A richly illustrated biography of a fascinating artist.

David Milne (1882-1953) experienced life as an artist in turn-of-the-century New York, as a soldier in World War I, and as a contemporary of the Group of Seven in Canada. This book traces the gifted painter's development over the course of tumultuous personal and historical events.

Milne enjoyed early success, and five of his works were exhibited at the landmark Armory Show of 1913 in New York, alongside paintings by Monet, Duchamp, Matisse and Van Gogh. He was, according to America's foremost art critic, Clement Greenberg, among the three greatest artists of their generation in North America. His highly original paintings from his early career earned him critical acclaim, and at age 65 he was still considered, by curators and other artists, as Canada's most innovative artist.

David Milne: An Introduction to His Life and Art is a richly illustrated book that elegantly captures the development of an artist who saw magic in everyday life and painted with verve and passion.

David P Silcox, managing director of Sotheby's Canada, is an art historian, a cultural administrator and a senior fellow at Massey College He is also widely recognized for his writings on the artists David Milne, Christopher Pratt and Jack Bush

David P. Silcox's profile page

David Milne teaches Canadian politics at the University of Prince Edward Island and has advised PEI governments on constitutional matters. He is the author of Tug of War: Ottawa and the Provinces under Trudeau and Mulroney and co-editor of The Garden Transformed: Prince Edward Island 1945-1980.

David Milne's profile page

The art work alone makes this a notable book... a valuable acquisition for the individual art enthusiast and for art history collections.

Resource Links

An ideal way to get to know this fascinating individual. Richly illustrated by Milne's unforgettable paintings... essential for art enthusiasts of any age.

The Muskokan

Noted for his intelligence and inventiveness, Milne painted with both an abstract quality and immediacy.

Artsforum

At 64 pages, this modest but well designed paperback provides concise, straightforward information about the artist, his life, and to a lesser degree, the subjects and techniques of his work. The 40 illustrations are beautifully reproduced and are well laid out on each page with sufficient white space around them so that we may fully appreciate Milne's refined composition and palette. Brush strokes and the grain of the paper of the paintings are apparent; almost as though you are looking at the paintings themselves. Also included are 10 black and white photographs of the artist... The author, David Silcox, has completed several books about Milne and has done a handsome job of distilling his knowledge and appreciation for the artistic genius of Milne into an introductory format suitable for secondary school and adult collections.... Highly recommended.

Canadian Materials