BE - Fine Arts

1996

BE-96-4 -- Fine Arts

96-4-456

Künstlergruppen in Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz seit 1900: ein Handbuch [Artists' Groups in Germany, Austria and Switzerland: A Handbook]. Christoph Wilhelmi. Stuttgart: Hauswedell, 1996. x, 431 p. 25 cm. ISBN 3-7762-0400-1: DM 288.00

96-4-457

Künstlergruppen und -organisationen, Kunst- und Künstlerzeitschriften: in Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz vom ausgehenden 19. Jahrhundert bis zur Gegenwart; ein kurzgefaßtes Verzeichnis von 2000 Titeln mit Gründungsdaten und Abkürzungsverweisen [Artists' Groups and Organizations, Art and Artists' Journals in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland from the End of the 19th Century to the Present; A Concise Index to 2000 Titles with Starting Dates and Guide to Abbreviations]. Ed. Christoph Wilhelmi. Stuttgart: Buch-Julius, 1996. 80 leaves ; 30 cm. (Buch-Julius, Charlottenstr. 12, D-70182 Stuttgart, Fax 0711/2360816)

Intended as a tool for research in the sociology of art, the Handbuch lists 242 groups of interrelated artists that influenced the development of art in the twentieth century, mostly in opposition to the artistic establishment and with some political/ideological motivation. Non-professional groups, independent of government organizations and not formed for exhibition purposes or on the basis of a single event or shared studios, are included to 1991. Together, the informative introduction and the alphabetical, indexed main listing provide information on the groups, including founding date, size, activities and membership structure of each group, as well as a list of members with available biographical data. Entries in the main section range from a few lines to several pages. A bibliography, a chronology, a discussion of the "phenomenon of the artists' group," an index to personal names, and some illustrations are included. The Verzeichnis [Index], originally intended as an appendix to the first volume but rejected by the publisher, amounts to a printout listing artists' groups and publications - listed in one sequence - including those not covered in the main work (professional, government-supported, etc.). The author is planning a similar work for artists' groups outside Germany. [sah/mm]

96-4-461

Architectural Guide Germany: 20th Century. Winfried Nerdinger and Cornelius Tafel. Basel [et al.]: Birkhäuser, 1996. xvii, 515 p. ill. 18 cm. Published in German as Architekturführer Deutschland in Italian as Guida all'architettura del Novecento - Germania. ISBN 3-7643-5315-6 (Basel): SFr. 58.00, DM 68.00; ISBN 0-8176-5315-5 (Boston): $46.00

This is a travel guide that is also a useful reference tool, featuring 540 structures characteristic of periods in twentieth century architecture, and mentioning an additional 210. The representation of different historical periods and parts of Germany is balanced, and lesser-known buildings are featured where possible. The emphasis is on residential, industrial, and administrative buildings, with few engineered structures and no bridges or other transportational structures included. For each building a short description, a plan, and at least one photo and bibliographical reference are provided. The introduction gives a historical overview. Indexes to architects and their works as well as to place names are included; an index of subjects or building types is lacking. This work originally appeared in Italian as part of a travel guide series, Guida all'architettura del Novecento. [aw/mm]

96-4-462

Glossarium artis: dreisprachiges Wörterbuch der Kunst [Trilingual Art Dictionary]. Ed. Rudolf Huber and Renate Rieth. München [et al.]: Saur. 21 cm.

Vol. 1. Burgen und feste Plätze: europäischer Wehrbau vor Einführung der Feuerwaffen; systematisches Fachwörterbuch = Châteaux-forts et places fortes = Castles and Fortified Places. 3d rev. and expanded ed. 1996. 315 p. ill. ISBN 3-598-11183-5: DM 168.00

A trilingual subject dictionary, with German as the source and English and French the target languages, this volume belongs to the series Glossarium artis (see German-language review at IFB 96-1-047). Terms are listed alphabetically within eight chapters that cover general concepts and topics such as fortified structures of antiquity; early fortifications; castles; the art of siege; and weapons and firearms. Three indexes (German-French-English, French-German and English-German) are included. Within each section the main terms are listed alphabetically, with topical subgroupings. The dictionary is difficult to use, both for the novice and for ready-reference purposes, with inconsistencies in spelling and organization and incomplete indexing, as well as mistakes in the alphabetizing of terms. Although the Glossarium artis claims to comply with DIN 2333 standards for dictionary production, no sources are given for the definitions. Nonetheless, comprising over 1100 subject terms (in German) and a bibliography of 194 titles, this work is impressive in its breadth. [aw/mm]

96-4-463

Burgen des deutschen Mittelalters: Grundriß-Lexikon mit mehr als 4000 Grundrißzeichnungen des Autors und 89 Farbfotografien [Castles of the German Middle Ages: Dictionary of Ground Plans . . .]. Friedrich Wilhelm Krahe. Würzburg: Weidlich/Flechsig, 1994. 760 p. ill. 28 cm. ISBN 3-8035-1372-3: DM 128.00

This directory to 4056 castles in Germany, Austria, (including former Austrian parts of Slovenia), Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Alsace, Lorraine, German-speaking Switzerland, former German-speaking areas in Poland, Bohemia, Moravia, and the areas of the German orders, covers roughly the period 1000-1500. An overview of castles, considering types, foundations, and topographical sites, organized by their frequency and geographic distribution, is followed by an alphabetical listing, in which variant names point to its most commonly used form. Location, source(s) and scale of the drawing, directional orientation, and brief historical and architectural notes are included. An appendix lists 143 castles of the German orders alphabetically, by German name. This work derives from the author's collection of castle ground plans. Factual information was drawn mostly from other publications, with some data from municipalities, owners, and the author's own research. Problems in the organization and accuracy of the work include wrong or misspelled place names, incomplete or incorrect source citations, and inconsistent use of standard country codes in the geographical index. The body of the work changes inexplicably from two columns to one, with no headings. The picture index is incomprehensible and contains numerous mistakes (such as blind references), as do the citations throughout the work and in the bibliography of 120 titles. This might be excusable for details gathered from other sources, but not for such basic information as the location of a listed castle. The number and quality of the ground plans and the bibliography, however, make this a usable, if not entirely reliable, reference work. More reliable information will probably be found in the cited sources. [aw/mm]

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