Product ReviewsSister Wendy's 1000 Masterpieces by Wendy Beckett (1999, Hardcover)

KUDOS TO SISTER WENDY 1000 MASTERPIECES COLLECTION!

A wonderful coffee table book, with colorful reproductions of art and Sister Wendy's comments...although rather unwieldy. It's huge.

It's set up alphabetically, with each artist getting a page, with 2 to 3 pictures on each page, each picture accompanied by Sister Wendy's comments. I'll now deconstruct point by point.

The alphabetical nature kind of got to me. I think it should have been divided by era or style, because having a postmodernist artist next to a baroque era artist on a 2 page spread was pretty jarring.

Limiting each artist to 1 page was pretty severe when it came to artists like Monet or Renoir (I just gave myself away as an Impressionist fan). I couldn't help thinking, 'well these 2 pictures are nice, but what about his Water-lilies, etc.' Of course, tastes vary, so it is very democratic to just say 1 page no matter what, instead of making some fans happy that such-and-such artist got more pages.

An unsurpassed anthology of Western art from the best-loved art historian of our time. Sister Wendy Beckett, one of the most respected art historians of our time, combines her great love of art with her unique powers of observation to create an unrivaled personal anthology of 1,000 of the greatest masterpieces of Western art. Definitive Guide. Spanning over nine centuries of Western art, Sister Wendy's very personal selection includes more than 500 of the world's greatest artists. Arranged alphabetically, most of the artists featured are represented by two paintings, illustrating the range of their work and the development of their style. Sister Wendy describes each masterpiece in illuminating detail. She gives special attention to landmark words by the giants of Western art, such as Leonardo da Vinci's Virgin of the Rocks, Velasquez's The Waterseller of Seville, and Goya's The Family of Charles IV. Illuminating Insights. With full-color reproductions of superb quality, Sister Wendy's 1,000 Masterpieces is the perfect introduction to artists as diverse as Durer and Dufy, Monet and Miro, Raphael and Rothko. Focusing on both subject matter and technique, Sister Wendy's perceptive annotations lead the reader straight to the key elements of each work, while she offers fresh insights into even the most famous paintings.
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A true wealth of insight to offer the layman and the professional...the color reproductions are excellent. (Antiques and the Arts Weekly)
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a weighty and wonderful collection...a big bold, beautiful book. (religion news service syndicate)
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sister Wendy is a one-woman panel of experts (Philadelphia inquirer)
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A big sumptuous volume...an informative read and a pleasure browse. Highly recommended. (Gallery & Studio)
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Sister Wendy's knowledge of art history is sweeping and surprisingly cosmopolitan, though always explained in terms lay people can appreciate (San Antonio News Express)
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[The competition] has almost nothing of the excellence of 1000 masterpieces...a well-developed capacity for intelligent appreciation. Sister Wendy serves an an invariably graceful, subtle and insightful guide to this august collection of paintings.Read full review...

Sister Wendy's view on art.

Sister Wendy's art books are incredible. With each book she takes you on a journey to meet and understand the artist and their subjects with great detail. I would have loved to have met her and traveled with her, she would have been so interesting to know. I highly recommend all of her books and her PBS TV specials. I learn something new every time I look at the books.Read full review...

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Highly reccommented for Art History lovers

If you are a fan of Art History, you will enjoy this book. This is a huge book! Full of great pictures with brief notes and commentary.

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Art history in a nutshell

Sister Wendy has such a fascinating way to look at art. Her insight brings a new appreciation to each piece she has chosen.

Art Appreciated Even More!

Sr. Wendy’s remarkable insights open up new avenues of appreciation when viewing her selections of masterpieces.

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Love this book

Terriffic book with so much good info. Love having it as a reference! Thank you!

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Great book

Many interesting facts.

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Great book and good critique

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Amazing

Sister Wendy was the bomb! Rest on peace!

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Excellent Art Book

Great art and narrative. Belongs on everyone's coffee table!

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: dreambooks_co