With his signature graphic style; embrace of figural distortion; and bold defiance of conventional norms of beauty; Egon Schiele was one of the leading figures of Austrian Expressionism. Schieles symbolic works; such as "Death and the Maiden;" "The Hermits;" or even such seemingly content themes as "Mother with Two Children" show the same penetrating insight for which his portraits have become famous. The extraordinary ability to form the three dimensional body through dominating contour lines; his choice of very strong and forthright colors; the frequently ambiguous spaces; and his extraordinary sensitivity; which transforms even a seemingly quick drawing into a complete work of art; have allowed Schieles fame to continue to grow.
2014-12-22File Name: B00S4QNGQC
Review
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Two Mysteries That Give Life to LifeBy Dr. Debra Jan BibelA conundrum wrapped in an enigma; to paraphrase Mr. Churchill; are the "Hard Problems" of consciousness-mind and the power and inter-relationships of music. This book will not offer any solutions but it will outline how music may be a key in understanding how we are aware that we are aware. It also brings the two problems usefully together. The editors of the collection of academic essays from international scholars and investigators are British musicologists David Clarke (Newcastle) and Eric Clarke (0xford); who each contribute a chapter. As in most scholarly collections; the sections vary widely in style and readability. They are truly at the graduate level; for those who have studied; informally or professional; some aspect of cognitive psychology; neuroscience; or the anthropological side of musicology. I strongly suggest that readers do NOT read the leading chapter at first because it could very well be off-putting; as it is philosophically difficult and dense for the uninitiated. It can be best approached after chapter 2 or later. The topics have an extraordinary range; from Husserls foundations of music cognition (with the roles of memory and anticipation) to Buddhist abidharma and meditation on sensation; perception; and consciousness; from dhrupad in Hindustanti vocal music to psychedelic experiences as related to music; from the essential connection of movement in music (and in face-to-face communication) to the social unity of music and consciousness. Some cultures do not even have a word for music; as it is a unity with dance and ritual. I personally have been engaged in both problems for decades and must say that this book has brought the matter into fine focus and I gained new insights. This is especially with the concepts of movement in music assimilation; the learned and inherent mimicking memory neurons; and the distinction of the alap of dhrupad versus the alap of more modern instrumental ragas (an aha! reaction after many years of listening to the Dagar Brothers and other Indian musicians). This multi-disciplinary book is an important resource for further study. Every reader will surely relate to some element of the discussion (perhaps from meditation; the use of entheogens; or experiences of deep listening or trance) and then be able to correlate other concepts. Thus; this reading journey may be arduous but rewards are aplenty.
