{"product_id":"thunderclap-a-memoir-of-art-and-life-and-sudden-death","title":"Thunderclap: A Memoir of Art and Life and Sudden Death","description":"Named a Top 100 Must-Read Book of the Year by Time and a Best Book of the Year by The New Yorker * Winner of the 2024 Writers’ Prize for Nonfiction * Shortlisted for the Inaugural Women’s Prize for Nonfiction * Longlisted for the RSL Ondaatje Prize\n\nNew York Times bestselling author Laura Cumming “combines first-rate art history with deeply felt memoir” (The Washington Post) in this fascinating, little-known story of the massive explosion in Holland that killed Carel Fabritius, renowned painter of The Goldfinch and A View of Delft and nearly killed Johannes Vermeer—two of the greatest artists of the 17th century.\n\n“Exquisite.” —Simon Schama, The Guardian\n\nAs a brilliant art critic and historian, Laura Cumming has explored the importance of art in life and can give us a perspective on the time and place in which the artist worked. Now, through the lens of one dramatic event in 17th-century Holland, Cumming “has fashioned a book that combines memoir, art criticism, and history to illuminating effect” (The New York Times Book Review).\n\nIn 1654, the Thunderclap—an enormous explosion at a gunpowder store—devasted the city of Delft, killing hundreds of people, including the extraordinary painter Carel Fabritius, and injuring thousands more.\n\nFraming the story around the life of Fabritius, Cumming illuminates this extraordinary moment in art history while also writing about her own father, a painter. Like Dutch art, the story gradually links country, city, town, street, house, interior—all the way to the bird on its perch, the blue and white tile, the smallest seed in a loaf of bread. The impact of a painting and how it can enter our thoughts and influence our view and understanding of the world is the heart of this book. Cumming has brought her unique eye to her most compelling subject yet.\n\nFeaturing beautiful full-color images of Dutch paintings throughout, this is “a glorious tribute to the two men who showed her the truth of the notion that paintings offer ‘a land in themselves, a society, a place to be’” (The Economist).\u003cbr\u003eASIN: 1982181745\u003cbr\u003eVSKU: PKV.1982181745.VG\u003cbr\u003eCondition: Very Good\u003cbr\u003eAuthor\/Artist:Cumming, Laura\u003cbr\u003eBinding: Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eNote:\u003c\/b\u003e Any images shown are stock photographs and product may differ from what is shown.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition Notes\u003c\/b\u003e: Excellent condition with just a hint of character. Minor signs of love, but the pages are still clean and ready for adventure.  \u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Aspen Book Company","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52636985295135,"sku":"PKV.1982181745.VG","price":9.29,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0894\/0470\/3007\/files\/1982181745-0.jpg?v=1782407555","url":"https:\/\/www.aspenbookco.com\/products\/thunderclap-a-memoir-of-art-and-life-and-sudden-death","provider":"Aspen Book Company","version":"1.0","type":"link"}