'A book which no Proust addict can afford to miss' Anita Brookner
A visually stunning and surprisingly accessible book that brings out subtle facets of Proust's masterpiece, as well as the artworks he cites. --Art in America
'A book which no Proust addict can afford to miss' Anita Brookner
A visually stunning and surprisingly accessible book that brings out subtle facets of Proust's masterpiece, as well as the artworks he cites. --Art in America
Eric Karpeles's lavishly illustrated and comprehensive guide offers a feast for the eyes as it celebrates the close relationship between the visual and literary arts in Proust's masterpiece. Karpeles has identified and located all of the paintings to which Proust makes exact reference. Where only a painter's name is mentioned to indicate a certain mood or appearance, he has chosen a representative work to illustrate the impression that Proust sought to evoke. Botticelli's angels, Manet's courtesans, Mantegna's warriors and Carpaccio's saints stand among Monet's water lilies and Piranesi's engravings of Rome, while Karpeles's insightful essay and lucid contextual commentary explain their significance to Proust. The book closes with extensive notes and a comprehensive index of all painters and paintings mentioned in the novel.
With over 200 beautifully reproduced paintings, drawings and engravings, and accompanying texts drawn from the Moncrieff/Kilmartin/Enright translation of In Search of Lost Time, this book is an essential addition to the libraries of Proustians worldwide and a handsome volume in its own right.
“A visually stunning and surprisingly accessible book that brings out subtle facets of Proust's masterpiece, as well as the artworks he cites…Karpeles comes close to encapsulating Proust's vision…Paintings in Proust could serve effectively as either a concise preface or a meaningful afterword to the monumental novel. What's more, it can be appreciated entirely on its own. -- Art in America An indispensable companion for readers of Proust…. Precisely what's been needed for about 90 years. -- Rochester Post-Bulletin”
'Will thrill any Proust lover' - Financial Times
'Will undoubtedly be greeted with the literary equivalent of a hosanna' - The New York Times
'Intelligent and passionate … a window into Proust’s sharp, eccentric wit' - The Irish Times
'Indispensable to the [Proust] addict, but also enticing for the casual browser' - Observer
Eric Karpeles is a painter and also writes about painting, poetry and aesthetics. He is the author of several books, including a biography of Józef Czapski, Almost Nothing, and Paintings in Proust, also published by Thames & Hudson.
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