The art of American still life : Audubon to Warhol / Mark D. Mitchell ; with essays by Bill Brown, Mark D. Mitchell, Katie A. Pfohl, and Carol Troyen.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Mitchell, Mark DeSaussure, 1975- author.

Brown, Bill, 1958- author.

Pfohl, Katie A., author.

Troyen, Carol, author.

Contributor:

Rub, Timothy, writer of foreword.

Philadelphia Museum of Art, host institution.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Still-life painting, American--Exhibitions.

Still-life painting, American.

Still-life painting, American--19th century--Exhibitions.

Still-life painting, American--20th century--Exhibitions.

Genre:

Exhibition catalogs.

Physical Description:

xiii, 271 pages : illustrations (chiefly color), map, portraits ; 31 cm

Other Title:

Audubon to Warhol

Place of Publication:

Philadelphia, PA : Philadelphia Museum of Art ; New Haven, CT : in association with Yale University Press, [2015]

Summary:

The first survey of American still life in three decades, this exhibition offers 130 oil paintings, watercolors, and works in other media representing the finest accomplishments in the genre. Featuring masterpieces by John James Audubon, the Peale family, William Michael Harnett, Georgia O'Keeffe, Andy Warhol, and others, this exhibition explores American still life from its beginnings in the late 1700s to the Pop Art era of the 1960s. Taking a fresh approach to the subject to reveal the genre's astonishing variety, the exhibition presents four distinct eras of American still life, each defined by a unique culture of seeing objects: describing, indulging, discerning, and animating. Within these sections, visitors are encouraged to explore still life as a reflection of American identity and culture through time.

Still life is generally an art of intimacy, intended for display in homes and other private settings. From the perfect serenity of tabletop compositions created by Raphaelle Peale (1774-1825), to the trompe l'oeil illusions of William Michael Harnett (1848-1892), to the explosive floral abstractions of Arthur B. Carles (1882-1952), still lifes provoke the senses and reward close looking. The exhibition employs theatrical displays and interactive technologies to encourage substantive, personal encounters with the works. The genre has a special connection to our region: Philadelphia artists first defined American still-life practice and remained at its forefront well into the twentieth century. This exhibition is the first to explore this distinctive aspect of American still-life painting.

Contents:

Foreword / Timothy Rub

Philadelphia still life and American art / Mark D. Mitchell

Fruit, flowers, and Lucky Strikes: The still life in American culture / Carol Troyen

Object cultures and the life of things / Bill Brown

Still life's shifting ground: American interpretations / Katie A. Pfohl

Plates / Mark D. Mitchell

What is a still life?

Describing, 1795-1845

Indulging, 1845-1890

Discerning, 1875-1905

Animating, 1905-1950

Looking back through Pop.

Notes:

"Published on the occasion of the exhibition Audubon to Warhol: the art of American still life, Philadelphia Museum of Art, October 27, 2015-January 10, 2016"--Title page verso.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 263-265) and index.

ISBN:

9780876332689

0876332688

9780300204117

0300204116

OCLC:

927983541