A richly illustrated catalog, with biography, of artist Julio
González.
The sculptures of Julio González (1876-1942) were shown at MoMA in 1956,
and our understanding of his influence on modern art has grown steadily
since. This lavishly illustrated book offers a new, highly nuanced
account of González's life, work, and legacy. Beginning with González's
complex family relationships, Juan José Lahuerta explores the tensions
involved as González sought to combine his craft with efforts to become
a painter, as the Romantic, bohemian mentality of the late nineteenth
century had idealized. Lahuerta also explores the importance of
González's relationships with Picasso and other contemporaries, which
helps us understand how, in the 1930s, his naïve artist's urge was
replaced by a radical urge to make art that would break every taboo
related to tradition, craft, and material.
The second section of the book offers a stunning presentation of the new
exhibition of the Julio González collection at the Institut Valencià
d'Art Modern. The book will serve as a milestone in our understanding of
González's work and influence.
