Art Criticism from Rare Illustrated Books

London: James Carpenter, 1843. Fifth edition of this beautifully produced but practical guide to colour in painting, which uses works by old masters such as Titian, Van Dyck and Rubens as a guide. The author, John Burnet (1784 - 1868) was a Scottish engraver and painter who exhibited with the Royal Academy and was awarded a fellowship with the… Read more about this item

Boca Raton, FL: The artist, 2006. First Edition. From the outer reaches of artists' books: the late photographer and conceptual artist's magnum opus and sequel to his earlier How to Become a Famous Contemporary Artist. The textbook for the author's Online School of Fine Arts containing course outline, fee schedule, FAQs, student orientation lesson, course requirements, details of graduate… Read more about this item

London: Lund Humphries, 2002. First Edition. The first monograph on the artist, chronology of his life by Diana Rowntree; signed by the author, and inscribed by the Rowntree's to Betty and Roy Churcher. Laid in is an autograph letter signed from Diana Rowntree to Betty Churcher, sending the book, commenting on the colour of the reproductions and noting, 'A… Read more about this item

Melbourne: Lansdowne Australian Art Library, 1972. First Edition. Renowned art historian Ursula Hoff provides detailed biographical information about this enigmatic bohemian artist in a splendidly illustrated monograph. Includes a newspaper clipping of its review from 'The Age'. First edition. Quarto, original green papered boards, profusely illustrated in colour and black & white; back board a little scratched, a nice… Read more about this item

Sydney: Ure Smith, 1943. First Edition. Includes an article on wood engraving by Frank Medworth, extracts from Donald Friend's war dairy, and letters on the role of art in social reconstruction after the war. Octavo, original illustrated wrappers, black & white plates, a fine copy, one small chip to spine.

Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1980. First Edition. An important collection of essays of the social history of Australian art. Quarto, black and white plates; original black cloth, fine copy in dust-jacket.

Sydney: Art in Australia, 1933. Of interest: James E. Flett by Blamire Young; Louis McCubbin by Harold Herbert; William Rowell by A. Colquhoun; Napier Waller by J.S. MacDonald (two colour plates). Small quarto, original printed wrappers, tipped colour plates, full-page black & white images; spine is chipped, otherwise in very good condition.

Sydney: Art in Australia, 1926. First Edition. Special issue 'A New Vision of the Australian Landscape' combining short stories and poetic works with tipped colour plates by Elioth Gruner, George Lambert, John D. Moore, Norman Lloyd, Roi de Mestre, Blamire Young and C. Lloyd Jones. Several woodcut vignettes by Margaret Preston. Small quarto, original printed wrappers, tipped colour plates,… Read more about this item

Sydney: Art in Australia, 1927. Of interest: Adrian Lawlor on art critics and criticism. William Moore on new additions to the Sydney gallery. Article on Fred Leist portraits, four plates. Plates of sculptures by Rainer Hoff, George Lambert, Paul Montford and others. Small quarto, original printed wrappers, tipped colour plates, full-page black & white images; a very good copy.… Read more about this item

Sydney: Art in Australia, 1931. Hugh McRae Number: a collection of short literary pieces, illustrated by Adrian Feint. Small quarto, original printed wrappers, colour designs by Feint throughout; lower spine end is chipped, otherwise a very good copy.

Sydney: Art in Australia, 1926. Of interest: tipped colour plate 'Derelict' by Norman Lindsay and three black & white drypoint plates: 'Phyllida', 'The Eighties' and 'Panama', also includes a black & white plate of an aquatint titled 'Moonlight Piper'; celebration of Australian printmaking with plates by Sydney Long, Ure Smith, H. van Raalte, T. Friedensen, Eric Scott, Bruce Robertson,… Read more about this item

Sydney: Art in Australia, 1934. Of interest: long article illustrated with colour plates by B.J. Waterhouse on the painting of Robert Johnson and an additional appreciation by Walter Taylor. Small quarto, original printed wrappers, colour plates, full-page black & white images; a near fine copy.

Melbourne: Lansdowne Press, 1972. First Edition. Well illustrated monograph by a renowned expert on Tom Roberts. From the Australian Art Library Series. Quarto, plates in colour and black & white; original black papered boards, near-fine copy in a mildly sunned dust-jacket along spine.

Sydney: Angus and Robertson, 1919. Of interest: "Hans Heysen's Later Watercolours" by Lionel Lindsay, tipped colour plate; two tipped colour plates by Percy Leason; the Official Australian War Artists, tipped plates by H.S. Power, Fred Leist, Charles Bryant, M. Napier Waller; article on Frances Hodgkins, colour plate; 'Chrysanthemums', tipped colour plate by Constance L. Mackay; "Will Dyson's War Drawings"… Read more about this item

Sydney: Art in Australia, 1925. First Edition. Of interest: 'La Poupee' (The Doll) full-page woodcut printed in scarlet by Thea Proctor; 'Hans Heysen's Flower Pieces' by Lionel Lindsay with tipped colour plate; 'The Ornithologist of Cobbitty', seven page story illustrated by the author, Hardy Wilson; 'Sidney Thompson' by Howard Ashton with colour plate; 'Will Ashton' by Lionel Lindsay with… Read more about this item

Melbourne: Victorian Artists Society, 1947. Dynamic publication of the Victorian Artists Society featuring a wide range of reviews and editorials which provide an excellent insight into the Australian art scene of the 1940s. Four volumes, small staple-bound quartos in illustrated wrappers, black & white plates and line drawings throughout; covers are thumbed with occasional stains; a good set nonetheless.… Read more about this item

Sydney: Art in Australia, 1920. A beautiful copy of Lindsay's famous work covering the meaning of life and art, drawing on philosophical concepts. Signed on front endpaper by Lindsay with a full page original etching tipped in "All who would examine the problem of Life must first remove from it the problem of Existence. It is the confusion… Read more about this item

Sydney: Art in Australia, 1931. Of interest: Article by Lionel Lindsay on George Lambert (4 pages, colour plate). Art of P.G. C.R.W. Nevinson, review article. Margaret Preston on the art gallery of Wanganui. Percy Leason on Colin Colahan. Sculpture of Harold Parker by William Moore. Biographical article on colonial Gippsland artist William Dexter and his wife Caroline. Royal Doulton… Read more about this item

Sydney: Angus & Roberston Ltd, 1921. First Edition. Of interest: an elusive watercolour by Richard Parkes Bonnington in the Mitchell Library; report by Blamire Young with a tipped colour late of the painting; 'The Japanese Outlook on Western Art' by A.L. Sadler, six pages; tipped colour plates by Hans Heysen and Sir John Longstaff; four full-page caricatures by George… Read more about this item

London: Grant Richards for The Butterfly Press, 1899. A fine selection of literary and artistic talent: Beerbohm, Max Bell, Robert Chambers, Beatrice Emanuel, Walter Grieffenhagen, Maurice Hiroshige, Ando Morrison, Arthur Outemaro (Utemaro, Kitagawa?) Pennell, Joseph Raven Hill, L. Ross, Adrian Sime, S. H. Slade, Alfred Whistler, James Wilson, Edgar Wimperis, A. H., among others. Grant… Read more about this item