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Visions of the Prehistoric Past Reviewed by Mark P. Witton

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Visions of the Prehistoric Past Reviewed by Mark P. Witton Palaeontologia Electronica http://palaeo-electronica.org Paleoart: Visions of the Prehistoric Past Reviewed by Mark P. Witton Paleoart: Visions of the Prehistoric Past. 2017. Written by Zoë Lescaze and Walton Ford. Taschen. 292 pages, ISBN 978-3-8365-5511-1 (English edition). € 75, £75, $100 (hardcover) Paleoart: Visions of the Prehistoric Past is a collection of palaeoartworks spanning 150 years of palaeoart history, from 1830 to the second half of the 20th century. This huge, supremely well-pre- sented book was primarily written by journalist, archaeological illustrator and art scholar Zoë Les- caze, with an introduction by artist Walton Ford (both are American, and use ‘paleoart’ over the European spelling ‘palaeoart’). Ford states that the genesis of the book reflects “the need for a paleo- art book that was more about the art and less about the paleo” (p. 12), and thus Paleoart skews towards artistic aspects of palaeoartistry rather than palaeontological theory or technical aspects of reconstructing extinct animal appearance. Ford and Lescaze are correct that this angle of palaeo- artistry remains neglected, and this puts Paleoart in prime position to make a big impact on this pop- ular, though undeniably niche subject. Paleoart is extremely well-produced and stun- ning to look at, a visual feast for anyone with an interest in classic palaeoart. 292 pages of thick, sturdy paper (9 chapters, hundreds of images, and four fold outs) and almost impractical dimensions (28 x 37.4 cm) make it a physically imposing, stately tome that reminds us why books belong on shelves and not digital devices. Focusing exclu- sively on 2D art, the layout is minimalist and clean, detail, unobscured by text and labelling. Contrast- and the juxtaposition of certain images can create ing styles, animal anatomies and colour schemes an almost filmic quality. Nowhere is this more obvi- set the stage for the rest of the book, and the cine- ous than the immersive opening pages. The first matic feeling deepens when “Taschen presents” few page turns feature a blend of familiar and appears below a giant Pteranodon. A further page rarely seen palaeoartworks in high quality and turn reveals a huge foldout title, spreading the Witton, Mark P. School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Burnaby Building, Burnaby Road, Portsmouth, PO1 3QL UK. [email protected] Witton, Mark P. 2017. [Review of Paleoart: Visions of the Prehistoric Past, written by Zoë Lescaze and Walton Ford]. Palaeontologia Electronica Vol. 20, Issue 3; 3R:4p; palaeo-electronica.org/content/2017/2031-review-paleoart WITTON: PALEOART 1877 Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins’ painting Cre- with wider cultural and historic events are novel taceous Life of New Jersey across your armchair, and interesting (although Lescaze’s constant link- with the word ‘Paleoart’ above it in enormous red ing between palaeoart and global conflicts and letters. You can almost hear a Max Steiner oppressive regimes recalls a variant of Godwin’s soundtrack playing as it unfurls. Law after a time); it does a good job of presenting It’s hard to state how amazing the art repro- palaeoartists as real people, not just names associ- duction is, and there is lots of it to savour. The ated with paintings; and the concluding discussion image quality and colour reproduction is first class, about palaeoart’s appeal and deficit of scholarship and the scale of the book allows even familiar is frank and honest. The details of lesser known works to look sharper and more detailed than we’re artists are welcome and will no doubt catalyse fur- used to. Several classic paintings and murals were ther interest in these forgotten individuals, and the rephotographed for this project and the enhanced interpretation of art styles, painting methods and so quality is clear. Works by Hawkins, Knight and on are a useful addition to a literature dominated Burian which are widely known through decades- by science-led theoretical discussion. old book reproductions or low-resolution internet The text becomes frustrating if you want more images are especially striking for their clarity and than a cursory overview of palaeoartistry, however. vibrancy. The choice of artwork is necessarily Those imagining a lavishly-illustrated thesis on selective rather than exhaustive, but it would be palaeoart history (perhaps a flashy version of Rud- terrific to see follow up volumes with more historic wick’s classic 1992 book Scenes from Deep Time) palaeoartworks at this quality. The list of artists is will be disappointed. Paleoart is a ultimately a cof- impressive, though not all receive discussion in the fee table book, not an academic text or detailed accompanying text. Household names include popular science discourse. Despite it’s high cover Hawkins, Knight, Burian, Parker and Kish, and we price and niche topic, it has been written for a also see work by lesser, or only locally