George W Bush's book of paintings have been praised by one of the nation's leading art critics, describing the former president's work as surprisingly sophisticated and warm.

 

美国前总统小布什的画作受到了美国国内一位著名艺术批评家的赞赏，该批评家认为布什的画作“出人意料的精妙和温暖”。
 

 

The book, published on February 28, is currently top of The Washington Post's list of best sellers.

 

And their chief art critic, Philip Kennicott, said that the 66 portraits of former soldiers, sold in aid of veterans, show the former president honing his craft.

 

"No matter what you think of George W. Bush, he demonstrates in this book and in these paintings virtues¹ that are sadly lacking at the top of the American political pyramid today: curiosity, compassion², the commitment to learn something new and the humility³ to learn it in public," said Mr Kennicott.

 

In the book, entitled Portraits of Courage: A commander in chief's tribute to America's warriors⁴, Mr Bush writes about each of the soldiers he depicted⁵.

 

"I'm not sure how the art in this volume will hold up to critical eyes," he writes in the introduction. "After all, I'm a novice⁶. What I am sure of is that each painting was done with a lot of care and respect."

 

The 70-year-old says he was inspired by the work of Lucian Freud, Wayne Thiebaud, Jamie Wyeth, Ray Turner, Fairfield Porter and Joaquín Sorolla.

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