SCHMELTZ Paintings

The 49 color illustrations by Bruno Schmeltz are like a surreal narrative story, dealing with giant monolithic blocks, construction of new structures, and people, including many voluptuous nude women, gloriously bathed in bright sunlight. The images and people are Jewish and/or Arab, the setting is the Middle East. It's like a tale of modern Palestinian and Israeli settlements juxtaposed with antiquity, by way of the huge stones.

What is most striking is not only the superb classical painting style, totally realistic and grounded in the academic traditions, but also the magical, brilliant quality of light; Schmeltz is a master of bright, warm light reflecting off the blocks of stone, warming smooth naked skin, drenching each work in rich, sensual detail. The four page introduction is in French, contains full-page plates. Out of Print. Condition: Fine minus. Spine corner bumps and two scratches across the cover.