Published to accompany the first retrospective of the artist's work at the Art Gallery of Ontario. The substantial and very readable text discusses Colville and his work under the following chapter headings: The Art of Alex Colville; The Early Years: The Artist at the Threshold; The Mid Fifties: The Art As Authentication; Falling Into Water: Focusing on the Balance and Control; The Artist as a Responsible Man; The Notion of Grace: Self and Family as Subject. There is a wealth of information here along with ample discussion of the artist's work.

The book includes a map showing the painting sites; a Catalogue Raisonné; a Selected Biography; lists of Exhibitions and Public Collections; and a Biographical Chronology; there is also an index.

The book is illustrated throughout, there are about 75 colour reproductions of the artist's work, and numerous black and white as well as a few period photographs. The colour images are good but the monochromes reproductions of thee paintings are less so, being rather flat often with large dense areas lacking any detail. This is a substantial and fascinating volume. ( )

VG Copy. Softcover