New Orleans: Elegance and Decadence
This is a beautiful introduction to the multicultural art and architecture of the "Crescent City," the cognomen given to the city nestled along a tight bend of the Mississippi River. In this introductory history, the reader is familiarized with many new terms reflecting the multiethnic complexity of the local population. The combination of African, French, and Anglo-American immigrants formed a unique Creole culture that has produced its own music, cuisine, art, and architecture, displayed superbly in a vast variety of photographs. We are taken through interiors and enclaves, stopping in the homes and studios of several contemporary artists. The influence of French Impressionism is juxtaposed with modern New Orleans funk art, and we are struck by Catholic religious art permeating the cultural revelry of the city's famous parades. This book will entice anyone to visit New Orleans and will serve as pleasant reflection for those who have.- Bruce Alan Hanson, Wayzata East J . H.S. Lib., Minn.Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.