The Art of Bradman
Sports Books RRP £25 Buy
For Just £17.99 Now
 In
a period when there are no shortages of books available
on Sir Donald Bradman, it is almost impossible to
put a new slant on an already flooded market. Having
said that, "The Art of Bradman" seems to
manage this effortlessly and in a book that exudes
class and individuality, it would not appear out of
place in the most prestigious of collections.
Richard Mulvaney, director of the Bradman
Museum in Bowral wrote the text and Brian
Clinton contributed the artwork all of which is proudly
exhibited at the museum. The text throughout the book
is well written, concise and easy to read, Mulvaney
drawing on his years of experience and close contact
with Sir Donald.
Working
with the full cooperation of Sir Donald and the Bradman
Museum, the project took over six years to complete
and carries the Bradman Museum branding. The effort
was well worth it, resulting in a magnificent pictoral
record of one Australia's favourite and well known
sons.
Sir
Donald and the museum provided many of the original
photographs required to allow Brian Clinton to ensure
that each drawing was accurate to the smallest detail
from the fold of the glove to the crease in the shirt.
With over 40 years experience and a passion for the
game, Clinton who was as short in stature as Bradman
was the obvious choice for such a project. Following
the completion of all his illustrations, Clinton received
the ultimate compliment from Sir Donald when the subject
signed every composition. Buy
For Just £17.99 Now
The
book covers Sir Donald's early life from his boyhood
days in Bowral to his final days in 2001. The publication
includes pencil drawings, charcoal drawings, paintings
and working drawings. I cannot stress how good these
drawings are, each and every single one encapturing
the mood at the time the original photograph was taken
with grace and ease.
One
of the most touching of chapters for me is the small
chapter called “a record partnership”,
not about cricket as you may imagine but the union
between Don and Jessie Menzies that lasted 65 years
from 1932 until Jessie's death in 1997. From the tender
age of 11, a young lad knew that he would one day
marry his sweetheart, he was proved to have great
instincts on and off the field of play. Working from
a personal photograph, Clinton appears to have captured
the inner soul of Don and Jessie and brings them both
to life in a beautiful watercolour.
The
colours are rich, the paper quality heavy, pencil
drawings sharp and crisp; none more than the chapter
and illustrations covering the most famous of all
ashes series; the Bodyline
Series. Clinton has captured the atmosphere
as if he had been at the ground, the main drawing
taken when Bradman was 57 not out at the SCG in Australia's
second innings. The illustration also depicts the
famous leg-side field including Larwood bowling and
Jardine crouched in anticipation.
Together
with a chronological account of his life the book
also covers his time at New South Wales, his favourite
innings scoring 254 at Lord's in 1930 and his re-introduction
to Test cricket after the second world war.
Towards
the end of the book you will find not only a season
by season guide to Sir Donald's innings but a complete
collection of his records in first class and international
cricket. Another strength of “The Art of Bradman”
is the ability for the reader to pick it up as an
when the mood.
This
book is not only a credit to the artist and author
but to the Bradman name. It comes highly recommended and is an ideal gift in this an ashes year. The
book is available to buy in Australia and the UK.
The UK edition was published by Sports
Books and is available for £17.99 and the Australian version available at retail for
AU$49.95. Buy For Just £17.90 Now
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