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Ramblings of a Wannabe Painter

Series: Ekphrasis
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( 101 ratings, 19 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
In Ramblings of a Wannabe Painter, Paul Gauguin offers a sharp critique of art criticism itself, challenging the distortions and misunderstandings often found in how art is interpreted. Written shortly before his death in 1903 but unpublished until 1951, this essay showcases Gauguin's passionate defence of authentic artistic vision and his call for a deeper, more truthful engagement with art. The work bridges the worlds of writing, art, and criticism, reflecting an enduring and lively voice that champions open dialogue in the arts.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This volume will appeal to readers interested in art history, criticism, and the philosophy of art, as well as those keen on exploring the thoughts of one of modern art's seminal figures.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

"Criticism is our censorship..." So begins one of the greatest invectives against criticism ever written by an artist. Paul Gauguin wrote Racontars de rapin only months before he died in 1903, but the essay remained unpublished until 1951.

Through discussions of numerous artists, both his contemporaries and predecessors, Gauguin unpacks what he viewed as the mistakes and misjudgments behind much of art criticism. He reveals not only how wrong critics' interpretations have been but also what it would mean to approach art properlyβ€”to really look. His voice feels as fresh, lively, and sharp in English now as it did in French over one hundred years ago.

Through Gauguin's final piece of writing, we see the artist in the full throes of passionβ€”for his work, for his art, for the art of others, and against anyone who would stand in his way. As the inaugural publication in David Zwirner Books's new ekphrasis reader series, Ramblings of a Wannabe Painter sets a perfect tone for the books to come.

Poised between writing, art, and criticism, Gauguin brings together many different worlds, all of which should have a seat at the table during any meaningful discussion of art. With the express hope of encouraging open exchange between the world of writing and that of the visual arts, David Zwirner Books is proud to present this new edition of a lost masterpiece.

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Ramblings of a Wannabe Painter is praised as "an authentic mouthpiece for the soul of modern art," capturing the essence of artistic passion and critique with vitality and insight.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781941701393

Publisher: David Zwirner

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 27 October 2016

Country: United States

Imprint: David Zwirner

Contributors:

  • Edited and translated by Donatien Grau

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 107.0mm

Height: 177.0mm

Weight: 50g

Pages: 56

About the Author

Paul Gauguin (1848-1903) is one of the most significant French artists of the late nineteenth century, widely recognized for his contributions to postimpressionism. Gauguin's work is held in museum collections worldwide, and his notebooks and travel journals have been published and translated into many languages.

Donatien Grau is a member of New College, University of Oxford. An editor-at-large of Purple Fashion magazine, a contributing editor of Flash Art International, he is the author of numerous essays on modern and contemporary art. Twice a guest researcher at the Getty Research Institute, he has dedicated a significant part of his scholarly research to the late nineteenth and early twentieth-century literary and artistic moment.

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