Lilla Cabot Perry: An American Impressionist

by Meredith Martindale, Nancy Mowll Mathews, Pamela Moffat

Book by Martindale, Meredith, Moffat, Pamela, Mathews, Nancy Mowll

164 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1991

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

As much as I know, this is the only book devoted to Lilla Cabot Perry and it does a good job of presenting her life and her art. The book was published by the National Museum of Women in the Arts in 1990 in association with an exhibition of her work. Lilla Cabot Perry is a notable artist for many reasons. She is one of the very few American female artists born in the 19th century who become recognized in their lifetime. Unlike other female painters, she started a serious study of painting after she got married. All her life she was able to balance her art and her family. Paintings of her children, as they grew are very notable in her art. Lilla Cabot Perry is mainly remembered as an impressionist. She received her training in Paris when impressionism was on the rise and she has the distinction to be the only artist ever who was coached by Monet. Her impressionist paintings are a good example of this style. Personally, I am more impressed by some of her portraits, something that she considered mostly as a source of income.

The book provides small, but diverse coverage of all these sides of her work featuring 28 color plates, most of them full-page. The presentation of the paintings is integrated into the narration of the main chapter of the book – an excellent story of her life and art written by Meredith Martindale. In addition to the main "story", the book has three smaller features, including a reprint of artist’s own “reminiscences” of Claude Monet. Overall it is a good source on Lilla Cabot Perry and a nice reading for anyone interested in late 19th-century art, impressionism, or Americans in France. I do wish it can provide more samples of her art. 28 plates is really too little, even adding a few small figures of paintings not shown at the exhibition. The book is also poorly made – it is a paperback where pages seem to be holding on glue alone, without sewing. My copy is already breaking although it has not been extensively read.

[jakira · Rating 5 out of 5]

so good! i'm super intrigued to return to this in the future, perhaps for my own research -- what a fascinating human, really charmed by her thoughts and outlook and her relationship with Monet. being a women artist in her prime AFTER marriage and motherhood is just brilliant, and recognized as one of the greats during her time,,

and she's a cyclist????? love.

a great read and source

[Samantha Moss · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘The genuine artist has the impulse to communicate to others one’s own consciousness of the innate beauty that lies in emotion.’ - Lilla Cabot Perry