Sculpture and the Pursuit of a Modern Ideal in Britain, c.1880–1930
Aldershot: Ashgate, 2004
Beginning in the last decades of the nineteenth century, Britain experienced a renewed interest in the art of sculpture. Sculpture and the Pursuit of a Modern Ideal in Britain is the first anthology of its kind to discuss the developments in three-dimensional art in this period. Sculptors and critics put forth competing ideals for a new, modern view of sculpture, either adapting or rejecting tradition. The eleven essays in this volume discuss a wide range of styles and approaches, examining the cultural, political, and artistic debates surrounding the place and function of sculpture. With new studies of high-profile monuments such as the Piccadilly Eros, as well as examinations of under-acknowledged sculptors, this volume presents a series of case studies essential to an understanding of why and how sculpture played a central role in the emergence of modern art in Britain.
FROM THE REVIEWS
'[A] publication that advances understanding of an unduly neglected area.... every chapter challenges preconceived ideas.' – Benedict Read, Burlington Magazine, December 2004
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