Robert Rauschenberg.

Description

"Robert Rauschenberg, long the enfant terrible of avant-garde art, is perhaps the most influential American artist now active in the field of contemporary American art. Although his witty and provocative works of art have frequently outraged his critics, these works are now represented in collections throughout the world. This handsome volume, prepared by the National Collection of Fine Arts in conjunction with the first comprehensive exhibition of Rauschenberg's oeuvre since 1963, provides a full account of his major work from 1949 to 1976. Rauschenberg's career has been marked by a persistent creative exuberance that has the happy effect of invalidating conventional notions about the definition and purpose of art, thus freeing the viewer to find beauty and meaning where he might least expect to find them. In addition to creating paintings, collages, "combines" that incorporate found objects with more conventional media, and posters, he has extended his restless, fertile talent to many other areas, including graphics, film, ballet, and highly original theatrical performances. The unique and varied ways in which Rauschenberg has expressed his creative impulses are examined in the 257 illustrations (19 of them in color) included in this book. In addition to illustrations of 190 of Rauschenberg's works of art, there is an appreciative essay by critic Lawrence Alloway that traces Rauschenberg's development from his early "White Paintings" through his recent prints and fabric constructions. Two sections, one a chronology prepared with Rauschenberg's help and the other a compilation of his activities in experimental dance and theater, are profusely illustrated with photographs of the artist and his circle. A comprehensive bibliography is also included." -- Book jacket

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