Victoria Crowe - Tapa dura

'Such is the power of Crowe's work. A belated visitor to Italy in general and Venice, where she has a studio, in particular, her later paintings contain echoes of Uccello, Piero della Francesca, Raphael and Bellini. More recently, she has drifted away from portraiture and back towards landscape, with two quite stunning paintings, 'Blue Snow and Fiery Trees' and 'The Shortest Day'. Both are reproduced in this overdue book, which is the best alternative to owning the real thing.' --Herald Scotland

'In this survey of 45 years of her art, Duncan Macmillan finds striking continuities in recent paintings and works first done in Scotland'. --The Scotsman

'This book is very handsome and loaded with visual enticements.' Country Life, September 19th. --Country Life

Written by the award-winning writer Duncan Macmillan Features lavish illustrations of Victoria Crowe's work This publication accompanies an exhibition at the Browse and Darby Gallery, London, from September to October, and in December 2012, at the Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh This is the first complete monograph on Victoria Crowe's work to date, and is written by the award-winning writer and art critic Duncan Macmillan. With great depth and perception, the author considers the work of one of Scotland's leading painters from her earliest days at Kingston School of Art, through to her most recent commissions, setting it in the wider context of artistic thought. Her full range of work is covered, including still lifes, portraits, self-portraits, landscapes and interiors. The insightful writing, accompanied by lavish illustrations of Victoria Crowe's work, gives readers access to the paintings as they relate to the different eras of her life. The artist's studies at the Royal College of Art, her move to Scotland, the Kittleyknowe years and A Shepherd's Life exhibition are all discussed, as are Plant Memory (a series resulting from her visiting scholarship at St Catharine's College, Cambridge) and the impact of her travels abroad, particularly her time in Italy. In the latter part of the book, the focus moves to the artist's most recent work, including a reflective series of Venetian pictures and a significant group of luminous winter landscapes. We also learn about a unique commission for a series of paintings specifically designed for a Scottish house, and a current project with Dovecot Studios for a tapestry based on a painting from A Shepherd's Life', thus a testament to the enduring quality of her work.