ROBERT TAYLOR AIR COMBAT PAINTINGS (VOLUME IV) DELUXE EDITION BIG SIZE & HARDCOVER

Widely regarded as the world's foremost aviation artist, Robert Taylor enjoys a level of popularity rare among living artists. Moreover, all three of his previously published volumes of air combat paintings have remained in print since the first was published in 1988—something of a record among books about artists of any era.

One of the most distinctive hallmarks of Robert Taylor's work is his facility for the big picture. Not for him a simple portrait of an aircraft in the sky or a ship upon the sea—his compositions are as large as life, and it is with this gift that he transports his viewers back in time and into a bygone era with complete mastery of his subject. He tackles what to some may seem a highly technical subject with a painterly style, his flowing brushstrokes managing to bring clarity and precision to his canvases without a trace of fuss.

Reviewing a major exhibition of Robert Taylor's paintings at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., The Washington Post said: "Mr. Taylor's oil paintings, and his drawings, exude a lyrical and majestic quality." It was a perceptive comment on the artist's work, defining concisely what it is about Robert Taylor's style that attracts so many followers. His use of clean, crisp colors and the remarkable clarity with which he portrays his subjects reflect the artist's fascination with the Dutch Maritime Masters and the influence their works have had on this talented modern-day artist. His devotees include the British Royal Family, a former American President, aviation and naval museums around the world, combat-hardened pilots and aircrews from World War I to Bosnia, and legions of aviation enthusiasts.

This fourth volume of air combat paintings features a collection of the artist's most recent works and will delight the tens of thousands of his followers who have avidly collected his earlier books. In it, Robert Taylor guides readers through the various stages of preparation and development of a painting, revealing more about his technique, his methods of research, some of the difficulties he encounters, and how he overcomes them. This intriguing insight is studded with fascinating anecdotes as he recounts meetings with some of the great aviators he meets during the course of his work. This new book is a veritable art gallery in itself and makes an irresistible addition to the libraries of all those who love the Taylor style.

Authors: 

Robert Taylor has enjoyed unparalleled success as a painter of aircraft, ships, and the sea. Looking to make a career in the art world, after leaving art school, he joined a leading art gallery in the west of England as an apprentice picture framer. This led him into picture restoring, and soon he became recognized as a leading art restorer, his natural talent allowing him to move freely from a Dutch Master to a contemporary landscape without difficulty. When, in the mid-1970s, the opportunity came to become a professional painter, he seized it and has never looked back.

Today, Robert Taylor is established as the world's leading painter of aviation subjects, a master of ships, sky, and the sea, and an artist whose landscapes have been referred to as "modern Constables." His work has been exhibited internationally, and his following of ardent collectors reaches all four corners of the globe.

Charles Walker is a graduate of fine art and has written extensively about the artist's paintings. He authored Volumes II and III of Robert Taylor's highly popular books of aviation paintings and has written extensively about the artist for books and magazines.

Source: Publisher's summary printed on the cover