{"product_id":"metropolitan-seminars-in-art-complete-12-portfolio-set-1958-1959-by-john-canaday-metropolitan-museum-of-art-book-of-the-month-club","title":"Metropolitan Seminars in Art, Complete 12-Portfolio Set, 1958–1959 — by John Canaday | Metropolitan Museum of Art, Book of the Month Club","description":"\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eA complete set of all 12 portfolios in John Canaday’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003eMetropolitan Seminars in Art\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e, published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1958 and 1959 and distributed through the Book-of-the-Month Club.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eThe series was designed as an art appreciation course for people who couldn’t attend museum lectures, with Canaday—then art editor and critic for \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003eThe New York Times\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e—leading the reader through different ways of looking at and understanding art. Each 10” x 13” portfolio contains an illustrated text section, review questions, and a pocket holding 12 individual color art prints. The prints measure 9.5” x 12” and reproduce works by artists including Leonardo da Vinci, Degas, Renoir, Whistler, Ingres, Cézanne, Jan van Eyck, and others.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eThe twelve subjects move from the fundamentals of painting into increasingly specific approaches to art and its history: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003eWhat Is a Painting?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003eRealism\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003eExpressionism\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003eAbstraction\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003eComposition as Pattern\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003eComposition as Structure\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003eComposition as Expression\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003eFresco\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003eTempera and Oil\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003eWater Color, Pastel, and Prints\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003eThe Artist as a Social Critic\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e, and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003eThe Artist as a Visionary\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e. Portfolios 1 through 10 were issued in 1958, followed by Portfolios 11 and 12 in 1959.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eThis is the complete 12-portfolio series, with the original text and print pockets present. The color prints are loose within their individual portfolios rather than bound into the books, making them particularly interesting for anyone who wants to actually look at the reproductions individually or display them.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eThere are 144 prints in a complete set. All of the prints are present in Portfolios 3 through 12. Portfolio 1 is missing 11 of its 12 prints. One print is missing from Portfolio 2. The books themselves are included as issued, so this is a complete set of the 12-part seminar even though the loose print collection is incomplete. The portfolios show age and patina with some yellowing and soiling.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThis is a really interesting mid-century art-education set, and a nice piece of the history of the Metropolitan Museum’s efforts to bring art appreciation into people’s homes.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"1879 Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50528828358911,"sku":null,"price":110.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0650\/7023\/5903\/files\/A38A1717-FAE0-4F3A-A8D8-052A9E5499C2.jpg?v=1790155212","url":"https:\/\/1879books.com\/products\/metropolitan-seminars-in-art-complete-12-portfolio-set-1958-1959-by-john-canaday-metropolitan-museum-of-art-book-of-the-month-club","provider":"1879 Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}