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Leonardo Art Inc: American Paintings from Corporate Collections Review by: Elena Canavier Leonardo, Vol. 15, No. 2 (Spring, 1982), p. 167 Published by: The MIT Press Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1574580 . Accessed: 12/06/2014 22:55 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp . JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. . The MIT Press and Leonardo are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Leonardo. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 185.44.78.129 on Thu, 12 Jun 2014 22:55:03 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

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Leonardo

Art Inc: American Paintings from Corporate CollectionsReview by: Elena CanavierLeonardo, Vol. 15, No. 2 (Spring, 1982), p. 167Published by: The MIT PressStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1574580 .

Accessed: 12/06/2014 22:55

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

.JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range ofcontent in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new formsof scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected].

.

The MIT Press and Leonardo are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access toLeonardo.

http://www.jstor.org

This content downloaded from 185.44.78.129 on Thu, 12 Jun 2014 22:55:03 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

Page 2: Art Inc: American Paintings from Corporate Collections

Poussin's drawings are not a spectacular tour de force of virtuoso draughtsmanship. They do not give up their secrets readily, nor lend themselves to presentation in the form of glossy colour reproductions. Yet, as documents of the creative processes of the most noble and profound of classical artists of the 17th-century, they are of extraordinary interest, although for the lay eye they need the careful and loving exegesis of a great scholar.

This has been provided by this book, the distillation of the author's lifelong devotion to the cause of Poussin studies. He was led to write it by a desire to provide an introduction to the monumental five-volume catalogue raisonne of Poussin draw- ings on which he collaborated with Walter Friedlander from 1939 to 1974. He realised that such an introduction could not rely on the reader turning from volume to volume to find each illustration.

The resultant book for once matches in its design (by Faith Brabenec Hart) the quality of its prose. It is beautifully produced with exceptionally fine reproductions, yet is not big and cumbersome, and is easy to hold in the hand, a rare occurrence nowadays. Its illustrations, and their accompanying explanatory notes, are well integrated with the text, making it possible to follow the author's developed argument with the minimum of page turning.

The chronology of the drawings and the description of the artist's technique (which could almost be used by art students as instructions) are separated from the discussion of the 'purpose' of the drawings themselves, which makes for great lucidity of treatment. Throughout the work Blunt's style, remarkable for its clarity, vicariously conveys the real excitement of looking at a fine drawing in the company of a deeply informed connoisseur. The chapter devoted to Poussin's studio, in particular, is an object lesson in discriminative judgement, with its nicely contrasted comparisons of original and copy, the subtle difference that enable us to distinguish between the master's hand and that of a highly skilled emulator.

Felicitously, this elegant volume provides an excellent introduction to Poussin as artist and thinker for any reader daunted by the full critical apparatus of the five volumes of collected drawings and three volumes of paintings. It succeeds in communicating the pleasure described by the author in the final sentence of the book: '(Poussin's) drawings ... are for holding in the hand and enjoying in the privacy of the study ... looked at this way they give very deep satisfaction.'

George Eliot and the Visual Arts. Hugh Witemeyer. Yale Univ. Press, London, 1979. 238 pp., illus. ?14.00. Reviewed by Richard Brown*

It is well known that George Eliot was a knowledgeable and enthusiastic amateur of the visual arts and that she included discussions of pictures in her novels. It is perhaps best known in relation to the 17th chapter of her novel 'Adam Bede' where she interrupts her narrative to present her views on the ordered depiction of lowly subjects in Dutch genre paintings. Witemeyer, however, goes far beyond such well-known examples to provide a wide-ranging examination of the relationship between Eliot and the visual arts.

He begins by giving an account of the art books she read, personalities she met and galleries she visited (he calls her 'a consciencious tourist') during her travels in European countries. He shows that her ideas about literary works were securely rooted in the Horatian notion that they should be like representational pictures: ut pictura poesis. Her belief in the importance of representing the outward physical appearance of her characters was so strong that it led her to an interest in phrenology and physiognomy. However, such interests, and her devotion to the pictorial arts, were tempered by her belief that literary works afforded more possibilities for an understanding of an individual's character by means of narrative development and dramatic exchanges.

