Decorative arts Books
Flame Tree Publishing Aimee Stewart Wall Calendar 2025 Art Calendar
Book SynopsisAs a self-proclaimed Renaissance woman', Aimee Stewart combines various themes into her elaborately detailed work that blurs the divide between traditional and digital art. With themes ranging from antique toys and album covers to seaside views and a gingerbread manor, this colourful calendar includes some of Stewart's most spectacular artworks. Informative text accompanies each work and the datepad features previous and next month's views. Printed on FSC-certified paper, with plastic-free packaging.
£10.99
Editions Flammarion Pierre Frey: Textiles, Wallpapers, Carpets, and
Book Synopsis
£48.75
Andrews McMeel Publishing Coffee 2025 Deluxe Wall Calendar
Book Synopsis
£12.99
Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc The Beginners Guide to Decorating Pottery
Book SynopsisJoin ceramic artist Emily Reinhardt to learn how to decorate pottery surfaces with glazes, gold luster, patterns and marks, inlay designs, dimensional shapes, and much more. With an emphasis on learning new skills, having fun, and embracing imperfection, The Beginner’s Guide to Decorating Potterysupports your creative process as you explore: Basic information on working with clays as well as materials used for decorating. Tutorials on color theory, combining form and function, and the importance of keeping a sketchbook. Beginner-friendly projects that show how to apply surface-design techniques to simple pieces such as coasters, a cheeseboard, a wall hanging, plates, tumblers, vases, planters, and more. Throughout the book, skill-building is front and center, with tips and tricks to help you crack the code and make pieces you’re proud of. Gallery work from some oTrade Review"Functional and beautiful, this book will likely inspire readers want to perfect their pottery techniques." * Library Journal STARRED Review *"A helpful primer on ceramic surface design techniques...This is worth a look." * Publishers Weekly *"Profusely illustrated throughout with color photographs, The Beginner's Guide to Decorating Pottery is an ideal DIY combination of instructional guide and 'how to' manual, providing thoroughly 'user friendly step-by-step instructions that will turn the most novice of potters into seasoned experts. Fun and informative." * Midwest Book Review *Table of ContentsForeword by Amy Santoferraro Introduction You Are an Artist, and This Is an Art Book My Path to Ceramics How to Develop Your Artistic Style How to Build and Maintain a Creative Practice Ceramics for Self-Care Living a Creative Life Embracing Imperfection Why Ceramic Surface Design Is So Exciting 1 TOOLS AND MATERIALS FOR GETTING STARTED The Studio and Safety, Tools and Equipment, Materials , Gallery 2 HOW TO USE THIS BOOK Choosing a Clay Body, Additive and Subtractive Relief Designs, Understanding Underglazes, Getting to Know Your Glazes, Applying Glazes, Overglaze and Luster, Decorations, Inlaying Colored Clay, Troubleshooting, Gallery 3 PLANNING YOUR SURFACE DESIGN The Intellectual Approach, Form, Color, Pattern, Texture, Function, Keeping a Sketchbook, Gallery 4 IDEAS FOR GETTING STARTED Set of Coasters, Beads, Spoons, Wall Hangings, Abstract Cheeseboards, Set of Cups, Set of Dinner Plates with Inlaid Clay Designs, Handbuilt Vases with Heavily Layered Glazes, Drip and Splatter Platter, Planters with Additive Designs, Gallery Contributing Artists Resources Acknowledgments About the Author Index
£18.04
Editions Flammarion A Year in the French Style: Interiors and
Book SynopsisVincent Farelly and Jean-Baptiste Martin are co-founders and art directors of Antoinette Poisson, whose domino prints have been featured in collaborations with Gucci, Ladurée, Diptyque, and the Château de Versailles. Ruth Ribeaucourt, a lifestyle photographer, is the founder and editor of Faire magazine. John Derian is a decoupage artist based in New York and head of his eponymous boutiques.
