The first illustrated monograph to survey the work to date of major American painter Philip Taaffe (b.1955), whose work has expanded the parameters of painting through a fascinating layering of different techniques and imagery, including marbling, silkscreen, collage and linocut.

This book will present a comprehensive view of the work of American painter Philip Taaffe b.1955, who has expanded the parameters of painting through his use of silkscreen, linocuts, collage, stencils, gouache, chine-coll, marbling, acrylic, enamel, watercolor, and gold leaf. Yaus insightful text is the first to look at every part of Taaffes artistic development, from the works he made at Cooper Union, while a student of Hans Haacke, to the present. It pays special attention to Taaffes acquisition of different techniques, as well as investigating his various sources of inspiration.

'Philip Taaffe's paintings spring from the twin root of art history and the natural world. Through a wide range of work, and a self-critical practice, he has pushed abstraction into new realms, holding icons and calligraphy in the same regard as plants, snakes and shells. His work is both expansive and necessary.'