Witemeyer explains Eliot's extensive, though sometimes ironic, uses of figurative and typological portraiture and

Poussin's drawings are not a spectacular tour de force of virtuoso draughtsmanship. They do not give up their secrets readily, nor lend themselves to presentation in the form of glossy colour reproductions. Yet, as documents of the creative processes of the most noble and profound of classical artists of the 17th-century, they are of extraordinary interest, although for the lay eye they need the careful and loving exegesis of a great scholar.

This has been provided by this book, the distillation of the author's lifelong devotion to the cause of Poussin studies. He was led to write it by a desire to provide an introduction to the monumental five-volume catalogue raisonne of Poussin draw- ings on which he collaborated with Walter Friedlander from 1939 to 1974. He realised that such an introduction could not rely on the reader turning from volume to volume to find each illustration.

The resultant book for once matches in its design (by Faith Brabenec Hart) the quality of its prose. It is beautifully produced with exceptionally fine reproductions, yet is not big and cumbersome, and is easy to hold in the hand, a rare occurrence nowadays. Its illustrations, and their accompanying explanatory notes, are well integrated with the text, making it possible to follow the author's developed argument with the minimum of page turning.

The chronology of the drawings and the description of the artist's technique (which could almost be used by art students as instructions) are separated from the discussion of the 'purpose' of the drawings themselves, which makes for great lucidity of treatment. Throughout the work Blunt's style, remarkable for its clarity, vicariously conveys the real excitement of looking at a fine drawing in the company of a deeply informed connoisseur. The chapter devoted to Poussin's studio, in particular, is an object lesson in discriminative judgement, with its nicely contrasted comparisons of original and copy, the subtle difference that enable us to distinguish between the master's hand and that of a highly skilled emulator.

Felicitously, this elegant volume provides an excellent introduction to Poussin as artist and thinker for any reader daunted by the full critical apparatus of the five volumes of collected drawings and three volumes of paintings. It succeeds in communicating the pleasure described by the author in the final sentence of the book: '(Poussin's) drawings ... are for holding in the hand and enjoying in the privacy of the study ... looked at this way they give very deep satisfaction.'

George Eliot and the Visual Arts. Hugh Witemeyer. Yale Univ. Press, London, 1979. 238 pp., illus. ?14.00. Reviewed by Richard Brown*

It is well known that George Eliot was a knowledgeable and enthusiastic amateur of the visual arts and that she included discussions of pictures in her novels. It is perhaps best known in relation to the 17th chapter of her novel 'Adam Bede' where she interrupts her narrative to present her views on the ordered depiction of lowly subjects in Dutch genre paintings. Witemeyer, however, goes far beyond such well-known examples to provide a wide-ranging examination of the relationship between Eliot and the visual arts.

He begins by giving an account of the art books she read, personalities she met and galleries she visited (he calls her 'a consciencious tourist') during her travels in European countries. He shows that her ideas about literary works were securely rooted in the Horatian notion that they should be like representational pictures: ut pictura poesis. Her belief in the importance of representing the outward physical appearance of her characters was so strong that it led her to an interest in phrenology and physiognomy. However, such interests, and her devotion to the pictorial arts, were tempered by her belief that literary works afforded more possibilities for an understanding of an individual's character by means of narrative development and dramatic exchanges.

Witemeyer explains Eliot's extensive, though sometimes ironic, uses of figurative and typological portraiture and

Poussin's drawings are not a spectacular tour de force of virtuoso draughtsmanship. They do not give up their secrets readily, nor lend themselves to presentation in the form of glossy colour reproductions. Yet, as documents of the creative processes of the most noble and profound of classical artists of the 17th-century, they are of extraordinary interest, although for the lay eye they need the careful and loving exegesis of a great scholar.

