Taming the Beast: Silver by Earl Krentzin
By (Author) Jeannine Falino
Edited by Martha J. Fleischman
Arnoldsche
Arnoldsche
1st September 2022
Germany
General
Non Fiction
Precious metal, precious stones and jewellery: artworks and design
History of art
739.23092
Hardback
160
Width 175mm, Height 245mm
670g
Earl Krentzin (19292021) was a gentle dramatist and consummate prop master. As a Detroit native and one of the citys most accomplished artists in silver he created theatrical settings in the round with a wry sense of humor and an appreciation of the absurdity of life.
As a virtuoso silversmith who poured his considerable talents into figurative sculpture, Krentzin is an anomaly in the world of modern craft, and is referred to as the "Faberg of Detroit".
This richly illustrated monograph "Taming the Beast" offers the breadth of his creations, their noble deeds, dangerous undertakings, and simple pleasures of domestic life based on his love of toys, movement, the relationship between balance and imbalance, and the mechanical arts. Readers will find both humor and pathos in his theatrical settings and verisimilitude in every tiny detail. All will discover a modern master who used amusements and daydreams to unlock the imagination.
Two essays provide a fascinating insight into the work of Earl Krentzin and establish an art historical connection to his creative surroundings in Detroit.
Jeannine Falino is an independent curator of craft, design, and American culture, with extensive publications and exhibitions to her credit. Her scholarly publications include a volume on American silver at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and essays on 20th century jewellers and metalsmiths.