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SELECTIONS FROM THE IRVINE MUSEUM
(Updated edition, 2009)
During the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century, California’s majestic landscape was the inspiration for an profusion of light-filled paintings. Artists set out to capture its vivid colors and intense sunshine in a distinctive style that has come to be called California Impressionism or California plein air painting. Venturing out into nature, these artists often depicted California as a colorful, sunlit garden of wildflowers or a tranquil retreat with a quiet pool framed by the aesthetic branches of eucalyptus, Monterey cypress, or live oak trees.
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Selections from The Irvine Museum was originally published on the occasion of the museum's grand opening in January, 1993. The new, updated 2009 edition features numerous paintings which the museum has acquired since 1993 and highlights the works of seventy-five important California painters.
As Joan Irvine Smith, founder and president of The Irvine Museum reminds us, "The deep and abiding reverence for nature shown by these paintings remind us that California’s spectacular beauty must be protected and preserved for future generations." |
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A precise and profusely illustrated study of the art and life of Joseph Kleitsch (1882-1931), an important Hungarian-American painter who spent the last decade of his life living and painting in old Laguna Beach.
Written by Patricia Trenton, Ph.D., this book traces the artist from his early career as a portrait painter in Europe, to his life in Chicago and Laguna Beach, in the early years of the twentieth century.
286 pages, 9 x 12 inches, over 300 color illustrations and black & white photographs, comprehensive index and addendum.
Hardbound edition (ISBN 978-0-9714092-8-6) $50.00
Softbound edition (ISBN 9780-9714092-9-3) $25.00
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ENCHANTED ISLE, A HISTORY OF PLEIN AIR PAINTING IN
SANTA CATALINA ISLAND.
Published
in 2003. For more than a century, artists have flocked to Santa
Catalina Island. This richly illustrated book features
the work of over 90 early and contemporary plein air painters
who have been inspired by the spectacular beauty of Santa Catalina.
Texts by Jean Stern, Roy C. Rose and Molly Siple. Published by
the Society for the Advancement of Plein Air Painting, Avalon,
California.
256 pages, 9 x 12 inches over 250 color illustrations, bibliography
and index.
Hardbound only. |
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EAST
COAST / WEST COAST AND BEYOND. Colin Campbell Cooper - American
Impressionist.
Published
in 2006. This profusely illustrated book is the first thorough
study of Cooper, an important American Impressionist. His diverse
travels throughout the world, as well as his work in New York and
California are presented in precise, readable text. Texts by William
H. Gerdts and Deborah Epstein Solon. Published by Laguna Art Museum
and The Irvine Museum, in association with Hudson Hills Press,
2006.
144
pages, 9 x 12 inches, over 100 color illustrations.
Hardbound only. |
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A CALIFORNIA WOMAN’S STORY
Published in 2006,this volume presents the remarkable account of
Joan Irvine Smith and the Irvine family, set against the backdrop
of California’s history. Smith has long felt a deep connection to
the Golden State, and it is this profound love that suffuses her
memoir. In describing her childhood, she speaks fondly of her visits
with her grandfather, James Irvine II. She spent her days accompanying
him on his inspections of the property, fishing and riding, all the
while imbibing her grandfather’s love for nature and for the land
and animals under his care.
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Smith
goes on to tell how her reverence for California’s native plants
and animals inspired her to become a leading environmental
activist, speaking out about the urgent need to protect the state’s
precious natural resources and to balance environmental preservation
with economic growth. Smith was responsible for bringing the University
of California at Irvine to the Irvine Ranch and today, as a legendary
philanthropist, through the Joan Irvine Smith and Athalie R. Clarke
Foundation, she continues to champion the University of California
at Irvine, funding important medical causes, including the Reeve-Irvine
Research Center. She also supports the National Water Research
Institute, which was founded by her vision and financial support,
as well as
numerous other environmental, cultural and historical endeavors.
Smith’s dedication to California has also extended to the art world,
leading her to establish The Irvine Museum, now the preeminent venue
for the landscapes of California’s Impressionist and plein air artists.
Showcasing the natural beauty of the land through art, she reasons,
is a most effective way to bring public awareness to critical environmental
issues.
In the late 1940’s, Smith began showing, breeding and racing Thoroughbreds.
In later years, she began showing and breeding world-class Holsteiner
horses that are winning in both national and international hunter
and jumper competitions. Today she resides on her horse farm, The
Oaks, in San Juan Capistrano, California.
Written by Joan Irvine Smith, with essay by Jean Stern, forward
by Maria Shriver, preface by Donald Bren, and prologue by James Irvine
Swinden.
489 pages, 9x12 inches, 1,700 illustrations
Hardbound only (ISBN 0-9814092-7) $90.00 |
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Plant
Portraits
the California Legacy of A.R. Valentien.