This has been provided by this book, the distillation of the author's lifelong devotion to the cause of Poussin studies. He was led to write it by a desire to provide an introduction to the monumental five-volume catalogue raisonne of Poussin draw- ings on which he collaborated with Walter Friedlander from 1939 to 1974. He realised that such an introduction could not rely on the reader turning from volume to volume to find each illustration.

The resultant book for once matches in its design (by Faith Brabenec Hart) the quality of its prose. It is beautifully produced with exceptionally fine reproductions, yet is not big and cumbersome, and is easy to hold in the hand, a rare occurrence nowadays. Its illustrations, and their accompanying explanatory notes, are well integrated with the text, making it possible to follow the author's developed argument with the minimum of page turning.

The chronology of the drawings and the description of the artist's technique (which could almost be used by art students as instructions) are separated from the discussion of the 'purpose' of the drawings themselves, which makes for great lucidity of treatment. Throughout the work Blunt's style, remarkable for its clarity, vicariously conveys the real excitement of looking at a fine drawing in the company of a deeply informed connoisseur. The chapter devoted to Poussin's studio, in particular, is an object lesson in discriminative judgement, with its nicely contrasted comparisons of original and copy, the subtle difference that enable us to distinguish between the master's hand and that of a highly skilled emulator.

Felicitously, this elegant volume provides an excellent introduction to Poussin as artist and thinker for any reader daunted by the full critical apparatus of the five volumes of collected drawings and three volumes of paintings. It succeeds in communicating the pleasure described by the author in the final sentence of the book: '(Poussin's) drawings ... are for holding in the hand and enjoying in the privacy of the study ... looked at this way they give very deep satisfaction.'

George Eliot and the Visual Arts. Hugh Witemeyer. Yale Univ. Press, London, 1979. 238 pp., illus. ?14.00. Reviewed by Richard Brown*

It is well known that George Eliot was a knowledgeable and enthusiastic amateur of the visual arts and that she included discussions of pictures in her novels. It is perhaps best known in relation to the 17th chapter of her novel 'Adam Bede' where she interrupts her narrative to present her views on the ordered depiction of lowly subjects in Dutch genre paintings. Witemeyer, however, goes far beyond such well-known examples to provide a wide-ranging examination of the relationship between Eliot and the visual arts.

He begins by giving an account of the art books she read, personalities she met and galleries she visited (he calls her 'a consciencious tourist') during her travels in European countries. He shows that her ideas about literary works were securely rooted in the Horatian notion that they should be like representational pictures: ut pictura poesis. Her belief in the importance of representing the outward physical appearance of her characters was so strong that it led her to an interest in phrenology and physiognomy. However, such interests, and her devotion to the pictorial arts, were tempered by her belief that literary works afforded more possibilities for an understanding of an individual's character by means of narrative development and dramatic exchanges.

Witemeyer explains Eliot's extensive, though sometimes ironic, uses of figurative and typological portraiture and

Poussin's drawings are not a spectacular tour de force of virtuoso draughtsmanship. They do not give up their secrets readily, nor lend themselves to presentation in the form of glossy colour reproductions. Yet, as documents of the creative processes of the most noble and profound of classical artists of the 17th-century, they are of extraordinary interest, although for the lay eye they need the careful and loving exegesis of a great scholar.

This has been provided by this book, the distillation of the author's lifelong devotion to the cause of Poussin studies. He was led to write it by a desire to provide an introduction to the monumental five-volume catalogue raisonne of Poussin draw- ings on which he collaborated with Walter Friedlander from 1939 to 1974. He realised that such an introduction could not rely on the reader turning from volume to volume to find each illustration.

The resultant book for once matches in its design (by Faith Brabenec Hart) the quality of its prose. It is beautifully produced with exceptionally fine reproductions, yet is not big and cumbersome, and is easy to hold in the hand, a rare occurrence nowadays. Its illustrations, and their accompanying explanatory notes, are well integrated with the text, making it possible to follow the author's developed argument with the minimum of page turning.

