Despite Nelson Rockefeller’s politics and his entitled upbringing, I have to give him a lot of credit for his taste in modern art, which he started collecting shortly after getting out of college in the 1930’s. It was not a passing fancy or simply investment opportunities for a rich guy, either. He had a very deep appreciation for modern painting, drawing, and sculpture from around the world, which he saw as giving his life meaning and fulfillment. Kudos for that. This book includes 222 colorplates and 47 black-and-white illustrations, and is a delight to leaf through and study. I was struck by the breadth of what’s included, and if you’ve ever visited the Museum of Modern Art in New York, you will recognize some of his bequests. Favorites:

Elie Nadelman – Standing Bull, 1915
William Lehmbruck – Dancer, 1913-14
William Lehmbruck - Torso, 1910
Pablo Picasso – Girl with a Mandolin (Fanny Tellier), 1910
Umberto Boccioni – States of Mind (Those Who Go, Those Who Stay, The Farewells), 1911
Gaston Lachaise – Couple (Dans la nuit), 1935
Pablo Picasso – Interior with a Girl Drawing, 1935
Pablo Picasso – The Striped Bodice, 1943
Alberto Giacometti – Spoon Woman, 1926
Henry Moore – Family Group, 1948-49
Diego Rivera – The Balcony, 1921
Paul Delvaux – The Mirage, 1967
Charles B. Hinman – Number 3., 1965
Peter Dechar – Pear 68-11., 1968
Richard Fleischner – Girl on a Swing, 1966-67

If you’re into modern art you may give it a higher rating, but for my taste, many of the pieces just didn’t speak to me as much as other collections, even of modern art. Still, a nice book and I’m happy to have picked it up dirt cheap at a library sale. ( )