Matthew Baigell Livres

Focusing on the evolution of Jewish art in America, this study traces the journey from early settlers to contemporary artists. It delves into how artists incorporate Jewish themes and respond to their religious and ethnic backgrounds, as well as to pivotal historical events. Through a narrative history, the book highlights the diverse expressions of the Jewish experience in American art, showcasing the interplay between culture and creativity across different periods.

Jewish themes in American art were not very visible until the last two decades, although many famous twentieth-century artists and critics were and are Jewish. Few artists responded openly to the Holocaust until the 1960s, when it finally began to act as a galvanizing force, allowing Jewish-American artists to express their Jewish identity in their work. Baigell describes how artists initially deflected their responses into abstract forms or by invoking biblical and traditional figures and then in more recent decades confronted directly Holocaust imagery and memory. He traces the development of artistic work from the late 1930s to the present in a moving study of a long overlooked topic in the history of American art.

The book highlights how American identity and culture serve as a crucial foundation for the evolution of American art. It explores the interplay between national themes and artistic expression, illustrating how artists have drawn inspiration from the diverse experiences and landscapes of the United States. Through various examples, it emphasizes the significance of America's unique characteristics in shaping artistic movements and individual works, ultimately defining the essence of American art.

Focusing on the portrayal of immigrants and minorities in American cartoons from the 1870s to the 1930s, the book delves into the derogatory stereotypes that were prevalent during this era. It highlights the particularly harsh treatment of Jewish individuals through visual and verbal abuse in publications like Judge, Puck, and Life. Baigell analyzes over sixty cartoons, exploring the societal attitudes that permitted their creation and examining their role in fostering anti-Semitism within the American Scene movement of the 1920s and 1930s.

A History of American Painting By Professor Matthew Baigell documents his analysis of paintings from the European Baroque period to the middle of the twentieth century.