Summary
Old Age in Art shows how aged individuals have been depicted from ancient Greece and Rome to the present century. It explores portraits, including self-portraits of artists in old age, and stories of older figures in religion, myth and history, focusing on the theme of wisdom versus folly. The book also discusses the concept of old age within the Ages of Humanity, especially during the Middle Ages and early modern periods. The final chapter examines how renowned artists like Michelangelo, Titian, and Monet turned to experimental forms and new subjects in their later years, revealing a comparative ‘old age style’. This book provides a comprehensive overview of old age in European art history.
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781836390510 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 1836390513 |
| Author: | Larry Silver |
| Publisher: | Reaktion Books |
| Imprint: | Reaktion Books |
| Format: | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages: | 208 |
| Release Date: | 31 July 2025 |
| Weight: | 548g |
| Dimensions: | 138mm x 216mm |
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Critics Review
Larry Silver’s Old Age in Art is a beautiful, richly illustrated meditation on ageing. Spanning classical antiquity to the present day, Silver picks out European paintings and sculpture that range from the melancholic to the comedic. Weaving this selection together, he tells a story that is both familiar and challenging to our own approach to growing old today. Highly recommended. - Evelyn Welch, Professor of Renaissance Studies, University of Bristol
What does it mean to be old? In Larry Silver’s review of images of old age in European art from antiquity to the present, attitudes towards ageing are revealed. Using his deep knowledge of iconography to unpack the meanings of paintings and prints by both ‘old’ and modern masters, Silver discovers in art history the gender and cultural biases that have formed our picture of old age and its significance today. - Catherine M. Soussloff, Professor Emeritus, University of British Columbia, and author of The Subject in Art
Silver’s insightful book, well seasoned with examples from the history of art, addresses the age-old problem that none of us is getting any younger. With maturity comes wisdom or folly. In addition, as Silver reminds us, artists such as Goya, Michelangelo, Titian and Rembrandt continued to experiment in their twilight years. As the adage goes, old dogs can learn new tricks. - Henry Luttikhuizen, Professor Emeritus of Art History, Calvin University, Grand Rapids, Michigan
No account better illustrates the remarkable dynamism of being old across the centuries. - Barbara H. Rosenwein, Professor Emerita, Loyola University Chicago
Larry Silver
Larry Silver is the Farquhar Professor Emeritus of History of Art at the University of Pennsylvania and a specialist in Dutch and Flemish paintings. He has published numerous monographs and exhibition catalogues, including Rembrandt’s Holland (Reaktion, 2018).
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