Ｏｎｌｉｎｅ Ｐｒｅｍｉｕｍ VVIP+++ John Richardson: At Home by John Richardson

Rizzoli (March 26, 2019)

John Richardson: At Home by John Richardson

John Richardson: At Home by John Richardson is I just received this book a couple of days ago, so can't pretend to have read it completely through or studied the photographs as closely as I will over time. My impression is that it ranks with Cecil Beaton at Home, Bunny Williams: Affair with a House, and Furlow Gatewood: One Man's Folly as portraits of connoisseur collectors and their habitats. Richardson, who died, at 95, just before the book came out, wrote the text himself so the book is a very personal informal autobiography and testament, focusing on his homes throughout his long life.These include the big Victorian house in London where he spent his childhood, Stowe School, with its 18th century garden structures, where he began to appreciate art, the Slade School of Fine Art, where his studies were cut short by the war, the French chateau in which he lived for a decade and got to know Picasso, then a historic flat in London, his first small New York apartment, a Connecticut estate incorporating two houses, each inspired by a landmark building, and finally a big New York loft redesigned to have the feeling of an English country house! Many of his furnishings moved with him from London to New York and Connecticut, to provide continuity in a long and productive life.The illustrations include black and white photos documenting his early years in England as well as his life in France (art collecting and bullfights) and New York (Elaine's and Club 54). Most of the pictures, however, making up the largest part of the book, are full color, full page (or more) photographs of the rooms in all his homes and, in Connecticut, his garden. There are also large color photos of the buildings of Stowe and the Slade, as well as the Chateau de Castile, his French home. The photographs are by Francois Halard (France, Connecticut, N.Y. loft), Derry Moore (London), and Oberto Gili (N.Y. apt.), with vintage photos by Horst P. Horst and Robert Doismeau.His style was maximalist, but his eye was perfect, and his aim was to create comfortable, livable rooms that just happened to be filled to overflowing (almost, but not quite) with an astoundingly diverse collection of beautiful furnishings, art, and fascinating objects. His ideal, even in his New York loft, was to recreate the worn, eclectic, lived-in ambiance of the English country house. He gives credit to his various cats and dogs over the years for their help in creating the distressed look he desired.Richardson is best known, of course, for his multi-volume Picasso biography, but he also had a long career as an expert for major auction houses in London and New York and in other artistic/art historical pursuits. He owned wonderful Picassos, needless to say, but also fine examples of art and objects representing every period, style, and culture, all together in one glorious, as he would have it, "mess."Richardson explains that many of his purchases were, in fact, bargains from flea markets and "junk shops." You can only think: I wish I had been there. He also reveals that, when, during the writing of this book, he decided to sell the Connecticut house(s), he was pleased when the purchaser wanted all the contents as well. It is very nice to know that this wonderful, very personal, collection remains together.

John Richardson: At Home by John Richardson is I should have read the description of this book better before purchasing it. I missed that it is an autobiography. I usually avoid autobiographical books as I am much more interested in the design than the history and background of the author. That having been said, John Richardson's writing is entertaining and so it was still a pleasant read.I also usually avoid purchasing design books without some preview, or at least online photos that provide a glimpse of the type of design I might find. I had found a video of John Richardson online that intrigued me so I decided to take a chance.The book showcases eight of the homes that Richardson lived in over his life, each home featured in it's own chapter. The first four have few photos, mostly of the exterior of the home, although the fourth does include some black and white photos. Richardson describes how the architecture and design of each impacted him throughout his life. In the remaining four homes we see much more of the interior of each of the homes.. Richardson describes how he found the properties and obtained much of the art and décor for each.I was hoping that the homes might be similar to Thomas O'Brien's Library House or One Man's Folly: The Exceptional Houses of Furlow Gatewood. Each of these other two books showcases the collections and art that were gathered over time - while the rooms are full of art and objects, they are also beautifully decorated. I found John Richardson At Home to be a bit chaotic for my personal taste, with less attention to the overall décor and more to the wonderful objects. Still the book is well written, and was interesting to read.

John Richardson: At Home by John Richardson is Good photography, high production quality. If you know Richardson, you expect traditional but unusual interiors and he shows each residence of the last fifty or so years, including the Albany flat in London and his New York and Connecticut homes. His preference for very dark walls gets a little much after a while and most of his better art consists of gifts from Picasso, so not so shabby but reflecting his financial status. Quite traditional, as one would expect given his background but eccentric as well.

John Richardson: At Home by John Richardson is Great photos, wonderful and informative writing, this follows the many homes inhabited by John Richardson, former head of Christie's in NY and author of the massive Picasso biography. From the South of France to New York, Connecticut and London, this is a really interesting and well-produced saga. The pictures are perfect and the stimulating writing tells a fabulous story of one person's imaginative living arrangements. A MUST for people who like decor and history.