The chronology of the drawings and the description of the artist's technique (which could almost be used by art students as instructions) are separated from the discussion of the 'purpose' of the drawings themselves, which makes for great lucidity of treatment. Throughout the work Blunt's style, remarkable for its clarity, vicariously conveys the real excitement of looking at a fine drawing in the company of a deeply informed connoisseur. The chapter devoted to Poussin's studio, in particular, is an object lesson in discriminative judgement, with its nicely contrasted comparisons of original and copy, the subtle difference that enable us to distinguish between the master's hand and that of a highly skilled emulator.

Felicitously, this elegant volume provides an excellent introduction to Poussin as artist and thinker for any reader daunted by the full critical apparatus of the five volumes of collected drawings and three volumes of paintings. It succeeds in communicating the pleasure described by the author in the final sentence of the book: '(Poussin's) drawings ... are for holding in the hand and enjoying in the privacy of the study ... looked at this way they give very deep satisfaction.'

George Eliot and the Visual Arts. Hugh Witemeyer. Yale Univ. Press, London, 1979. 238 pp., illus. ?14.00. Reviewed by Richard Brown*

It is well known that George Eliot was a knowledgeable and enthusiastic amateur of the visual arts and that she included discussions of pictures in her novels. It is perhaps best known in relation to the 17th chapter of her novel 'Adam Bede' where she interrupts her narrative to present her views on the ordered depiction of lowly subjects in Dutch genre paintings. Witemeyer, however, goes far beyond such well-known examples to provide a wide-ranging examination of the relationship between Eliot and the visual arts.

He begins by giving an account of the art books she read, personalities she met and galleries she visited (he calls her 'a consciencious tourist') during her travels in European countries. He shows that her ideas about literary works were securely rooted in the Horatian notion that they should be like representational pictures: ut pictura poesis. Her belief in the importance of representing the outward physical appearance of her characters was so strong that it led her to an interest in phrenology and physiognomy. However, such interests, and her devotion to the pictorial arts, were tempered by her belief that literary works afforded more possibilities for an understanding of an individual's character by means of narrative development and dramatic exchanges.

Witemeyer explains Eliot's extensive, though sometimes ironic, uses of figurative and typological portraiture and

On the history-making powers of successful dealers, real or imagined, Karp says about Andy Warhol's work: 'It was good for three or four years, but is diminishing.' It is a pity that Diamondstein did not follow up on such fascinating assertions.

Inside New York's Art World would best remain as a text for the public education course of the same title that Diamondstein teaches at the New School for Social Research in New York City-and it undoubtedly will.

Art Inc: American Paintings from Corporate Collections. Intro- duction by Mitchell Douglas Kahan. Elsevier-Dutton, New York, 1979. 298 pp., illus. Reviewed by Elena Canavier*

At a time when corporations in the U.S.A. are being hailed as the 'new Medici', this book comes as a welcome primer for those seeking to acquire at least a nodding aquaintance with the taste of these new patrons. Ninety paintings, ranging from Hudson River school landscapes to Pop Art-and-after, culled from the collections of 30 major corporations, are reproduced in color. Biographies of the artists and short statements tracing the history of each participating corporation and its collection accompany the reproductions. Originally published as a catalogue for an exhibition organized by the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts in Alabama, this book also contains an excellent bibliography which is divided into three sections: books and articles on general corporate support of the arts, catalogues of corporate collec- tions, and catalogues of museum exhibitions on the theme of corporate collecting.

The Introduction by Kahan traces the development of the rapprochement between business and art from its tentative beginnings at the turn of the century through the 1970s. Kahan writes with ease and lucidity on this complex subject. Although he foregoes airing any subjective views he might have on the subject of corporate patronage and maintains a cooly impersonal style, he nevertheless presents a lively text with a judicious sprinkling of specific examples and little-known facts.

