Description
Book SynopsisAmong the most radical of the great American Abstract Expressionist painters, Clyfford Still has also long been among the least studied. Still severed ties with the commercial art world in the early 1950s, and his estate at the time of his death in 1980 comprised some 3,125 artworks-including more than 800 paintings-that were all but unknown to the art world. Susan F. Lake and Barbara A. Ramsay were granted access to this collection by the estate and by the Clyfford Still Museum in Denver, which houses this immense corpus today. This volume, based on the authors' materials research project and enriched by their unprecedented access to Still's artworks, paints, correspondence, studio records, and personal library, provides the first detailed account of the artist's materials, working methods, and techniques. Initial chapters provide an engaging and erudite overview of Still's life. Subsequent chapters trace the development of his visionary style, offer in-depth materials analysis of selected works from each decade of his career, and suggest new approaches to the care and conservation of his paintings. The richly illustrated narrative is complemented by a series of technical appendices and a full bibliography.
Trade Review“Reading this book will make you want to rush to the Clyfford Still Museum in Denver, equipped with the wealth of knowledge the authors provide, to immerse yourself in the oeuvre of this formidable artist. For those who cannot do so, this richly illustrated volume offers a fantastic journey into Still’s singular life and work, with close-ups showing details of the paintings as if you were standing in front of them.”--Marie-Claude Corbeil
Table of ContentsForeword Timothy P. Whalen Preface Sandra Still Campell Introduction Chapter 1: A Life in Art Early Life and Education The Itinerant Artist and Teacher The Myth and the Man Legacy Chapter 2: Reconsideration and Recapitulation: The Development of a Unique Visual Style Visual Style Chapter 3: Painting Materials Auxiliary Supports Supports Fabrics Sizing, Priming, and Underdrawing Paints Pigments Paint Medium Surface Coatings Signatures, Titles, and Other Inscriptions Frames Chapter 4: Condition and Conservation Inorganic Efflorescence: Metal Soaps Discoloration and Fading Appendix I Analysis of powdered pigments in 40 containers randomly selected from Still's studio Appendix II Analysis of 15 tube paints randomly selected from Still's studio Appendix III Pigments identified in 37 paintings 1942 - 1977 Appendix IV Analysis of binding media of 37 paintings 1942 - 1977 Appendix V Still's instructions on the care of his paintings Appendix VI Analytical Methods Notes References Acknowledgements About the authors