known art- broad, non-specialist audience and it contains a ists such as Wilson, Flyorov, Bystrow. number of errors and gaffes which will irritate For many, the draw of Paleoart will be the learned readers. The use of archaic terminology inclusion of essentially unknown artwork, much of it (‘pterodactyl’, ‘mammal-like reptile’) and continued from 20th century Russia. These offer a fascinating reference to dinosaurs going extinct at the end of contrast to Western palaeoart from the same inter- the Mesozoic not only disconnects the text from val. As the West moved towards ‘rigorous recon- modern palaeontological theory but recalls books struction’ methods and widespread adoption of written several decades ago. Errors include rela- linear art styles, Soviet palaeoart retained distinctly tively forgivable matters of history (e.g. ascribing vintage science and painterly approaches. Simulta- the recognition of dinosaur bipedality to Joseph neously, some of these artworks are far more Leidy, not Gideon Mantell) to more glaring mis- expressive and artistically experimental than the takes that even non-specialists will pick up (such grounded realist art of America and Europe. These as the suggestion that dinosaur evolution only largely unknown works are presented with the lasted 75 million years, presenting Tyrannosaurus same high quality as the more familiar imagery and rex as a Mongolian taxon, confusing plesiosaurs I’m sure palaeoart completists and scholars will and pterosaurs in one image caption). It’s surpris- consider this volume essential for these images ing that greater care wasn’t taken with basic report- alone. My only gripe about the presentation is that ing and fact checking given the obvious appeal of there is little logic between work mentioned in the this book to a science-literate audience. text and its placement in the same chapter. Paint- Paleoart’s attempt to discuss palaeoart as a ings can be separated from their discussion by purely artistic endeavour is also of questionable many pages and, without figure referencing, finding success. The book provides satisfactory, if brief, them can be a chore. This is a minor quibble, how- discussions of techniques and influences for sev- ever: it is difficult to imagine how Paleoart could eral artists, as well as their reception by contempo- make a grander visual impression. rary and living scholars, and their influence on Where Paleoart is less impressive, however, wider culture. But little attention is paid to the inter- is the accompanying text. It provides a short and action between art and science and the develop- accessible ‘highlights tour’ of 150 years of palaeo- ment of a rigorous palaeoart methodology. Any art, with an emphasis on biographical details of animal artist (of extant or extinct species) knows most (not all) featured artists. Some aspects of the that understanding anatomy is essential to produc- narrative are strong. The attempts to link palaeoart ing great animal art, and yet virtually nothing is said 2 PALAEO-ELECTRONICA.ORG about how classic palaeoartists interpreted fossils cant and influential artists and scholars developing and inferred their anatomy. Palaeoart is ultimately the medium. Choosing one artwork as the genesis an artistic interpretation of science, so some point of the genre seems unnecessary and creates amount of scientific philosophy and understanding a false impression of history. must inform the palaeoartistic process. It’s widely Similar issues affect the conclusion, a discus- realised that palaeoart masters were not simply sion about the end of ‘vintage’ palaeoart in the lat- good artists, but also good at interpreting anatomy ter half of the 20th century. The explosion of and rationalising convincing scenes of natural his- palaeoart and palaeoart scholarship that accompa- tory from fossil bones. But Paleoart sidesteps this, nied and followed the Dinosaur Renaissance is not treating the medium as largely defined by personal mentioned, and only Ely Kish’s work is present to experiences and cultural influences. My suspicion represent the future of the medium. Kish certainly is that the artworks of Zallinger and Burian were represents the next stage of palaeoart history rela- influenced more significantly by their understand- tive to the other artworks in the book, but the future ing of animal anatomy and biology than their feel- of the medium was defined by figures such as Rob- ings towards World War II or the Iron Curtain, for ert Bakker, Jay Matternes and Gregory S. Paul in example. Similarly, Kish’s emaciated dinosaurs the 1960s, 70s and 80s, and their promotion of a almost certainly reflect the convention of ultra-con- more rigorous and scientific approach. These indi- servative soft-tissue restoration prevalent in late viduals and their impact on palaeoart is not men- 20th century dinosaur art rather than cultural con- tioned, save for a slightly downbeat discussion cerns over changing climates and extinction (con- about how tightening of palaeontological science trary to Paleoart’s narrative, Kish’s fossil reptiles lessens creativity and romanticism.
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