PublishedAbbeville Press, August 2016 |
ISBN9780789212566 |
FormatHardcover, 156 pages |
Dimensions20.3cm × 20.3cm |
An elegant survey of more than 70 works of art featuring women reading throughout time. What is it about a woman reading that has captivated hundreds of artists over the centuries? Stefan Bollmann's 'Women Who Read Are Dangerous' explores this popular subject in more than 70 artworks - drawings, paintings, photographs, and prints - by iconic artists such as Henri Matisse, Edward Hopper, Suzanne Valadon, August Sander, Rembrandt, and many more.
As the book's provocative title indicates, a woman reading was once viewed as radical. In chapters, such as "Intimate Moments" and "The Search for Oneself," Bollmann profiles how a woman with a book was once seen as idle or suspect and how women have gained autonomy through reading over the years. Bollmann offers intelligent and engaging commentary on each work of art in 'Women Who Read Are Dangerous', telling us who the subject is, her relationship to the artist, and even what she is reading. With works ranging from a 1333 Annunciation painting of the angel Gabriel speaking to the Virgin Mary, book in hand, to twentieth-century works, such as a stunning photograph of Marilyn Monroe reading Ulysses, this appealing survey provides a veritable slideshow of the many iterations of a woman and her book-a compelling subject to this day. An excellent gift for graduates, teachers, or Mother's Day, this elegant book should appeal to anyone interested in art, literature, or women's history. AUTHOR: Stefan Bollmann is a writer and editor of several books on literary women and is based in Munich. Karen Joy Fowler is the author of a number of best-selling novels, including 'The Jane Austen Book Club'. SELLING POINTS: . It is a multifaceted look at various forms of art-drawings, paintings, photographs, and prints-ranging from the fourteenth century to the twenty-first. . It is an excellent gift for graduates, teachers, or Mother's Day. . Appeals to the popular feminist trend circulating in current media. REVIEWS: "Offers a treasure trove of visual riches, but also poses cultural questions from times when women burned with an ardor of self-improvement." - New York Times Book Review "A resplendent exhibit-on-paper of artistic portraits of women transfixed by books." - Booklist Over 200 illustrations
