Print in the Western World: An Introductory History FROM THE PUBLISHER
This is a comprehensive history of the print from its origins in the fifteenth through the late twentieth century. A source of inspiration to many great painters, such as Titian, Rembrandt, and Manet, printmaking has established its own criteria of aesthetic excellence as well as its own expressive language, both of which are explored here. More than 700 illustrations, forty-nine of them in color, show the evolution of the relief, intaglio, planographic, and stencil processes through the centuries. Giving detailed treatment to the work of five master printmakers—Albrecht Durer, Rembrandt van Rijn, Francisco Goya, Pablo Picasso, and Jasper Johns—the book also discusses in depth numerous other artists. "The Print in the Western World" also addresses in detail the reproductive tradition in printmaking that reached its peak in the eighteenth century and touches on book illustrations, posters, political satires, and vernacular print such as chromolithographs. The volume includes a glossary of basic printmaking terms, as well as full bibliographies at the end of each chapter, giving readers access to a wide range of recent scholarship on prints.
FROM THE CRITICS
Publishers Weekly
While teaching the history of the print, Hults felt constrained by the lack of a scholarly chronological introduction to the matter. Her solution: the creation of this well-organized, exhaustively researched volume, which may well become a bible in its field. Her subject isn't limited to technical aspects of printed media (woodcuts, etching, engraving, drypoint, aqua- and mezzotints, lithographs, silk-screens, etc.). She also examines the cultural and economic forces behind each medium as it developed, the personal goals of individual artists and cultural events influencing their times. From Christian souvenirs at early pilgrim sites to Communist agitprop; from prints made for renaissance patrons to mass editions marketed to the middle and lower classes of the industrial age, Hults treats (and illustrates) them all. The book is meticulously annotated and indexed and incorporates commentary from other art historians. Female artists and writers are also given their due. Beyond the overwhelming scholarship, this is a work to be read. Hults's prose has a clarity, rhythm and range of shading that complement the prints she describes. This could ultimately be its greatest blessing for readers in the subject. (June)
Library Journal
Hults, who teaches at the College of Wooster in Ohio, set out to fill a gap in art historical scholarship by creating this introductory chronological study of Western prints from 1400 to the present. It is hard to imagine a more exhaustive or successful study. The book has much to recommend it, beginning with the carefully crafted preface and introduction and ending with the fine glossary and selected bibliography of print reference sources. In between, the chapter divisions are logical, and the sometimes complex material is handled deftly, making excellent use of illustrated examples, which are well placed in relation to the text that describes them. The divisions in the text lend themselves to use in a 14-15 college level course. While each technique, artist, or time period might be better covered in more specialized texts, there is plenty here to give print students a relatively deep understanding of the place of the print within art history. The extensive bibliographic references at the end of each chapter lead to virtually any important title in the field. The book's refreshing approach, in which the print is treated without the usual intrusive discussion of various other media, sheds new light on the importance and continuity of this sometimes neglected branch of the visual arts. Highly recommended for academic libraries.-Mark Woodhouse, Elmira Coll. Lib., N.Y.
School Library Journal
YAA wonderful resource. This scholarly work covers the four basic types of printmaking and characteristics of prints as works of art; readers can follow the course of printmaking from Durer, through Goya, Hogarth, and Daumier, to name just a few. A comprehensive overview of art history is also gleaned through the relationship of printmaking to the other media. It is obvious that the reproductions were selected with great variety and clarity in mind. Providing information and insight in one volume, the prose is succinct without being tedious. An attention-getting Mary Cassatt cover captures the lyrical qualities and eloquence of printmaking. This precise art form is finally getting the attention from the public that it deserves, and this book advances that process.Arlene Hoebel, W. T. Woodson High School, Fairfax, VA
Booknews
An introduction for art historians, students, and general readers, intended to provide a framework for teaching the history of western prints at the college level. The subject is lost in other art history introductions, and more specific books on printmaking are usually written from the standpoints of printmakers or connoisseurs. This chronological treatment is not limited to technical aspects, but is balanced with examination of the cultural and economic forces behind each medium as it developed, the achievements of individual artists, and the historical and cultural context of the work. Generously illustrated (mostly in b&w). Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
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