The Contemporary Print.

Susan Tallman. New York: Thames & Hudson Inc., (800-233-4830), 1996. Illus., 304 pp., hardcover, $50.00.

This book presents a comprehensive overview of original prints and the printmaking process during the past four decades. Beginning with the renewed interest in printmaking workshops such as Universal Limited Art Editions and Tamarind, to current explorations of digital technology, Tallman provides a wealth of information about artists and printmaking processes. The book is lavishly illustrated with 161 of the 334 illustrations in full color. While numerous artists are discussed, special attention is given to the prints and techniques of Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg, who brought new ideas and approaches to the printmaking processes. Other chapters in the book explore concepts of multiplicity, the Pop Art movement, new technology, historical influences and the social functions of art. Biographies of the featured artists, a history of printmaking workshops, a bibliography and a glossary of terms complete this excellent treatment of a complex area of art. Highly recommended for personal libraries and as a resource for specialized secondary classes, college printmaking classes, and beyond.