Published in 2003. A.R. Valentien, a prominent artist of the American Arts
and Crafts movement, was commissioned by Ellen Browning Scripps in San Diego
in the early 1900s to create watercolor paintings of all the native California
plants. This monumental work of 1094 original paintings, which took him 10
years to complete, came to the San Diego Natural History Museum in 1933 after
Miss Scripps' death. These exquisite paintings, breathtakingly fresh and lifelike
in their color and detail, have been seen and appreciated by only a handful
of people.
Hardbound
(ISBN 0-9714092-5-0) $45.00
Softbound (ISBN 0-9714092-6-9) $22.50 |
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Masters
of Light, Plein Air Painting in California 1890-1930. Published in
2002, this is a beautifully illustrated full-color book, with texts by
(Mr.) Jean Stern, executive director of The Irvine Museum, and Dr. William
H. Gerdts, Professor of Art History and foremost authority on American
Impressionism.
196 pages,
9x12 inches, 110 color plates
Hardbound
(ISBN 0-9714092-3-4) $40.00
Softbound (ISBN 0-9714092-4-2) $20.00 |
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CALIFORNIA,
THIS GOLDEN LAND OF PROMISE.
Published in 2001, this profusely illustrated book presents the history
of California in a highly readable and entertaining format. Written
by Joan Irvine Smith and Jean Stern, with a timeline by James Irvine
Swinden. Published by Chapman University and The Irvine Museum.
368
pages, 9x12 inches, 405 color plates and 88 black and white images,
extensive timeline, bibliography and index.
Hardbound
only (ISBN 0-9714092-0-X) $50.00 |
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THE LIFE AND ART OF PAUL DE LONGPRÉ. Published in 2001, this
elegant and fully illustrated book documents the art of Paul de Longpré
(1855-1911) the French-American painter who became internationally known
for his beautiful and highly detailed watercolor paintings of flowers.
Written by Nancy C. Hall, with an essay by Jean Stern.
144 pages,
155 color plates, 50 black and white images, 8 appendices, extensive bibliography
with notes, index and genealogical chart.
Hardbound
edition (ISBN 0-9714092-1-8) $40.00
Softbound edition (ISBN 0-9714092-2-6) $20.00 |
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NATIVE
GRANDEUR: Preserving California's Vanishing Landscapes. Published
in 2000 by the Nature Conservancy of California. A stunning tour of the
seven ecological regions of California, accompanied by 87 color images
of these regions as represented by paintings from The Irvine Museum, the
Oakland Museum of California, the Crocker Art Museum, the Hearst Art Gallery,
the Kern County Museum and several private collections. Written by David
Wicinas, with additional essays by E. O. Wilson, Joan Irvine Smith, Jean
Stern, Kevin Starr and many others.
136 pages,
87 color plates, map.
Hardbound
edition (ISBN 0-9624590-5-4) $40.00
Softbound edition (ISBN 0-9624590-5-4) $20.00 |
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ALL THINGS
BRIGHT & BEAUTIFUL: California Impressionist Paintings from The Irvine
Museum. Published in 1998 as the book/catalogue to accompany an exhibition
of 58 paintings to the National Academy Museum, New York; the Terra Museum
of American Art, Chicago; the Dixon Gallery and Gardens, Memphis; the
Oakland Museum of California, Oakland; and The Irvine Museum. Professor
William H. Gerdts, Guest Curator, essays by William H. Gerdts, Jean Stern,
Harvey L. Jones and David Dearinger. This book documents the first comprehensive
exhibition of California Impressionist paintings that were shown in New
York, and Chicago.
204 pages,
9 x 10 1/2 inches, 70 color plates and 36 black and white photographs.
Biographies of 42 artists, full bibliography and index.
Hardbound
edition (ISBN 0-9635468-2-1) $40.00
Softbound edition (ISBN 0-9635468-9-9) $20.00 |
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IMPRESSIONS
OF CALIFORNIA: Early Currents in Art 1850-1930.
Published in 1996 as the companion volume to the PBS documentary
video series of the
same name, produced by Paul Bockhorst. An overview of 80 years of art in
California, including articles on works by the Tonalists and Barbizon
landscape
painters of the mid-19th century, through the Impressionists period and
into the Modernist and Progressive styles of the early twentieth
century.
Features essays by the leading authorities in the field: Susan Anderson,
Bolton Colburn, Harvey L. Jones. Nancy Moure, Martin E. Petersen,
and Jean
Stern, with biographies of 45 artists, by Janet Blake and Jean Stern, and
introductions by Ruth Westphal, Paul Bockhorst and Joan Irvine
Smith.
200 pages, 9 x 10 1/2 inches,
109 color plates and 18 black and white photographs.
Hardbound edition (ISBN
0-9635468-7-2) $40.00
Softbound edition (ISBN 0-9635468-8-0) $20.00 |
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CALIFORNIA
IMPRESSIONISTS, by Susan Landauer, with additional essays by Donald
D. Keyes and Jean Stern. Published in July, 1996 to document our exhibition
that was an official event of the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games Cultural Olympiad,
and to accompany the traveling exhibition that followed. A joint effort
of the Georgia Museum of Art and The Irvine Museum. Discusses forty Impressionist
painters who worked in California from 1900 through the beginning of the
Great Depression.
