Jacob Epstein

by Richard Cork, Jacob Epstein

Jacob Epstein (1880-1959) was a pioneer of modern sculpture in Britain. Yet he always felt an outsider in his adopted country, subjected as he was to relentless attacks and vilification. With his determination to break the taboos surrounding the depiction of sexuality, and his use of expressive distortion of the figure in a manner modeled more on non-Western art than the classical ideal, he aroused hostility throughout his career. Such controversy has meant that considerable attention is paid to certain aspects of Epstein's long and productive career, while in other respects the true nature of his overall achievement has been overlooked. This book intends to redress the balance. It provides a fascinating account of a sculptor who had a profound influence on successive generations of artists--not only for his carving but also for his courage.

Genres: Art

80 pages, Paperback

First published August 2, 1999

Reviews

[Roisin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well known for his sculptures 'Rock Drill' (Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery'), 'Jacob and the Angel' (at Tate Britain), and Oscar Wilde's tomb in Paris, this is a good place to start on Jacob Epstein. I was familiar with his work but knew little about him and had been meaning to read this for some time.

Part of the 'British Artists' series, this book is very good and acts as short, useful introduction to one of Britain's greatest artists who was successful, despite the racism and abuse that his work received. He challenged traditional forms of beauty and representation and sometimes used Black and Asian models, besides being a collector of African, Oceanic and Indian art. Even though it is short, Richard Cork offers lots of information in relation to Epstein's works which makes it engaging stuff.