Fernand Khnopff (Agrarian Studies)

This is a beautiful book, covering the life and works of an artist who deserves more widespread recognition: Fernand Khnopff.Whoever has an interest in art history, and particularly in Belgian Symbolism needs to buy this book.Most books regarding the period and the artists of that school are in French, so the English translation is a much welcome addition to the bibliography. I had been waiting for this eagerly, and now I feel like my library is one step closer to perfection.

vg

There are so few books available in English on the Belgian Symbolist artist Fernand Khnopff (and many other important Symbolist painters) this is (currently) the must-have volume on his life and work – though it isn't without issue.A thorough academic study, it is dominated by the texts; there are just over 200 illustrations but not all are in colour, they vary in size (many rather smaller than they could have been) and I found the colour reproduction a little on the pale side – not easy to assess unless one has seen some of these works in person, as Khnopff was often a subtle colourist.I may be mistaken in my view, but that is my impression.Nevertheless, this is an important volume; a translation of a 2018 exhibition catalogue published in French it is the best monograph on Khnopff to date and is self-recommending on those terms.Ideally my rating is 4 ½ stars for that reproduction issue.

The Most complete study on this not well known Symbolist master so far!