenty-five essays on great works of American art and design from the "Masterpiece" column in The Wall Street Journal.

John Wilmerding's "Masterpiece" column is among the The Wall Street Journal's most popular features. This book gathers those essays by Wilmerding, the distinguished former curator of American art at the National Gallery. Each essay integrates a detailed visual analysis with insights not only into the art and its creator, but also into the historical context at the time of the artwork's execution.

American Masterpieces features a full-sized reproduction of each sculpture, painting, piece of architecture, and photograph discussed. Some such as Mary Cassatt's "Little Girl in a Blue Armchair" (along with pieces by Thomas Eakins and Andrew Wyeth) are well known. Many others (such as Henry H. Richardson's Crane Memorial Library in Quincy, Massachusetts) are largely unregarded. No matter how well you know art, you are certain to make new discoveries.

This broad, representative, and eclectic selection of the best this country has produced is for anyone looking for a smart, opinionated, and always engaging guide to American art and art history.

Front Jacket

John Wilmerding has been an original and sustained scholarly voice in American art history for six decades. This elegant hardcover celebrates one small slice of his work: the twenty-five "Masterpiece" columns he has written for The Wall Street Journal between 2006 and the present. Each succinct, accessible essay integrates a detailed visual analysis of a major American cultural artifact with insights not only into the art and its creator, but also into the national context at the time of its execution. The book features a full-sized reproduction of each sculpture, painting, piece of architecture, and photograph discussed, plus an additional detail selected for extended consideration. It's surely the most intelligent picture book we've seen in some time. Anyone with a taste for American art and art history will be thrilled by this broad, representative, and eclectic selection of the best this country has produced.