CONTENTS July-August 2010
ARCHITECTURE
Architecture - The return of classicism
Cast aside by Modernists for much of the 20th century, Classicism
has a comeback of sorts, with an excellent new book reappraising
architecture partnerships and a recent exhibition at one of the very
institutions that so derided the style.
Market Preview
A superb private collection of illuminated manuscripts and all manner of items from the Spencer Collection come to the block this summer.
Collectors' Focus
As currently demonstrated at the Royal Academy, outdoor sculpture is enjoying its moment in the sun, with strong offerings across the UK.
Around the Galleries
A glut of stellar fairs in London and Europe offer plenty to tempt collectors this summer.
Gatsby’s Garden
The elegant lawn of F. Scott Fizgerald’s fictional hero serves as a symbol for the forgotten history of Art Deco gardens, long overshadowed by the spectre of Modernism
Judith not Salome
The iconography of Titian’s early masterpiece in Rome is open to interpretation, but the inclusion of a winged cupid suggests a subtle political message for the painting’s recipient, Alfonso I d’Este
Apollo at 85
To mark Apollo’s 85th anniversary, former editors share their recollections of art-world events covered in the magazine during their tenure – and some of the challenges they faced
A Private Passion
Professor Kurt Salfeld and his wife, Jutta, have loaned their collection of Meissen porcelain birds – among the rarest of all Meissen creations – to the Porzellansammlung of Dresden’s Staatliche Kunstsammlungen, marking the tercentennial of the Meissen manufactury’s foundation
Bronzino: Master Draughtsman
The recent exhibition of drawings by Agnolo Bronzino at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, has yielded important conclusions about the artist’s techniques and the process by which attributions are made
Beyond the Surface
Although they appear as abstract celebrations of colour, the paintings of British artist Howard Hodgkin have stories to tell – but don’t expect any easy explanations. On the eve of his exhibition at Modern Art Oxford, the artist is on fine form
Buildings that Speak
The structures we inhabit can play a vital part in shaping not just our own identities but the personality of the country as a whole. Living Architecture is a new organisation that sets out to improve our experiences of contemporary houses
Sumptuous silverware
The rediscovery of an imperial dining service is marked by a lavish display, writes Tessa Murdoch
The Artist in his Studio
A thematic display shines a light on important strands in Lucian Freud’s work, writes Marco Livingstone
A consummate expressionist
A major Kirchner retrospective shows the artist’s dazzling quality, writes Paul Bonaventura
Perfecting porcelain
Louise Nicholson reports on two exhibitions celebrating the tercentenary of porcelain production in Europe
Off the shelf
Apollo’s selection of recently published books on art, architecture and the history of collecting
Grandeur and decay
Charles Latham’s photographs of Italian gardens in the early 20th century capture a bygone era, writes Judith B. Tankard
A neglected painter
John Russell Taylor champions the little-known British artist Adrian Ryan, whose colourful life makes for a lively biography
A celebration of ceramics
This lavish, three-volume tribute to Du Paquier porcelain is a collaborative tour-de-force, writes Philippa Glanville
Testing the waters
Artists’ portrayals of major rivers have had widespread political and social significance in the last two centuries, finds Averil King