Edmund de Waal is, apparently, one of the most famous ceramic artists in the world; needless to say, I never heard of the man before. This book is his family's story, three generations back, and it came to happen because of the brilliantly gorgeous netsuke - miniature Japanese carvings, made to be picked up, and fondled, and carried around in pockets or hang from a belt, or just exhibit in glass case - inherited from his great-uncle Iggie. It's the story of the Ephrussi dynasty, bankers and merchants, big enough to threaten the Tsar with grain-flooding the market if he did not put an end to the horrendous pogroms, and it's also a story about collectors and art. The Ephrussi, apart from featuring (like any other Jewish dynasty) in every conspiracy theory you ever heard of, and unlike 21st century nouveau riche, were also highly cultivated people, scholars (some of them, anyway) intellectuals and collectors. You look at Impressionist paintings and there's a good chance you're looking at a Charles Ephrussi-commisioned piece of art. It's all interesting stuff, varying in degree, with a nice sort of artistic approach but it is also unnecessarily complex in its opening chapters and a bit vague perhaps in general. Readers with patience and artistic inclinations will probably appreciate this a lot. Edmund de Waal is, apparently, one of the most famous ceramic artists in the world; needless to say, I never heard of the man before. This book is his family's story, three generations back, and it came to happen because of the brilliantly gorgeous netsuke - miniature Japanese carvings, made to be picked up, and fondled, and carried around in pockets or hang from a belt, or just exhibit in glass case - inherited from his great-uncle Iggie. It's the story of the Ephrussi dynasty, bankers and merchants, big enough to threaten the Tsar with grain-flooding the market if he did not put an end to the horrendous pogroms, and it's also a story about collectors and art. The Ephrussi, apart from featuring (like any other Jewish dynasty) in every conspiracy theory you ever heard of, and unlike 21st century nouveau riche, were also highly cultivated people, scholars (some of them, anyway) intellectuals and collectors. You look at Impressionist paintings and there's a good chance you're looking at a Charles Ephrussi-commisioned piece of art. It's all interesting stuff, varying in degree, with a nice sort of artistic approach but it is also unnecessarily complex in its opening chapters and a bit vague perhaps in general. Readers with patience and artistic inclinations will probably appreciate this a lot.
Do You like book Un'eredità Di Avorio E Ambra (2011)?
Family history and memoir interwoven. Deeply researched and very interesting,though I expected more about the small Japanese netsuke carvings, when I realized it was really a book about family history, I settled into enjoying that venue. I found the Austrian section the most fascinating as it included the time of the Anschluss and the disbursement of this wealthy Jewish family. Even in mid-nineteenth century Paris there are hints of anti-Semitism, but in Vienna in the early twentieth century it becomes a loud warning note of what is to come.
—chip
Fascinating history by a well-known sculptor about his exceptional family before the wars. If you're a Francophile this has all the streets, observations of architecture and descriptions of magnificent art. Who knew Renoir was a rabid antiSemitism?! I couldn't put it down because his great uncle reminded me of Carlo, my great uncle in Paper Children. I only wanted to jump into the pages and be at one of the salons filled with artists, musicians, intellectuals. Love family stories with pathos.
—killstrike
overwhelming. Art and those who once had it.
—beckyboo123