100 pages,
8-1/2 x 11 inches, 72 color plates.
Hardbound edition (ISBN
0-915977-22-2) $40.00
Softbound edition (ISBN 0-915977-25-7) $20.00 |
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SELECTIONS
FROM THE IRVINE MUSEUM, essays by Jean Stern,
Janet Blake Dominik and Harvey L. Jones. Published in 1992, in conjunction
with a traveling exhibition of the same name. Articles on California Impressionism
(1890-1930) by Jean Stern, Director of The Irvine Museum, Janet Blake Dominik,
Curator of The Irvine Museum, and Harvey L. Jones, Senior Curator of the
Oakland Museum. A concise and articulate introduction to California Impressionism.
128 pages, 8 1/2"
x 11", 48 artists’ biographies; 76 color plates, 9 quadritone
black and white illustrations
Hardbound edition (ISBN
0-9635468-0-5) $35.00
Softbound edition (ISBN 0-9635468-1-3) $17.50 |
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REFLECTIONS
OF CALIFORNIA, by Jean Stern and Joan Irvine Smith.
Published in 1994, in conjunction with a traveling exhibition entitled Reflections
of California: The Athalie Richardson Irvine Clarke Memorial Exhibition. An article on California plein-air painting (1890-1930) by Jean Stern, Director
of The Irvine Museum, and a comprehensive article on the life of Athalie
Richardson Irvine Clarke by her daughter, Joan Irvine Smith. A synopsis
of Orange County history and a fascinating look at one of its premier families.
188 pages,
8 1/2" x 11", 36 artists’ biographies, 112 color plates,
59 quadritone black and white illustrations
Published in hardbound
only (ISBN 0-9635468-2-1) $40.00 |
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ROMANCE
OF THE BELLS, essays by Jean Stern, Gerald J.
Miller, Pamela Hallan-Gibson and Norman Neuerberg. Published in 1995 in
conjunction with an exhibition entitled Romance of the Bells: the California
Missions in Art, at the Mission San Juan Capistrano and The Irvine Museum.
Articles on California art as well as the history of the California Missions,
by noted authorities in the field. A readable survey of California’s
historic missions and how they were represented in art.
128 pages,
8 1/2" x 11", 95 color plates, 25 black and white illustrations
Hardbound edition (ISBN
0-9635468-5-6) $35.00
Softbound edition (ISBN 0-9635468-6-4) $17.50
See notecards available
for this exhibit - Romance of the Bells |
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PALETTE
OF LIGHT: California Paintings from the Irvine Museum,
essay by Jean Stern, Director of The Irvine Museum. Traveling exhibition
catalogue published in 1995. An overview of California art of the Impressionist
period (1890-1930) highlighting works painted throughout the state.
64 pages,
8 1/2" x 11", 46 color plates, 33 artists’ biographies
Published in softbound
only (ISBN 0-9635468-4-8) $15.00 |
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GUY
ROSE: AMERICAN IMPRESSIONIST, text by Will South,
introduction by William H. Gerdts, and essay by Jean Stern. Published by
the Oakland Museum and The Irvine Museum, 1995. Comprehensive and well researched
book on the life and art of Guy Rose (1867-1925), California’s most
important Impressionist painter.
180 pages,
14" x 10", 120 color plates, 32 black and white photographs
Hardbound only ISBN
1-882140-06-0) $50.00 |
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VISIONS
OF CALIFORNIA:
The Story of California Scene Painting
The Story
of California Scene Painting 1925-1950, working with scores of collectors
and dozens of institutions and museums nationwide, producer Paul Bockhorst
has created a three-part series of artistic delight and intellectual insight
that features almost 150 works of art. Each part is 28 minutes in length.
84
minutes, color $30.00
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IMPRESSIONS
OF CALIFORNIA:
Currents in Art 1850-1930, the PBS documentary
video series, produced by Paul Bockhorst. An overview of 80 years of
art
in California, including discussion of works by the Tonalists and Barbizon
landscape painters of the mid-19th century, through the Impressionists
or "plein-air" style and into the Progressive artists of the
early 20th century. All four half-hour programs on one disk.
112
minutes, color $35.00
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The Irvine
Museum offers four (4) boxes of California Impressionist Note Cards featuring
beautiful and important paintings of this style. The box contains 12 cards
and twelve envelopes. The cards are blank inside. |
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Note
Cards per box $15.00 (Box "A" Assortment)
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Note Cards per box $15.00
(Box "B" Assortment)
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Note Cards
per box $15.00 (Box "C" Assortment)
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Note Cards
per box $15.00 (Box "D" Assortment)
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Note
Cards per box $15.00 (Box "W" Assortment)
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Note
cards per box $15.00 (Box "M" Assortment)
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The
Irvine Museum Holiday Collection
Featuring Paul Lauritz, "Poinsettias" c. 1925 (detail)
The box contains 12 cards and twelve envelopes. The cards are blank
inside.
Note
Cards, per box $15.00
(Poinsettias Box - all same image) |
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