Balthus: The Last Studies Hardcover – February 15, 2014

This is a rare find. Polaroids show what the artist was thinking, and trying, when preparing for his work. Absolutely gorgeous presentation, printing and binding. I feel so privileged and proud to own a copy (serial # 1118). Wow. It takes my breath away...

I didn't expect such a large and heavy (ca. 11kg) package delivered, much less with a big-sized print advertising the content at the outside. Two books too large even for my coffee-table, the first with a selection of the Polaroids in (I suppose) original size, the second with several of the Polaroids enlarged to full-size. The print is absolutely excellent.The pictures are ordered in chronological order, with a comment / recollection by the model, remembering how her sessions started and evolved over time, how Balthus first worked with the pencil, then after he could not hold it anymore, him taking to the camera and even needing the help of Anna to hold it right. The pictures show that he was neither skilled nor capable with this ressource, but he achieved to get series of Anna in different postures showing a clear intent to get something - a pose, a light, something not easy to grasp but to be made into his next painting.Although the model is semi-nude in most of the pictures there is nothing pornographic about them (at least in my eyes).*If* Balthus had a darker side it's not in these photographs.

good