By selecting such stylistically diverse works Kahan seeks to make the point that there is no official or readily identifiable 'corporate art'-at least not in the better collections. The unifying factor, other than that the works are by USAmerican artists, is the quality of the art. All would be welcome in museum collections. Although most of the paintings are by well established artists (from Catlin to Warhol), the list is so comprehensive that the title of the book could well have been 'The History of American Art as Seen Through Corporate Collections'. Works by a number of younger artists, for example Tom Holland, Pat Steir and Tom Wudl, give the selection a sense of adventure and reflect the different attitudes and outlooks of corporations.

The book could have been considerably improved as a source book for scholars by shortening the artists' biographies (which shed no light on the subject of corporate collections and are readily available elsewhere) and amplifying Kahan's knowledge- able, but pared down, text. Expanded information on the seminal role played in the development of corporate conscious- ness of the value of the arts by such pioneers as Herbert Bayer and Katherine Kuh, and more recently by the firm of Ruder and Finn, would have been an invaluable aid in understanding the recent growth in this field. Although they are mentioned in passing, the emphasis that would bring understanding of the behind-the-scenes forces at work is lacking.

Though not purporting to be an exhaustive examination of the various aspects of corporate collections (the whole subject of curatorial responsibility, for example, is glossed over), it is nevertheless a valuable reference book. Not only should it be available in art libraries, but it should be required reading for corporation executive officers.

The Drawings of Poussin. Anthony Blunt. Yale Univ. Press, London, 1979. 209 pp., illus. ?18.50. Reviewed by Lionel Lambourne**

On the history-making powers of successful dealers, real or imagined, Karp says about Andy Warhol's work: 'It was good for three or four years, but is diminishing.' It is a pity that Diamondstein did not follow up on such fascinating assertions.

Inside New York's Art World would best remain as a text for the public education course of the same title that Diamondstein teaches at the New School for Social Research in New York City-and it undoubtedly will.

Art Inc: American Paintings from Corporate Collections. Intro- duction by Mitchell Douglas Kahan. Elsevier-Dutton, New York, 1979. 298 pp., illus. Reviewed by Elena Canavier*

At a time when corporations in the U.S.A. are being hailed as the 'new Medici', this book comes as a welcome primer for those seeking to acquire at least a nodding aquaintance with the taste of these new patrons. Ninety paintings, ranging from Hudson River school landscapes to Pop Art-and-after, culled from the collections of 30 major corporations, are reproduced in color. Biographies of the artists and short statements tracing the history of each participating corporation and its collection accompany the reproductions. Originally published as a catalogue for an exhibition organized by the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts in Alabama, this book also contains an excellent bibliography which is divided into three sections: books and articles on general corporate support of the arts, catalogues of corporate collec- tions, and catalogues of museum exhibitions on the theme of corporate collecting.

The Introduction by Kahan traces the development of the rapprochement between business and art from its tentative beginnings at the turn of the century through the 1970s. Kahan writes with ease and lucidity on this complex subject. Although he foregoes airing any subjective views he might have on the subject of corporate patronage and maintains a cooly impersonal style, he nevertheless presents a lively text with a judicious sprinkling of specific examples and little-known facts.

By selecting such stylistically diverse works Kahan seeks to make the point that there is no official or readily identifiable 'corporate art'-at least not in the better collections. The unifying factor, other than that the works are by USAmerican artists, is the quality of the art. All would be welcome in museum collections. Although most of the paintings are by well established artists (from Catlin to Warhol), the list is so comprehensive that the title of the book could well have been 'The History of American Art as Seen Through Corporate Collections'. Works by a number of younger artists, for example Tom Holland, Pat Steir and Tom Wudl, give the selection a sense of adventure and reflect the different attitudes and outlooks of corporations.

The book could have been considerably improved as a source book for scholars by shortening the artists' biographies (which shed no light on the subject of corporate collections and are readily available elsewhere) and amplifying Kahan's knowledge- able, but pared down, text. Expanded information on the seminal role played in the development of corporate conscious- ness of the value of the arts by such pioneers as Herbert Bayer and Katherine Kuh, and more recently by the firm of Ruder and Finn, would have been an invaluable aid in understanding the recent growth in this field. Although they are mentioned in passing, the emphasis that would bring understanding of the behind-the-scenes forces at work is lacking.

