Peter Selz (1919–2019)

The first comprehensive study of German Expressionism written in English (in 1957). Very informative, but tends to become a bit of a name soup, which is particularly annoying when the artists being discussed are not illustrated.

Also, the "plates" are inconveniently located in the back of the book. Considering that they're all black and white images printed on the same paper stock as the rest of the book, it would have been easy and much better to intersperse them in the text, saving the show more reader the distraction of having to continuously flip back and forth.

All niggling aside, this is a good resource for students of modern art, and a necessary reminder that not everything of importance in that period was happening in Paris. show less

I heard Peter Selz in conversation with artist Gertrud Parker recently at the Sonoma County Museum in Santa Rosa, CA. Intrigued, I ordered his "anthology" of CA political art from Amazon Used (such a deal). Interesting and useful throughout. Useful in the sense that as a writer I am always looking for ideas about how to combine aesthetic experimentation and play with social critique / political engagement. Visual art often provides models or simply inspiration. As with all such texts, my show more only frustration is that the necessarily small size of the reproductions leaves me wanting to see much of the art "live." I have no argument with Selz's focus upon CA art since WWII for his project. Narrowing the focus allows for the inclusion of many artists who might have been overlooked in favor of Big Names in a more global, no time constraints study. show less

First MoMA retrospective of Jean Dubuffet, the French painter who promoted the expression "art brut" to refer to art of the mentally ill, children, folk art, and other "primitives." Influenced by these untrained artists, Dubuffet was looking for authenticity and his paintings are often identified with the post-war existential philosophy of his contemporary Jean-Paul Sartre. This MoMA catalogue is the first big presentation of his work in the United States, curated by Peter Selz.

The Work of show more Jean Dubuffet by Peter Howard Selz is a comprehensive examination of the life and art of French artist Jean Dubuffet. Dubuffet was a pioneer of the Art Brut movement, which championed the work of untrained artists and those on the fringes of society. Selz delves into Dubuffet's early life, his artistic influences, and his development as an artist. The book also explores the themes and techniques that defined Dubuffet's work, including his use of unconventional materials and his interest in the texture and physicality of his paintings. Selz includes numerous illustrations of Dubuffet's work, providing readers with a visual understanding of his unique style. The Work of Jean Dubuffet is an essential resource for anyone interested in the life and work of this influential artist. show less

Monograph on the self-portraits of painter Max Beckmann by Peter Selz. Afterword by Nathan Oliveira. Includes bibliography.