From Library Journal
Smart, who died in 1992, leaving Ingamells to compile and edit his notes, essentially re-established the reputation of the talented portrait painter Allan Ramsay in two biographies in 1952 and 1992. Unappreciated since his death, Ramsay is now considered among the most important portraitists of 18th-century England. He painted from 1732 to 1770 in a restrained and dignified style, using delicate colors. His subjects included British royalty and people of social and intellectual standing such as David Hume and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. In addition to the 48 color reproductions of his portraits and more than 600 black-and-white illustrations in the catalogue raisonn? portion of the book, this volume includes a wealth of scholarly addenda: a list of Ramsay's identified sitters and of unidentified sitters in order of date; a list of his prices; a statistical survey of his portraits by size and sitter; indexes of painters, engravers, public collections, and sales; and more. This model of scholarship provides an example of how a catalogue raisonn? should be written. A beautifully produced volume for large public and academic libraries with an interest in British art.
-Martin Chasin, Adult Inst., Bridgeport, CT
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
-Martin Chasin, Adult Inst., Bridgeport, CT
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
