Richard Lacayo

Definitely for art nerds. As one closing in on old age (well, depends on how you define it, I guess), I have an interest in how one's art might change - for the better or worse - as age advances. Lacayo chooses six artists from the Renaissance to modern days: Titian, Goya, Monet, Matisse, Hopper, and Nevelson - and explores the work of their later years and how they forged new directions.

The chapters on Goya and Hopper are especially good as their biographies and personalities are interesting in and of themselves, and Lacayo's way of writing about images, colors, and the emotional impact of the paintings is vivid and skillful (especially Goya's Black Paintings). The sections on Monet and Matisse perhaps go on a bit long - with a rather single-minded focus on waterlilies and paper cutouts. However, the Monet chapter came closest to revealing the effects of old age itself and the accompanying physical deterioration on the art. Monet lived to be 86, suffered from significant visual impairment due to cataracts - and for the premier painter of light, this was a tragedy. Cataract removal surgery in 1923 was no picnic, but it restored enough of his vision to allow him to continue to work on his ponds and lilies. I confess to having less interest in Titian and Nevelson personally, so they didn't grab me as much.

As are so many art books these days, this one is marred by small, muddy, not-very-helpful reproductions of the artworks; I rather resent having to turn to the computer to get a decent look at them while reading the book (Luddite that I am, I dislike e-books).

Mostly enjoyable, well-written if perhaps a bit overly dense and long in places. Recommended for art collections and the nerds they attract. :-)… (meer)