Promoting and Selling Your Art by Carole Katchen, and: This Business of Art by Diane Cochrane (review)

Books 259 symptomatic of the context otthe book and indicate a certain preference for established architectural dogma. I am aware that my criticismsof the book as it stands cannot be entirely objective. But one has to remember that Collins’book is a kind of by-product of the exhibition of ‘visionarydrawings in Architecture and Planning’ organized by the Drawing Center of New YorkCity, and, as such, it showscertain directionor lack of direction of this newly established important institution. I believe the Drawing Center, which is devoted to the collection, preservation and exhibition of original architectural drawings previously not considered as artworks, should not restrict its scope in the way Collins has done. On the other hand, I found that Collins’ book is a delightful example of good scholarship and that he has arranged the drawings systematically and presented them beautifully. I welcome it as a contribution to the growing awareness of the importance of design architecture among the arts. Promoting and Selling Your Art. Carole Katchen. WatsonGuptill Publications, New York, 1978. 191 pp. $10.95. This Businessof Art. Diane Cochrane. Watson-Guptill Publications, New York, 1978. 256 pp. $12.50. Katchen, an artist experienced in makinga livingfrom the saleof her artworks, provides beginnersin the profession (in the U.S.A.) with much practical advice.Ina personal manner shetellshow to prepare rtsumts and brochures, how to present an artwork, how to meet collectors, how to deal with galleries, how to get publicity, etc. Much of her information will interest practicing artists whose business experience is limited. Her experiences relate to Denver, Colorado, and hence should be of particular interest to those whose work and dealings occur outside of the New York area. The book concludes with a list ofninesuggested books for further reading. Cochrane’s book usefully complements Katchen’s. Her discussion bears on details of law and business negotiations that affect artists in the U.S.A. The following selection of chapter topics gives some idea of the scope of the book: contracts; copyrights; commission agreements; the artist and his dealer,and the publisher,-and the museum; cooperative galleries; insurance; book-keeping; taxes. The question-and-answer format is employed on each idea discussed throughout the book. For example, on a page on which patents are discussed, the following question is presented in bold type: ‘How long do patents last?’ The answer is given in standard type: ‘Patents protect devices, machines, processes, and substances for 17 years. Design patents last for 3%,7, or 14years, as the applicant elects.’ A reading list of 15 items is included, and an important list of Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts is given in the Appendix. Phaidon Encyclopedia of Impressionism. Maurice Strullaz. E.M.A. Graham, trans. Phaidon, Oxford, 1978. 285 pp., illus. €6.95. Phaidon Encyclopedia of Expressionism. Lionel Richard. Stephen Tint, trans. Phaidon, Oxford, 1978.288pp.. illus. €6.95. Phsidon Encyclopedia of Surrealism. Rent Passeron. John Griffiths, trans. Phaidon, Oxford, 1978. 288 pp.. illus. €6.95. These three books constitute an excellent set of referenceworks of three important schools or movements of painting. Each is very well illustrated, presenting several hundred illustrations of which, perhaps, a third are in color. Strullaz’s book on Impressionism beginswithan ample historical discussion. Thisis followed by a section contributed by Georges Pillement entitled The Precursors of Impressionism that presents alphabetically short biographies of about 50painters (including Courbet, Millet and Whistler). Then come the major section presenting biographies of the impressionists and, following it, a section giving the Defenders of Impressionism: critics, patrons, collectors , etc. (contributed by Bertrand Manet). The final section, The Verdict of the Sale-Room (Francois Duret-Robert) is a discussion outlining the financial vicissitudes of some of the painters and of those who dealt with their works. A table isgiven that liststhe impressionist exhibitions and their participants and the major retrospective exhibitions. Richard‘s book opens with an essay on Expressionism. The second and major section,entitled Painting and the Graphic Arts (Wolf Dieter Dube), continues with brief discussions of the fauves, the futurists, etc. and presents alphabetically short biographies of these artists. Richard then follows with sections on sculpture and on architecture, each with introductory discussions and with brief biographies. There are...