Account of the Corcoran gallery of art and of the National gallery and museum.

"Antoine-Louis Barye (1796-1875), called by Gautier "le Michel-Ange de la Menagerie," is a sculptor whose star continues to rise both among critic-historians and among private collectors. Major museums--notably the Louvre, the Metropolitan, and the Walters--constantly add to their holdings of his work, while auction prices rose fivefold in the 1970's. Barye's relationship to contemporary sculptors and his influence on succeeding generations also are increasingly recognized. His art, in the author's words, "embodies the yearning and turmoil, the triumphs and anguish" of the Romantic Age. Bayre's work combines scientific precision (especially zoological), technical skill (particularly with bronze), and--despite his apparent thoroughgoing realism--composition approaching abstract expressionism. An introductory chapter tells what little is known of Barye's life: his friendship with Delacroix, his apprenticeship under the goldsmith to Napoleon I, his absorption of both the romanticism of Hugo and the positivism of Comte, his allegories for the royal house of Orleans, his association with Napoleon III in creating the New Louvre, and his tutelage of Rodin in the technique of animal sculpture. The bulk of the book presents a chronological critique of Barye's oeuvre, incorporating a complete catalog. It therefore serves not only as a study in artistic evolution but also as a handbook for curator and connoisseur."--Publisher's description.

Home of a world-renowned sculpture collection, the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. chose David Finn to photograph a selection of the most famous and beloved treasures from the museum's permanent collection.

Smith College art professors Davis and Leshko showcase 100 paintings and sculptures from their institution's vaunted collection, encompassing Americans from Gilbert Stuart to Louise Nevelson and Europeans from Corot to Henry Moore. In the introduction, how and why Smith became steward of such a fine body of work is ascribed to the school's high-minded mission and its generous alumni donors. The rest of the book is divided into two sections, one American and the other European. Each individual full-color reproduction is accompanied by an informative one-page essay and a brief reading list. During several years of renovations at Smith, the items featured in this book are traveling to diverse sites, which should increase the book's appeal. 118 colour & 1 b/w illustrations