Making it Modern: The Folk Art Collection of Elie and Viola Nadelman

'Making it Modern' features approximately 100 folk art objects acquired by the avant-garde sculptor Elie Nadelman and his wife, Viola, between 1919 and 1934, when the couple were forced to find a buyer for their vast collection of 70,000 pieces. Most were bought by the New-York Historical Society in 1937. This substantial volume presents all of the objects in full-colour plates, covering a huge range of geographic areas and media, including Pennsylvania German folk art, imposing large-scale wooden sculptures and oil portrait paintings, 19th-century metal and wooden toys, drawings and watercolours and household tools and small objects. Archival photographs reveal the way in which the Nadelmans exhibited their most treasured works in their own purpose-built Museum of Folk and Peasant Arts in Riverdale, NY in the 1920s and 1930s. 'Making it Modern' explores several key themes, notably the definition of folk art, both in the early 20th century and as it is generally accepted today, its influence on modernism and Nadelman's own sculpture, and the relationship between American and European folk art. This is a major contribution to the study and understanding of folk art, and to Nadelman's own appealing and engaging sculpture. AUTHOR: Margaret K. Hofer is curator of decorative arts, New-York Historical Society Roberta J.M. Olson is curator of drawings, New-York Historical Society SELLING POINTS: . A major contribution to the study and understanding of folk art, and to Nadelman's own appealing and engaging sculpture. . Explores the definition of folk art, its influence on modernism and the relationship between American and European folk art. 250 colour and 50 b/w illustrations