Seduced by Art

Seduced by Art takes an engaging look at how the past still influences the work of contemporary practitioners. In the nineteenth century, pioneers such as Julia Margaret Cameron and Oscar Gustav Rejlander looked to the Old Masters – whose value was proven – to inspire this new pictorial medium. Today’s photographers no longer struggle to assert the medium’s status, yet they continue to quote the great painters: Caravaggio, Constable, Degas, Delacroix, Ingres and countless others at the National Gallery are referenced and reinterpreted. Why is the art of the past still so beguiling? This book sets out to answer that question, addressing the genres of history painting, portraiture, the nude, still life and landscape.
Interviews with Tina Barney, Richard Billingham, Maisie Broadhead, Rineke Dijkstra, Sarah Jones and Richard Learoyd give compelling glimpses into the world of the contemporary photographer, discussing their influences and working methods. Seduced by Art is essential reading for anyone who is interested in photography and painting, and their complex and often surprising relationship.