Wood, Christopher — Victorian Painting

New York, Bulfinch Press, 2000. Hardbound. Green cloth with dark, color-illustrated dustjacket. 384 pages; 300 color and 200 bw plates. Wood, an expert in the art of the Victorian period, sets out to prove the wealth and diversity of English Victorian painting, placing it in the social context of its time. The discussion of issues such as the rise of middle-class patronage, the increasing importance of the dealer, and the emergence of museums helps situate Victorian painting. Wood's major premise is that Victorian art was not only a popular means of illustrating modern life but that it also continued the earlier phase of 19th-century Romanticism through its passion for history and literary illusion. These themes are reflected in the 28 thematic chapters. " And from a review by Leonee Ormond, Literary Review, August 1999: "The Victorian era and its aftermath form the backdrop to one of the great flowerings of British art, led by the Pre-Raphaelites. This is the first book to cover the extended period of 1837-1914, depicting and discussing asuccession of movements that characterize the greater Victorian period. 'Wood is the author of a dictionary of Victorian artists, and of several other books on this subject, and readers can be confident that his comments on the minor artists reflect genuine knowledge. The wide range of illustrations helps bring to life a myriad of lesser figures, demonstrating the visual truth behind the brief comments in the text. (from Dr. Sandra Rothenberg). As New a superb copy .