Lincoln Kirstein (1907–1996)
Author of American Photographs
About the Author
Lincoln Kirstein first became involved in dance as a spectator and then moved to writing about dance, an occupation that he has continued throughout his life. Kirstein is considered by many to be the American authority on dance. He contributed more than any other contemporary American toward the show more development of theatrical dance in the United States. He is also credited with bringing Japanese theater to the United States. During the 1930s and 1940s, Kirstein founded and directed numerous ballet schools and companies, including the School of American Ballet, New York (1934), the American Ballet (1935), the Ballet Caravan (1936), and the Ballet Society (1946). He was also the founding director of The Dance Index. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Image credit: Lincoln Kirstein by Walker Evans
Works by Lincoln Kirstein
Pavel Tchelitchew; an exhibition in the Gallery of Modern Art, 20 March through 19 April 1964 (1964) 13 copies
Dance Index Volume V — Editor — 7 copies
Low Ceiling 2 copies
Dance index : a new magazine devoted to dancing. Volume I, Nos. 9, 10, 11 (The Carl Van Vechten Issue) — Editor. — 1 copy
The Taste of Napoleon 1 copy
New York City Ballet 1 copy
The Classic Dance 1 copy
Hounds & Horn 1 copy
Associated Works
American Poetry: The Twentieth Century, Volume Two: E. E. Cummings to May Swenson (2000) — Contributor — 442 copies, 1 review
The Hampton album; 44 photographs from an album of Hampton Institute (1966) — Introduction — 68 copies, 1 review
Direction Vol.1 No.3 (April-June 1935) — Contributor — 1 copy
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Kirstein, Lincoln
- Legal name
- Kirstein, Lincoln Edward
- Birthdate
- 1907-05-04
- Date of death
- 1996-01-05
- Gender
- male
- Education
- Harvard College (AB|1930)
- Occupations
- poet
novelist
historian
art collector
art critic - Organizations
- New York City Ballet (co-founder)
United States Army (WWII)
Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives Subcommission - Awards and honors
- National Medal of Arts (1985)
Presidential Medal of Freedom (1984)
American Academy of Arts and Letters Academy Award (Literature, 1984)
Award for Distinguished Service to the Arts (1958) - Relationships
- Kirstein, George A. (brother)
Curtiss, Mina (sister)
Balanchine, George (co-founder, New York City Ballet)
Cadmus, Paul (brother-in-law)
Fry, Varian (friend) - Short biography
- Lincoln Kirstein was born to in Rochester, New York, to a wealthy, cultivated family and grew up in Boston. While still a student at Harvard, he established the Harvard Society for Contemporary Art and co-founded a literary magazine called Hound & Horn with classmate Varian Fry. In 1934, Kirstein and George Balanchine founded the School of American Ballet and Ballet Society, later renamed New York City Ballet. During World War II, he used his extensive knowledge of art as one of the "Monuments Men" -- arts intelligence officers with the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives section of the U.S. Military Government in Germany -- charged with recovering works of art stolen by the Nazis and others. After the war, Kirstein served for many years as the General Director of the New York City Ballet.
- Nationality
- USA
- Birthplace
- Rochester, New York, USA
- Places of residence
- Rochester, New York, USA
New York, New York, USA
Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA - Place of death
- Manhattan, New York, USA
- Associated Place (for map)
- New York, USA
Members
Reviews
This slim but large, almost square format publication is written by Lincoln Kirsten, who according to the introduction "has been intimate with Cadmus's (sic) art for half a century . . . and forty years ago marrying Paul's sister . . ."; so he ought to know his stuff! The intelligent, well written text is certainly illuminating, and discusses Cadmus' work in detail; it is however a little pretentious in tone at times. In addition to the commentary there are many quotations from Paul Cadmus, show more and occasionally other sources running throughout the book. These are clearly identified appearing when they do in italics in a narrow column to the side of the page. The book concludes with a Complete Catalogues of Painting 1931-1992, partly illustrated with small black and white reproductions; a list of selected exhibitions and works in public collections; and a bibliography.
This reprint of the 1984 edition contains over 150 paintings, etchings and drawings, with 86 pages of full colour, often with more than one image to the page. It includes all of Cadmus' paintings since 1984. The interesting page layout with narrow margins does lend a very busy appearance to the page, compounded by the often hectic composition of Cadmus' work. This is perhaps one artist who would benefit from the current trend of presenting the image in plenty of white space. It does at least attempt to present the images on the same page as they are discussed in the text.
As for the reproductions there is only one word: splendid. The images are crisp and bright and the colours strong, with the drawings sensitively presented in colour too. The pictures are frequently as large as the page will allow with some full page bleed or even double page. This all adds to the tantalising and provocative nature of the artist's work, making them very desirable indeed. show less
This reprint of the 1984 edition contains over 150 paintings, etchings and drawings, with 86 pages of full colour, often with more than one image to the page. It includes all of Cadmus' paintings since 1984. The interesting page layout with narrow margins does lend a very busy appearance to the page, compounded by the often hectic composition of Cadmus' work. This is perhaps one artist who would benefit from the current trend of presenting the image in plenty of white space. It does at least attempt to present the images on the same page as they are discussed in the text.
As for the reproductions there is only one word: splendid. The images are crisp and bright and the colours strong, with the drawings sensitively presented in colour too. The pictures are frequently as large as the page will allow with some full page bleed or even double page. This all adds to the tantalising and provocative nature of the artist's work, making them very desirable indeed. show less
A relatively small, slim square format book of just over 100 pages. A very short foreword by the knowledgeable Lincoln Kirsten is followed by a conversation between Edward Lucie-Smith and Michael Leonard; this then is repeated in French and German. Pages 22 to 101 contain the full colour plates, with the image on the right hand page and the facing page blank apart from the title and basic facts of the picture. It concludes with a very brief chronology.
The paintings cover the whole range of show more Leonard’s output, including portraits, several of his stripped-to-the-waist roofers or scaffolders, candid male nudes, and men or groups in casual settings in a park. It is a fine little book, well produced, if there is a criticism it is simply that one would love to have the very same reproduced on a larger scale; however it is splendid to have his sensitive and honest portrayals available. show less
The paintings cover the whole range of show more Leonard’s output, including portraits, several of his stripped-to-the-waist roofers or scaffolders, candid male nudes, and men or groups in casual settings in a park. It is a fine little book, well produced, if there is a criticism it is simply that one would love to have the very same reproduced on a larger scale; however it is splendid to have his sensitive and honest portrayals available. show less
Although this folk tale is sure to get the kids interested because of the main character, Puss, it is a bit difficult for young readers as the vocabulary may be above their reading level. I thought the illustrations were much more interesting than the writing as well. The story also seemed to influence trickery to get what you want in life, which doesn't seem to be a good lesson for children. The other two themes were more fitting for kids as it encouraged bravery and loyalty.
The classic tale of Puss in Boots is retold by Lincoln Kirstein. Kirstein paints how the clever cat uses his intelligence and his master to climb the ranks of society, to finally find himself on top of it all. I'm really not sure why this is nonfiction.
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Statistics
- Works
- 55
- Also by
- 11
- Members
- 1,313
- Popularity
- #19,559
- Rating
- 4.1
- Reviews
- 16
- ISBNs
- 62
- Languages
- 1
- Favorited
- 1