Tomoko Sato

This study of Oscar Wilde presents him as the central, catalytic figure who linked together the artistic cities of London and Paris in the last quarter of the nineteenth century. The book discusses Wilde's many talents and looks at the contribution he made to the artistic and cultural movements of his age. The text also covers the other aspects of Wilde's work for which he was less well known, these include his work as an art critic, journalist and progressive political thinker. The book is an accompaniment to an exhibition at the Barbican Art Gallery which commemorates the centenary of Wilde's death. 75 colour and 80 mono illustrations. https://www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/2000/event/the-wilde-years-oscar-wilde-and-...… (más)

Alphonse Mucha is, to me, one of the greats of Art Nouveau. His posters have been widely reproduced (especially the one for Job rolling papers!) and his sets of lithographs, like the ones of the seasons and the flower ones, show up a lot. They are all beautiful; both the beautiful women with their hair in curling tendrils, usually with large flowers decorating it, and the backgrounds and frames with all their stars and patterns and jewels and flowers…they have always enchanted me. His work was hugely popular in his time; it was used not just as posters but in magazine illustration and on postcards.

What I was not really aware of was his ‘serious’ work, inspired by his Slavic heritage. Most of this is much darker in both spirit and palette. He honored Slavic history and hoped mightily for Slavic independence and unity. Sadly, he was to die just days after Nazi’s marched into the area and he was arrested and questioned as a Czech patriot.

This book is brief, but gives a good overview of Mucha’s life and work, and is filled with beautiful reproductions of all phases of his work.… (más)