American Sublime : Landscape Painting in the United States 1820-1880

Rating:
Summary: Don't just look at the book: see the exhibition at PAFA
Review: This catalog of the exhibition presently at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts is an excellent guide to carry with you as you view the paintings -- particularly since the printed material on the wall adjacent to the paintings is printed in tiny type and posted way too low. The book is well organized, by theme, matching the layout of the show. There is excellent material on the artists and the events surrounding the paintings, and a some bibliography for each artist at the back (too bad many of the books are out of print). The reproductions are OK to good, but in NO WAY do they give you a sense of the actual paintings, which are awe-some, they way we used to mean it. If there's any any way you can possibly get to this exhibit, go. Then, if you wish, buy the book.