Modern art 1900-45 The age of avant-gardes

While 1945 seems like the genuine end of an artistic era, it is odd to begin a consideration of modern art in 1900, as this would omit the 1880s and 1890s, universally seen as the moment of artistic change. Nonetheless, this is where Crepaldi, a director at an Italian auction house, begins his survey. Each of the more than 430 reproductions he presents, which include masterworks of all levels of recognition, many from Italian collections, is accompanied by brief stylistic and biographical notes; introductions averaging two pages long begin each chapter. While Crepaldi includes the art of standard masters like Picasso and Matisse (with some notable omissions, e.g., Arschile Gorky), he also features the work of less well-known artists such as Fernand Knopff and Mario Sironi. He focuses on European painting but also gives a nod to U.S. and Latin American painting as well as architecture and motion pictures. The striking graphic design distinguishes the book from others covering modern art. Suitable for public and academic libraries.--Kathryn Wekselman, M.Ln., Cincinnati, OH (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.