1: German Expressionism:Documents from the End of the Wilhelmine Empire to the Rise of National Socialism
Edited and annotated by Rose-Carol Washton Long
Assistance by Ida Katherine Rigby
University of California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles, California ?? 1993
Rose-Carol Washton Long constructed this anthology around a volume of essays in order to reveal a variety of voices associated with this artistic movement. Her work is meant to augment the scope of interpretations formed around the cultural conditions of Germany. She presents a kaleidoscope of textual data from many primary sources, some of them being translated in English for the first time, that paint a detailed picture of the society, politics, and artistic regimes. Long approaches the movement in an investigatory manner that uncovers an untapped resource full of direct information. She doesn't necessarily challenge the facts provided by other art historians from her field but provides another perspective in order to advance the understanding of an enigmatic movement. It is in this sense that Long has accessed German Expressionism through a route that has been ignored by other art historians. In each section, Long includes her own enlightened analysis and interpretation of why the chosen essays provide a provocative and appropriate example of the sentiment of these artists who were working at this time. By compiling her research with well known and also abstruse primary sources, Long gives her audience a unique and often neglected perspective that places German Expressionism in its complicated matrix of time. This text has not won any awards or prizes for its content or design; however I feel that is deserving of recognition for its valuable concept. Rose-Carol Washton Long is a professor of 19th and 20th century European Art history at the City University of New York City. Long received her PhD from Yale University in 1968. She has extensively studied European visual culture, specializing in Germany, Russia, and Central Europe. She is an evaluator for the NEH fellowship program for the Getty Grant program. Fellowships she's been awarded are Clawson Mills Fellowship from the Metropolitan Museum, a John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship, a Younger Humanist Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Humanities, and a grant-in-aid from the American Council of Learned Societies. She also founded and was incumbent president of the CAA-affiliated Historians of German and Central European Art and Architecture (HGCEA), currently she is treasurer. Throughout her career she has written; German Expressionism: Documents from the End of the Wilhelmine Empire to the Rise of National Socialism, annotated edition, G.K. Hall & Co./Macmillan, 1993; paperback edition, University of California Press, 1995, Kandinsky: The Development of an Abstract Style, Clarendon Press, 1980, With John Bowlt. The Life of Vasily Kandinsky in Russian Art: A Study of "On the Spiritual in Art." Oriental Research Partners, 1980.
This text is a wonderful supplement reading for art historians and students who wish to look at this movement through a distinctive lens. Those people who are not familiar with German Expressionism will most likely find this text difficult to approach due to its specific focus and agenda. The language of Long's text is fairly approachable; however a background in history is necessary in understanding the essays in context. These essays reference very specific events, a developed body of historical knowledge would be most beneficial in appreciating what the text has to offer. If a reader is looking to gain a general overview of the movement, this is not the book to read. This anthology's purpose is to be a guide into further more in depth exploration.
This books strengths lie within Long's extensive research in compiling the resources used in the text. The basic documents that occupy the book's pages are being translated into English for the first time, were previously out of print, unpublished, not catalogued, and difficult to access due to their archival location. It is a valuable text that brings together documents that all attest to the German cultural condition from varied perspectives. Its weaknesses lie within the specificity of the material being intimidating to the general public. They may be discouraged to read this book because of its scholarly content.
A glossary is excluded from the book however the index is extensively developed. Long provides very elaborate footnotes that reference her sources throughout the pages, a bibliography is omitted. The images are appropriately chosen and placed in the middle of the book. They are published in black and white which is acceptable for the graphic works used but hinder the impact of paintings and sculpture. Numbers and captions are included for identification and reference while reading the text. Long's book it's edited very well and no mistakes were found. As far as translations are concerned, they essays were easy to follow and comprehensible.
The book is in excellent condition bound in paper. The paper used for the text meets the minimum requirements for the ANSI/NISO.
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