XXth Century: Sculpture

Artists: Constantin Brancusi, Barbara Hepworth, Max Bill, Henry Moore, Ben Nicholson, Henri Laurens, Jean Arp, Max Ernst, Erwin Blumenfeld et al. 
Authors: Wassily Kandinsky, Herbert Read, Max Bill et al. 
Publisher: Zwemmer 
Date: 1939 
Condition: Generally tidy, this issue of the rare Sculpture issue of XXth Century magazine is a little tanned to the edges and has some minor handling and shelf marks to its card covers, including a small tear to the top of the spine and some light sunning to the green design on the back cover. Internally the first few pages are a little loose on their staples but overall it is clean and unmarked and apparently complete. English edition.

This was, I believe, the final issue of this magazine, published in 1938-39. This issue, dedicated to sculpture, covered a lot of ground - the front cover image was of a Brancusi whilst a few pages later is a section on medieval French sculpture photographed by Erwin Blumenfeld, one of the most celebrated photographers of the first half of the c20th.

There are articles on Marino Marini and Kandinsky writing about 'The Value of a Concrete Work' as well as a celebrated and much quoted essay by Herbert Read on Three English Sculptors - Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth and, yes, Ben Nicholson! In 1939 Nicholson was deep in his first phase of relief work and thus Read was able to count him as a sculptor. 

This large format publication is not common, and offers quite a range of interesting paths for the reader, as well as some great period adverts, including Guggenheim Jeune, then at 30 Cork Street, Londres!