SOCAL | BookTable with Author Susan Jaques

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Join us for a talk by ArtTable member, acclaimed author Susan Jaques, on her book The Empress of Art in the art-filled home of ArtTable member Nancy Adams!

Join ArtTable for a talk by Susan Jaques on The Empress of Art: Catherine the Great and the Transformation of Russia, published in 2016. Ruthless and passionate, Catherine the Great is singularly responsible for the creation of the Hermitage and amassing one of the most awe-inspiring collections of art in the world. She also spearheaded turning St. Petersburg into a magnificent architectural wonder. Jaques’ art-oriented biography brings to life the creation of this captivating woman’s great artistic legacy. As was written in the Library Journal, “Jaques focuses on how Catherine’s prolific art acquisitions transformed Russia into a worldwide cultural powerhouse. As a form of statecraft, Catherine’s collecting conveyed authority and sophistication, making her and Russia a force to be reckoned with among nations… Jaques’s detailed description of Catherine’s passion for art stands on its own as a vivid portrayal of a fascinating ruler…” In 2018, Jaques published yet another monumental cultural history, the book The Caesar of Paris: Napoleon Bonaparte, Rome, and the Artistic Obsession that Shaped an Empire.

Nancy Adams will graciously host us that evening in her Brentwood home, which houses an eclectic collection focussed primarily on figurative work. Among the artists represented in her collection are Alison Saar, Kerry James Marshall, Alice Neel, Odd Nerdrum, Kent Twitchell, Robert Pruitt, Marion Post Wolcott, and Diego Rivera, as well as Old Master drawings and prints.

Refreshments will be served and valet parking will be available. Susan Jaques will be signing copies of The Empress of Art, which will be available for purchase.

For those who wish to read ahead, please note that another BookTable will take place on March 24th at the home of ArtTable member, art consultant Victoria Burns. It will focus on Mary Gabriel’s Ninth Street Women: Lee Krasner, Elaine de Kooning, Grace Hartigan, Joan Mitchell, and Helen Frankenthaler: Five Painters and the Movement that Changed Modern Art, published in 2018. A group discussion will follow a brief presentation by Roni Feinstein, who teaches a class on this subject at UCLA Extension.

Who’s attending this event? Click here to see who’s registered!