{"product_id":"caterpillage-harry-berger-9780823233137","title":"Caterpillage: Reflections on Seventeenth-Century Dutch Still Life Painting","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eCaterpillage \u003c\/i\u003eis a study of seventeenth-century Dutch still life painting. It develops an interpretive approach based on the author's previous studies of portraiture, and its goal is to offer its readers a new way to think and talk about the genre of still life. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThe book begins with a critique of iconographic discourse and particularly of iconography's treatment of vanitas symbolism. It goes on to argue that this treatment tends to divert attention from still life's darker meanings and from the true character of its traffic with death. Interpretations of still life that focus on the vanity of human experience and the mutability of life minimize the impact made by the representation of such voracious pillagers of plant life as insects, snails, and caterpillars. The message sent by still life's preoccupation with these small-scale predators is not merely vanitas. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIt is rapacitas. \u003ci\u003eCaterpillage \u003c\/i\u003ealso explores the impact of this message on the meaning of the genre's French name. We use the conventional term nature morte (\"dead nature\") without giving any thought to how misleading it is. Because so many portrayals of still life involve cut flowers, which, although still in bloom, are dying, it would be more accurate to name the genre nature mourant. The subjects of still life are plants that are still living, plants that are dying but not yet dead.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Harry Berger\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 0823233138\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780823233137\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Fordham University Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 03\/01\/2011\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 140\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.82lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.28h x 6.40w x 0.69d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReview Citation(s): \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eChoice\u003c\/i\u003e 09\/01\/2011\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eReference and Research Bk News\u003c\/i\u003e 06\/01\/2011 pg. 171","brand":"Harry Berger","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":43926555984127,"sku":"9780823233137","price":46.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/products\/img_11680cfd-974e-4002-b10e-e8a46217533c.jpg?v=1681083724","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/caterpillage-harry-berger-9780823233137","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}