What is Painting?: Representation and Modern Art

Julian Bell's refreshingly simple What Is Painting? considers, as its title suggests, basic questions relevant to the practice and contemplation of painting. As a successful painter in his own right, it is fascinating to watch Bell's mind cut through the dense foliage of art history to produce a compelling account of the ways in which the personal and social significance of painting has changed over the centuries. Beginning with Aristotle and ending with the so-called death of painting, Bell boldly tackles ideas and concepts central to an understanding of the medium. Imitation, representation, form, modernity, abstraction, and deconstruction are all explored through Bell's accounts of painters ranging from the early Greeks to Lucian Freud. Running throughout the book is a passionate belief in the importance of painting as a means of private and public expression. For a book by a painter, it is rather light on color illustrations (only 16 in all), and the subtlety of Bell's arguments can sometimes diminish their force. Still, a very interesting read for both artists and art lovers. --Jerry Brotton, Amazon.co.uk