With the death of Balthus in February 2001, the world lost one of the great painters of the twentieth century. Born into an aristocratic Polish family in 1908, Balthus grew up amid the most cultivated and artistic circles of Geneva, Berlin and Paris. Brilliantly precocious, he developed early his twin fascinations with the East and with Europe's old masters - inspirations that show in the poise and peculiar timelessness of his paintings. But his work is also suffused with an eroticism and sense of mystery that betray much ...
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With the death of Balthus in February 2001, the world lost one of the great painters of the twentieth century. Born into an aristocratic Polish family in 1908, Balthus grew up amid the most cultivated and artistic circles of Geneva, Berlin and Paris. Brilliantly precocious, he developed early his twin fascinations with the East and with Europe's old masters - inspirations that show in the poise and peculiar timelessness of his paintings. But his work is also suffused with an eroticism and sense of mystery that betray much more modern influences. Balthus was an artist of unflinching integrity. Out of step with the modern movement, until the 1960s he was hailed by only a tiny group of connoisseurs - among them, Picasso. By the mid- 1980s his work had achieved international renown, but he remained acutely wary of public scrutiny. He believed passionately that his paintings were to be looked at, not read about, or read into. As a result the enigmatic aura of his art came to envelop the man himself - even when, in his later years, he finally let down his guard and allowed journalists and scholars into his magnificent chalet home at Rossiniere in the Swiss Alps. Following his father's death, Stanislas Klossowski de Rola has written a new introduction to this compilation of the most important paintings, expanded now to include Balthus's last work, The Waiting, and the controversial Guitar Lesson from 1934. Rare photographs show the young Balthus in his studio, while more recent images by his friend Henri Cartier-Bresson complete this tribute to one of the great artists of recent times.
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Very Good. Very Good Jacket. Size: 0x0x0; Posted within 1 working day. 1st class tracked post to the UK, Airmail tracked worldwide. Robust recyclable packaging.
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The item shows wear from consistent use, but it remains in good condition and works perfectly. All pages and cover are intact (including the dust cover, if applicable). Spine may show signs of wear. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting. May NOT include discs, access code or other supplemental materials.
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Small remainder stamp on bottom edge else very good condition with text clean and binding sound without dust jacket. First Edition. 100pp, 80 color plates. Size: [9.75" X 11.25"].
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Very Good. Very Good condition. A copy that may have a few cosmetic defects. May also contain light spine creasing or a few markings such as an owner's name, short gifter's inscription or light stamp.
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UsedGood. Hardcover; first U.S. edition; fading and shelf wear to exterior; light sta ining to rear endpaper and preceding page edge; fading to pages; in good co ndition with clean text, firm binding. Dust jacket shows fading, scuffing, and a few small edge tears.