The Age of Rubens

Despite many recent obituaries, the "blockbuster" art show is alive and well, as evidenced by this massive exhibit of Northern Baroque painting organized by Boston's Museum of Fine Art. Much more than a mere exhibition catalog, this book contains well-written, detailed biographies of Peter Paul Rubens and his followers Anthony van Dyck and Jacob Jordaens. A lengthy section of critical essays by various scholars examines Flemish painting from several angles. Sutton unabashedly offers a critique of the atelier system--the dominant mode of art production in 17th-century Europe--in which studio apprentices performed much of the actual painting over designs executed by the master. Because this arrangement is an affront to our modern idolization of the individualist artist, it's a topic avoided in most art histories. The catalog section of the book is a masterpiece of scholarly writing, thoroughly analyzing each painting's history and exuberantly baroque content. As a comprehensive portrait of an era, Sutton's book is an excellent companion piece to Christopher White's 1987 monograph Peter Paul Ru bens. An excellent study recommended for all libraries.- Douglas F. Smith, Oakland P.L., Cal.Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.