Palaces in the Night: Whistler in Venice
A number of books have been written recently on Whistler's  etchings and pastels, but this is the first to examine these  works exclusively from the periods when the artist worked in  Venice. MacDonald, a University of Glasgow research fellow and  the curator who wrote the catalogue raisonn? of the British  artist's drawings, pastels, and watercolors, here examines the  works that Whistler created in Venice, commissioned by the Fine  Arts Society of London. The methods he used to achieve the  formal effects of the pastels and etchings of this period are  examined, as is the critical response to their exhibition in  London in 1880 and 1883. MacDonald also discusses Whistler's  unique approach to Venetian subjects of the time: he depicted  the quotidian life of the city instead of just tourist views.  Although this is a lovely, well-researched book, it has a very  specific focus, recommending it only for academic or museum  libraries supporting arts programs. Sandra Rothenberg,  Framingham State Coll., MACopyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.