Marlene Dumas ­ Tronies: Marlene Dumas und die Alten Meister / and the Old Masters [Englisch] [Taschenbuch]

Marlene Dumas is a figurative artist whose reputation has spread throughout the globe. Her monographs are always fascinating in that they address a specific aspect of her painterly explorations. In this handsomely designed and produced book she addresses the concept of 'Tronies' - portrait paintings that are characterized by a particularly virtuosic handling of the artistic means, intense expressiveness and individual physiognomy.

According to an interview and catalogue statement 'The word Tronies comes from 16th and 17th Dutch usage and means 'head', 'face' or 'expression'. Tronies were initially painted from life as reference models of figures in historical paintings. They were particularly coveted by collectors as examples of an artist's signature. Tronies as a form of painting became more emancipated over the course of the 17th century: Such images were increasingly created as autonomous artworks and became available for sale on the art market. This development was encouraged, above all, by two young painters, Jan Lievens and Rembrandt in Leiden. Amsterdam, Delft and Haarlem were also important centers for Tronie production in the northern Netherlands. In the south, Tronies created by leading Old Masters, such as Peter Paul Rubens, Anton van Dyck and Jacob Jordaens, were also used to train artists in these painters' workshops. Unlike normal portraits, Tronies served no representative function. The heads were usually isolated and appeared almost as cut outs in front of neutral backgrounds. The identity of the models was a minor matter. In contrast to figurative paintings or those of religious figures, Tronies were not necessarily defined by their moral or narrative content. Rather, they explored the spectrum of human physiognomy and expressiveness and reflected characterological ideas that belong to the early days of psychology. The viewer is free to make his own associations.'

In this book which serves as an exhibition catalogue the 'heads' referenced above are contrasted with works by the artist Dumas from all decades of her career. In contrast to the Old Masters, whose works were based on living models, Marlene Dumas works primarily with photographic reproductions from books, fashion or popular magazines, as well as from newspapers. In doing this she draws not only on images of well-known figures but also of crimes, catastrophes, etc. Themes include not only everyday occurrences, such as birth, love, sex, suffering, death and religion, but also Apartheid and stereotypes of racism. Or as the artist phrases it 'I use second-hand images and first-hand emotions.'

Since the works in this 'Tronies' study have followed the career of Marlene Dumas, there are obvious repetitions of paintings from previous catalogues. However it is the clever and well considered manner in which she separates these images into sections that makes this book so immensely readable and informative. Grady Harp, September 11