Though not purporting to be an exhaustive examination of the various aspects of corporate collections (the whole subject of curatorial responsibility, for example, is glossed over), it is nevertheless a valuable reference book. Not only should it be available in art libraries, but it should be required reading for corporation executive officers.

The Drawings of Poussin. Anthony Blunt. Yale Univ. Press, London, 1979. 209 pp., illus. ?18.50. Reviewed by Lionel Lambourne**

On the history-making powers of successful dealers, real or imagined, Karp says about Andy Warhol's work: 'It was good for three or four years, but is diminishing.' It is a pity that Diamondstein did not follow up on such fascinating assertions.

Inside New York's Art World would best remain as a text for the public education course of the same title that Diamondstein teaches at the New School for Social Research in New York City-and it undoubtedly will.

Art Inc: American Paintings from Corporate Collections. Intro- duction by Mitchell Douglas Kahan. Elsevier-Dutton, New York, 1979. 298 pp., illus. Reviewed by Elena Canavier*

At a time when corporations in the U.S.A. are being hailed as the 'new Medici', this book comes as a welcome primer for those seeking to acquire at least a nodding aquaintance with the taste of these new patrons. Ninety paintings, ranging from Hudson River school landscapes to Pop Art-and-after, culled from the collections of 30 major corporations, are reproduced in color. Biographies of the artists and short statements tracing the history of each participating corporation and its collection accompany the reproductions. Originally published as a catalogue for an exhibition organized by the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts in Alabama, this book also contains an excellent bibliography which is divided into three sections: books and articles on general corporate support of the arts, catalogues of corporate collec- tions, and catalogues of museum exhibitions on the theme of corporate collecting.

The Introduction by Kahan traces the development of the rapprochement between business and art from its tentative beginnings at the turn of the century through the 1970s. Kahan writes with ease and lucidity on this complex subject. Although he foregoes airing any subjective views he might have on the subject of corporate patronage and maintains a cooly impersonal style, he nevertheless presents a lively text with a judicious sprinkling of specific examples and little-known facts.

By selecting such stylistically diverse works Kahan seeks to make the point that there is no official or readily identifiable 'corporate art'-at least not in the better collections. The unifying factor, other than that the works are by USAmerican artists, is the quality of the art. All would be welcome in museum collections. Although most of the paintings are by well established artists (from Catlin to Warhol), the list is so comprehensive that the title of the book could well have been 'The History of American Art as Seen Through Corporate Collections'. Works by a number of younger artists, for example Tom Holland, Pat Steir and Tom Wudl, give the selection a sense of adventure and reflect the different attitudes and outlooks of corporations.

The book could have been considerably improved as a source book for scholars by shortening the artists' biographies (which shed no light on the subject of corporate collections and are readily available elsewhere) and amplifying Kahan's knowledge- able, but pared down, text. Expanded information on the seminal role played in the development of corporate conscious- ness of the value of the arts by such pioneers as Herbert Bayer and Katherine Kuh, and more recently by the firm of Ruder and Finn, would have been an invaluable aid in understanding the recent growth in this field. Although they are mentioned in passing, the emphasis that would bring understanding of the behind-the-scenes forces at work is lacking.

Though not purporting to be an exhaustive examination of the various aspects of corporate collections (the whole subject of curatorial responsibility, for example, is glossed over), it is nevertheless a valuable reference book. Not only should it be available in art libraries, but it should be required reading for corporation executive officers.

The Drawings of Poussin. Anthony Blunt. Yale Univ. Press, London, 1979. 209 pp., illus. ?18.50. Reviewed by Lionel Lambourne**

On the history-making powers of successful dealers, real or imagined, Karp says about Andy Warhol's work: 'It was good for three or four years, but is diminishing.' It is a pity that Diamondstein did not follow up on such fascinating assertions.

Inside New York's Art World would best remain as a text for the public education course of the same title that Diamondstein teaches at the New School for Social Research in New York City-and it undoubtedly will.

