Goya was the last of the old masters and the first of the moderns. The Black Paintings presage surrealism and other aspects of the 20th century artistic vision. The series forms a star part of the Prado's collections.

This “riveting psychological thriller” tells the story of an infamous painting rumored to be cursed—and the family torn apart by its disappearance (Associated Press). There are four cousins in the Morse family: perfect Kenny, the preppy West Coast lawyer; James, the shy but brilliant medical student; his seductive, hard-drinking sister Audrey; and Teresa, youngest and most fragile, haunted by the fear that she has inherited the madness that possessed her father. Their grandfather summons them to his mansion at Owl’s Point. None of them have visited the family estate since they were children, when a prized painting disappeared: a self-portrait by Goya, rumored to cause madness or death upon viewing. Afterward, the family split apart amid the accusations and suspicions that followed its theft. Any hope for a pleasant reunion is lost when Teresa find their grandfather dead, his horrified gaze pinned upon the spot where the painting once hung. As the family gathers and suspicions mount, Teresa tries to uncover the reasons behind her grandfather’s death and the painting’s loss. But to do so she must face ugly family secrets—and confront those who would keep them hidden.

Ende der 1940er-Jahre beschäftigten sich berühmte Künstler der New York School - Robert Rauschenberg, Ad Reinhardt, Mark Rothko, Frank Stella und Barnett Newman - intensiv mit der Farbe Schwarz. Es entstand eine erstaunliche Anzahl von nahezu monochromen schwarzen Bildserien, die heute zu den Glanzstücken international bedeutender Sammlungen wie dem Whitney Museum in New York zählen und in Black Paintings erstmals vereint gezeigt werden. Die Publikation mit einem fundierten Essay von Stephanie Rosenthal beleuchtet Unterschiede und Gemeinsamkeiten der im New York der Nachkriegszeit entstandenen Werke und verfolgt die Frage, welche Bedeutung sie im gesamten Schaffen der Künstler einnehmen. Einen der Ausgangspunkte des Buches bildet dabei die These, dass die schwarzen Gemälde für Durchbrüche und Übergänge im OEuvre der Maler stehen. (Englische Ausgabe ISBN 978-3-7757-1860-8) Ausstellung: Haus der Kunst, München 15.9.2006-14.1.2007

"A review of Goya's life as it unfolded before he bought the quinta in 1819 will provide an impression of the complexion of the man who soon offered such awe-inspiring imagery on the walls of two of its rooms. An examination of the quinta setting which yields a somewhat revised plan of how the 'black' paintings were seen will then demonstrate that the paintings were envisioned as a program consisteing of two separate, though not unrelated, cycles. (Unhappily, Goya's placement of the scenes cannot yet be repeated in full.) An analysis of the subjects set forth upon the quinta walls will illustrate the significances and relevancies they should have held at the time in which the were created, and thus, their raison d'être. A consideration of possible antecedents which may have given impetus to the formulation and format of the program, and indications of Goya's alertness to works by his contemporaries in art, literature and the theater, will furnish insight into the plans he may have held for the 'black' paintintgs he brushed with such urgency within his quinta rooms."--Introduction, page 13

Coretta Scott King Award–winning creator Ashley Bryan’s adaptation of a tale from the Ila-speaking people of Zambia is now available in board book format, featuring Bryan’s cut-paper artwork. We’ll see the difference a touch of black can make. Just remember, whatever I do, I’ll be me and you’ll be you. Explore the appreciation of one’s own heritage and beauty. In this story, the colorful birds of Africa ask Blackbird, who they think is the most beautiful of birds, to color them black so they can be beautiful too, though Blackbird reminds them that true beauty comes from the inside.

This groundbreaking study explores the visual representations of Black culture across the globe throughout the twentieth century and into the twenty-first. The African diaspora—a direct result of the transatlantic slave trade and Western colonialism—has generated a wide array of artistic achievements, from blues and reggae to the paintings of the pioneering American artist Henry Ossawa Tanner and the music videos of Solange. This study concentrates on how these works, often created during times of major social upheaval and transformation, use Black culture both as a subject and as context. From musings on “the souls of black folk” in late-nineteenth-century art to questions of racial and cultural identities in performance, media, and computer-assisted arts in the twenty-first century, this book examines the philosophical and social forces that have shaped Black presence in modern and contemporary visual culture. Renowned art historian Richard J. Powell presents Black art drawn from across the African diaspora, with examples from the Americas, the Caribbean, and Europe. Black Art features artworks executed in a broad range of media, including film, photography, performance art, conceptual art, advertising, and sculpture. Now updated and expanded, this new edition helps to better understand how the first two decades of the twenty-first century have been a transformative moment in which previous assumptions about race and identity have been irrevocably altered, with art providing a useful lens through which to think about these compelling issues.

Paint It Black Florida's Gulf Coast community of Sereno Key has been shaken to the core by a grisly ritualistic murder. Though an arrest is quickly made, Detective Louis Kincaid feels strangely unsettled. His uncertainty is confirmed as a second body is discovered, and then a third--each branded with the bizarre trademarks of a serial killer whose blood lust is growing. Now in a race against time, Kincaid will do whatever is necessary to stop the slaughter. Before becoming the next victim of a predator more twisted than he ever imagined. . . Praise for the novels of P. J. Parrish "Dead Of Winter is a wild ride with a really fine writer." --John Sandford, New York Times bestselling author "A suspenseful tale. . .Parrish's latest will appeal to those seeking a fast-paced thriller propelled by a cast of charismatic characters." --Publishers Weekly "Fast paced. . .well-conceived." --Chicago Tribune "Full of intrigue and edge-of-the-seat suspense." --Michael Connelly, New York Times bestselling author

Dorothea Foster Black (18911951), Dorrit as she was known, was born and tragically died in Adelaide and is one of the women artists who introduced and promoted Modern Art in Australia. She is the first woman artist to start, own and run Modern Art Gallery in Australia. This small book is a glimpse of her extensive work and contribution to Australian art.

The first major English-language biography of Francisco Goya y Lucientes, who ushered in the modern era The life of Francisco Goya (1746–1828) coincided with an age of transformation in Spanish history that brought upheavals in the country's politics and at the court which Goya served, changes in society, the devastation of the Iberian Peninsula in the war against Napoleon, and an ensuing period of political instability. In this revelatory biography, Janis Tomlinson draws on a wide range of documents—including letters, court papers, and a sketchbook used by Goya in the early years of his career—to provide a nuanced portrait of a complex and multifaceted painter and printmaker, whose art is synonymous with compelling images of the people, events, and social revolution that defined his life and era. Tomlinson challenges the popular image of the artist as an isolated figure obsessed with darkness and death, showing how Goya's likeability and ambition contributed to his success at court, and offering new perspectives on his youth, rich family life, extensive travels, and lifelong friendships. She explores the full breadth of his imagery—from scenes inspired by life in Madrid to visions of worlds without reason, from royal portraits to the atrocities of war. She sheds light on the artist's personal trials, including the deaths of six children and the onset of deafness in middle age, but also reconsiders the conventional interpretation of Goya's late years as a period of disillusion, viewing them instead as years of liberated artistic invention, most famously in the murals on the walls of his country house, popularly known as the "black" paintings. A monumental achievement, Goya: A Portrait of the Artist is the definitive biography of an artist whose faith in his art and his genius inspired paintings, drawings, prints, and frescoes that continue to captivate, challenge, and surprise us two centuries later.