Monochrome: Painting in Black and White by Lelia Packer and Jennifer Sliwka
Painting “without color” has long held a fascination for artists. In this striking and original book, the authors explore how and why artists from the 15th century to the present have chosen to paint in black, white, and shades of gray. Sometimes artists used trompe l’oeil monochromatic effects to represent other media, such as sculpture, prints, or photography; others have consciously limited their palette as a means of re-focusing the viewer’s attention, while modern & contemporary artists such as Cy Twombly & Gerhard Richter have often found inspiration in pushing black and white to its limits, and in new directions. The authors trace the history of this art form, from the symbolism of sacred images in medieval church ritual to the abstract canvases of the modern era.
Lelia Packer is a Acting Curator of Dutch, Italian, Spanish, German and Pre-1600 Paintings at the Wallace Collection. She was formerly McCrindle Curatorial Assistant at the National Gallery.
Jennifer Sliwka is Deputy Director of the Visual Commentary on Scripture Project & Senior Research Fellow, King’s College London. She was formerly Ahmanson Curator of Art & Religion at the National Gallery.
Pub Date: 2017
Format: Hardback
Pages: 240
ISBN: 9781857096149
Made in United States
Dimensions: 11.4 x 9.5 x 1.1 in
Painting “without color” has long held a fascination for artists. In this striking and original book, the authors explore how and why artists from the 15th century to the present have chosen to paint in black, white, and shades of gray. Sometimes artists used trompe l’oeil monochromatic effects to represent other media, such as sculpture, prints, or photography; others have consciously limited their palette as a means of re-focusing the viewer’s attention, while modern & contemporary artists such as Cy Twombly & Gerhard Richter have often found inspiration in pushing black and white to its limits, and in new directions. The authors trace the history of this art form, from the symbolism of sacred images in medieval church ritual to the abstract canvases of the modern era.
Lelia Packer is a Acting Curator of Dutch, Italian, Spanish, German and Pre-1600 Paintings at the Wallace Collection. She was formerly McCrindle Curatorial Assistant at the National Gallery.
Jennifer Sliwka is Deputy Director of the Visual Commentary on Scripture Project & Senior Research Fellow, King’s College London. She was formerly Ahmanson Curator of Art & Religion at the National Gallery.
Pub Date: 2017
Format: Hardback
Pages: 240
ISBN: 9781857096149
Made in United States
Dimensions: 11.4 x 9.5 x 1.1 in
Painting “without color” has long held a fascination for artists. In this striking and original book, the authors explore how and why artists from the 15th century to the present have chosen to paint in black, white, and shades of gray. Sometimes artists used trompe l’oeil monochromatic effects to represent other media, such as sculpture, prints, or photography; others have consciously limited their palette as a means of re-focusing the viewer’s attention, while modern & contemporary artists such as Cy Twombly & Gerhard Richter have often found inspiration in pushing black and white to its limits, and in new directions. The authors trace the history of this art form, from the symbolism of sacred images in medieval church ritual to the abstract canvases of the modern era.
Lelia Packer is a Acting Curator of Dutch, Italian, Spanish, German and Pre-1600 Paintings at the Wallace Collection. She was formerly McCrindle Curatorial Assistant at the National Gallery.
Jennifer Sliwka is Deputy Director of the Visual Commentary on Scripture Project & Senior Research Fellow, King’s College London. She was formerly Ahmanson Curator of Art & Religion at the National Gallery.
Pub Date: 2017
Format: Hardback
Pages: 240
ISBN: 9781857096149
Made in United States
Dimensions: 11.4 x 9.5 x 1.1 in