Philip Morsberger: A Passion for Painting

This luxurious coffee-table book presents the lively, witty and wide-ranging work of Philip Morsberger, whose 60-odd-year career as a painter and educator is a case study in personal style, and who was “conversant” with the art movements of his time but unrestricted by any of them. He trained at the Carnegie Institute and the Ruskin School of Drawing at Oxford in the 1950s, when the former was in an abstract expressionist revolt against the more traditional approaches of the latter. Thus, Morsberger does it all, from figurative works that showcase his draftsmanship skills to impressionistic canvases populated by bold colors and cartoonish figures, “his own mythical universe... a prelapsarian world in free-fall.” Lloyd has succeeded in presenting Morsberger's complex oeuvre in all its splendor; the high-quality plates are numerous (77 in all) and a well-selected representation of Morsberger's artistic arc. Taken on its own, Lloyd's introductory essay is sufficient context for the plates, but the “Appreciations” at the end of the volume are the real gems here, highly personal testaments from friends that provide glimpses of Morsberger as a teacher, co-worker, host and companion. There is little in the way of academic criticism, but anyone looking for an introduction to Morsberger's life and work (or simply a gorgeous volume to display) will enjoy this title. (Apr.)