Objects on a Table: Harmonious Disarray in Art and Literature Book

Davenport's meditations on the still life dip into the full history of this art form-from Neolithic cave paintings to the Dutch masters, from Cézanne and Van Gogh to photography and the collage. "Whose work will still be read in the next hundred years? Guy Davenport, for one." -John Gardner "This book is a fine quick reading for a cold winter's night." -Hungry Mind Review "Another brilliant performance." -Michael Dirda, Washington Post In a series of four meditations on still-life painting, Guy Davenport blends art history with literary criticism, taking a close look at the iconic and symbolic function of objects and the multiple ways they are represented in culture. Focusing on a genre that is supposedly static, these essays reveal the dynamic forces that motivate and shape the still life, explaining why and how painters have employed this genre to such vital effect.Read More