The Art of Rivalry
By Sebastian Smee
Four Friendships, Betrayals and Breakthroughs in Modern Art. Random House, 2017.
Summary of The Art of Rivalry book by Sebastian Smee
Four turbulent tales of artist rivals, spanning from the early French impressionists to Picasso to Pollock, who shared both personal and professional rivalries and friendships that motivated each other to create masterpieces.
Chapters in The Art of Rivalry book summary
What do you get from this book? Stories of four pairs of artists who inspired each other through friendly competition—or outright rivalry
Rivalry is behind many of art history’s greatest works, fueling ambition among artists who became renowned
Francis Bacon and Lucian Freud were among Britain’s boldest twentieth-century painters—and its boldest characters
Bacon cured Freud of his sentimental tendency as an artist, though Freud’s influence on Bacon’s art is less clear
French impressionist pioneers Manet and Degas approached representation of the world differently but both revolutionized art
Manet drew Degas out of himself, inspiring the younger artist to paint the world around him
Matisse and Picasso were among the greatest artists of the early twentieth century, forging modernist and abstract aesthetics
Picasso leapt from Matisse’s shadow by taking their shared inspiration from African art in a different direction
The “action painting” of Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning propelled America to the forefront of the art world
Pollock’s dramatically innovative art was matched in intensity by his turbulent personal life, though both influenced and motivated de Kooning
Summary of the key insights
Selected critiques in brief
Final word
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The Art of Rivalry — Book Summary Snapshot
Who should read The Art of Rivalry book
- Art enthusiasts
- lovers of gossip
- philosophers of aesthetics
- anyone interested in how rivalries spark inspiration
About the author of The Art of Rivalry
Sebastian Smee
Sebastian Smee is an art critic and the winner of a Pulitzer Prize for his criticism for The Boston Globe. He is a University of Sydney graduate and has also written for The Times and The Australian. His other books include Side by Side: Picasso v Matisse and Lucian Freud.
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