Diary of an Artist

by Raphael Soyer

In Diary Of An Artist, Soyer eloquently reminisces about his travels throughout Europe; his impressions of great paintings hung in the museums of Paris, London, Rome, Florence, and the Soviet Union; and his affection for the works of Rembrandt, Degas, Cezanne, Eakins, and other art geniuses. His conversations with his colleagues of twentieth-century art, including Edward Hopper, Jack Levine, Leonard Baskin, and Henry Moore, elicit rarely articulated philosophies behind their work. And in the most autobiographical section, Soyer acknowledges the profound influence his family and friends have had on his work, as he recounts his emigration from Russia and his training and development as an artist.

316 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1977

Reviews

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Notable for capturing the zeitgeist of America in its late Ashcan art period; the grittiness and realism of urban life. He wrote that he saw Edward Hopper at a party and he was much like his paintings, sitting alone with a drink on a hard bench. I like that.