The Story
A career survey of the Los Angeles portrait artist known for his spontaneous, blunt portrayals.
Over the past seven decades, Santa Monica–based artist Don Bachardy (b. 1934) has created thousands of visceral, compelling portraits from life. Many of these poignant renderings are of British-American writer Christopher Isherwood, the openly gay icon who was Bachardy’s longtime partner. Other subjects include such famous figures as Bette Davis, W. H. Auden, James Baldwin, and David Hockney.
This lavishly illustrated volume accompanies The Huntington’s landmark exhibition, which explores the range and depth of Bachardy’s practice. Essays by art critics, biographers, and Bachardy’s subjects offer fresh perspectives on the work of this inventive artist, setting him in context within a vibrant community of Los Angeles artists, actors, writers, and intellectuals. The career survey is filled with evocative portraits and photos from Bachardy’s personal collection, select loans from private collections, and objects from The Huntington’s extensive collection of Bachardy’s work and Isherwood’s papers.
- 168 pages with 147 color illustrations
- Hardcover
- Published by The Huntington
Details & Craftsmanship
Every detail has been carefully considered to bring you the perfect product.
Details & Craftsmanship
Every detail has been carefully considered to bring you the perfect product.
Description
A career survey of the Los Angeles portrait artist known for his spontaneous, blunt portrayals.
Over the past seven decades, Santa Monica–based artist Don Bachardy (b. 1934) has created thousands of visceral, compelling portraits from life. Many of these poignant renderings are of British-American writer Christopher Isherwood, the openly gay icon who was Bachardy’s longtime partner. Other subjects include such famous figures as Bette Davis, W. H. Auden, James Baldwin, and David Hockney.
This lavishly illustrated volume accompanies The Huntington’s landmark exhibition, which explores the range and depth of Bachardy’s practice. Essays by art critics, biographers, and Bachardy’s subjects offer fresh perspectives on the work of this inventive artist, setting him in context within a vibrant community of Los Angeles artists, actors, writers, and intellectuals. The career survey is filled with evocative portraits and photos from Bachardy’s personal collection, select loans from private collections, and objects from The Huntington’s extensive collection of Bachardy’s work and Isherwood’s papers.
- 168 pages with 147 color illustrations
- Hardcover
- Published by The Huntington