Art Inc: American Paintings from Corporate Collections. Intro- duction by Mitchell Douglas Kahan. Elsevier-Dutton, New York, 1979. 298 pp., illus. Reviewed by Elena Canavier*

At a time when corporations in the U.S.A. are being hailed as the 'new Medici', this book comes as a welcome primer for those seeking to acquire at least a nodding aquaintance with the taste of these new patrons. Ninety paintings, ranging from Hudson River school landscapes to Pop Art-and-after, culled from the collections of 30 major corporations, are reproduced in color. Biographies of the artists and short statements tracing the history of each participating corporation and its collection accompany the reproductions. Originally published as a catalogue for an exhibition organized by the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts in Alabama, this book also contains an excellent bibliography which is divided into three sections: books and articles on general corporate support of the arts, catalogues of corporate collec- tions, and catalogues of museum exhibitions on the theme of corporate collecting.

The Introduction by Kahan traces the development of the rapprochement between business and art from its tentative beginnings at the turn of the century through the 1970s. Kahan writes with ease and lucidity on this complex subject. Although he foregoes airing any subjective views he might have on the subject of corporate patronage and maintains a cooly impersonal style, he nevertheless presents a lively text with a judicious sprinkling of specific examples and little-known facts.

By selecting such stylistically diverse works Kahan seeks to make the point that there is no official or readily identifiable 'corporate art'-at least not in the better collections. The unifying factor, other than that the works are by USAmerican artists, is the quality of the art. All would be welcome in museum collections. Although most of the paintings are by well established artists (from Catlin to Warhol), the list is so comprehensive that the title of the book could well have been 'The History of American Art as Seen Through Corporate Collections'. Works by a number of younger artists, for example Tom Holland, Pat Steir and Tom Wudl, give the selection a sense of adventure and reflect the different attitudes and outlooks of corporations.

The book could have been considerably improved as a source book for scholars by shortening the artists' biographies (which shed no light on the subject of corporate collections and are readily available elsewhere) and amplifying Kahan's knowledge- able, but pared down, text. Expanded information on the seminal role played in the development of corporate conscious- ness of the value of the arts by such pioneers as Herbert Bayer and Katherine Kuh, and more recently by the firm of Ruder and Finn, would have been an invaluable aid in understanding the recent growth in this field. Although they are mentioned in passing, the emphasis that would bring understanding of the behind-the-scenes forces at work is lacking.

Though not purporting to be an exhaustive examination of the various aspects of corporate collections (the whole subject of curatorial responsibility, for example, is glossed over), it is nevertheless a valuable reference book. Not only should it be available in art libraries, but it should be required reading for corporation executive officers.

The Drawings of Poussin. Anthony Blunt. Yale Univ. Press, London, 1979. 209 pp., illus. ?18.50. Reviewed by Lionel Lambourne**

*1504 Que St., NW, Washington DC 20005, U.S.A.

**Dept. of Paintings, Victoria and Albert Museum, South Kensington. London SW7 2RL, England.

*1504 Que St., NW, Washington DC 20005, U.S.A.

**Dept. of Paintings, Victoria and Albert Museum, South Kensington. London SW7 2RL, England.

*1504 Que St., NW, Washington DC 20005, U.S.A.

**Dept. of Paintings, Victoria and Albert Museum, South Kensington. London SW7 2RL, England.

*1504 Que St., NW, Washington DC 20005, U.S.A.

**Dept. of Paintings, Victoria and Albert Museum, South Kensington. London SW7 2RL, England.

connects this with her humanist interest in the glorification of connects this with her humanist interest in the glorification of connects this with her humanist interest in the glorification of connects this with her humanist interest in the glorification of

*61 Blurton Road, London E5 ONH, England. *61 Blurton Road, London E5 ONH, England. *61 Blurton Road, London E5 ONH, England. *61 Blurton Road, London E5 ONH, England.

Books Books Books Books 167 167 167 167

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