£40.00
Princeton University Press Global Objects
Book SynopsisTrade Review"[A] remarkably insightful book. . . . [Global Objects] illustrates how the hegemony of power attributed to ‘fine art’, as distinguished from objects that have a utility in our daily lives, has resulted in a poverty of taste as well as the perpetuation of self-fulfilling prophecies about the importance of the so called ‘sublime’ in the construction of civilizations."---Donald Brackett, Critics at Large"A fascinating Tintin-esque history of many human artifacts that have truly global pedigrees. . . . An interesting read."---Jesse Russell, University Bookman"Challenging the binaries of Western versus Other and “high” versus “low” art in this book, Cooke presents a revisionist approach to global material culture that frames art objects as embodiments of social interactions across space and time. Global Objects. . .makes material culture studies digestible to individuals who seek to understand objects beyond the traditional fields of Western art history . . . [and] presents a necessary methodological revision to material culture studies in the post-colonial era."---Yasmine Yakupper, 21: Inquiries into Art, History, and the Visual – Beiträge zur Kunstgeschichte und visuellen Kultur"One of the great successes of Cooke’s Global Objects is it is an analysis based on a significant number of case studies, a corpus of considerable scale. The attention paid to the objects themselves and the important place they occupy in the whole of Cooke’s study, both visually and in terms of the narrative, make Global Objects a solid and handsome contribution to the history of art."---Noémie Etienne, The Art Bulletin
£27.00
Museum of Modern Art Sophie Taeuber-Arp: Living Abstraction
Book SynopsisA definitive survey on the Dada participant and pioneer of abstraction between art and craft, spanning her textiles, marionettes, stained glass, paintings and moreA New York Times critics'' pick Best Art Books 2021Accompanying the first retrospective of Taeuber-Arp?s work in the United States in 40 years, Sophie Taeuber-Arp: Living Abstraction is a comprehensive survey of this multifaceted abstract artist?s innovative and wide-ranging body of work. Her background in the applied arts and dance, her involvement in the Zurich Dada movement and her projects for architectural spaces were essential to her development of a uniquely versatile and vibrant abstract vocabulary. Through her artistic output and various professional alliances, Taeuber-Arp consistently challenged the historically constructed boundaries separating fine art from craft and design.This richly illustrated catalog explores the artist?s interdisciplinary and cross-pollinating approach to abstraction through some 400 works, including textiles, beadwork, polychrome marionettes, architectural and interior designs, stained glass windows, works on paper, paintings and relief sculptures. It also features 15 essays that examine the full sweep of Taeuber-Arp?s career. Arranged into six chapters that follow the exhibition?s sections, these essays trace the progression of Taeuber-Arp?s creative production both chronologically and thematically. A comprehensive illustrated chronology, the first essay on Taeuber-Arp?s materials and techniques, and an exhibition checklist based on new research and analysis detail the expansive nature of Taeuber-Arp?s production.Sophie Taeuber-Arp was born in 1889 in Davos, Switzerland, and trained at the interdisciplinary Debschitz School in Munich. In 1914, she began a successful applied arts practice in Zurich, where she also taught textile design and participated in the Dada movement. Starting in the late 1920s, Taeuber-Arp completed several architectural and interior design projects, most significantly the Aubette entertainment complex in Strasbourg. When she moved to Paris in 1929, she turned her attention to abstract paintings and painted wood reliefs. During the Nazi occupation, Taeuber-Arp spent her final years in the South of France, and died of accidental carbon monoxide poisoning in 1943.
£45.00
Getty Trust Publications Illuminated Manuscripts from Belgium and the
Book SynopsisThis is a lavishly illustrated survey of the J. Paul Getty's collection of illuminated manuscripts from Belgium and the Netherlands. During the Middle Ages, the region now occupied by Belgium and Netherlands flourished economically and artistically. While widely known as the era of Jan van Eyck - the master oil painter - the 15th and 16th centuries also witnessed the greatest flowering of the art of illumination anywhere in Europe. The region's colourful, naturalistically painted books were eagerly sought after across the continent. "Illuminated Manuscripts of Belgium & the Netherlands" is a magnificently illustrated volume that includes works by the finest and most original artists for the most discerning patrons - "The Prayer Book of Charles the Bold", illuminated by Lievin van Lathem for the Duke of Burgundy, 1469; "The Visions of Tondal" by Simon Marmion for Margaret of York, Duchess of Burgundy, 1475; "The Spinola Hours", 1510-20, considered to be one of the most important Flemish manuscripts of the 16th century; and "The Brandenburg Prayer Book", illuminated by Simon Bening for Cardinal Albrecht of Brandenburg, 1525-30.
£16.14
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Thomas Chippendale
Book SynopsisFor at least 150 years, Thomas Chippendale has been synonymous with beautifully made eighteenth-century furniture in a variety of styles – Rococo, Chinese, Gothic and Neoclassical. Born in Otley, Yorkshire, in 1718, Chippendale rose to fame because of his revolutionary design book, The Gentleman and Cabinet Maker’s Director, published in 1754. That same year he set up his famous workshops in St Martin’s Lane, creating some of the most magnificent furniture ever made in Britain. This beautifully illustrated history focuses on Britain’s most famous furniture maker and designer, including the worldwide phenomenon ‘Chippendale style’ that became popular in Europe, North America and Asia after his death in 1779. Today, his influence lives on with the ongoing production of ‘Chippendale’ furniture, while the eighteenth-century originals are selling for millions at auction.Table of ContentsThomas Chippendale's Life and Career The Chippendale Style Customers Legacy Further Reading Places to Visit Index
£8.54
Editions Flammarion Timeless Paris: Ateliers • Emporiums • Savoir
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£25.50
Arcturus Publishing Ltd Art Class: Hand Lettering: A beginner’s guide to
Book SynopsisHand lettering is absolutely everywhere. From shop façades and menus to websites, invitations and birthday cards, the appeal of hand-drawn lettering is undeniable. So much so that, these days, top quality typography has become the expected market standard, rather than merely an optional flourish. So whether you want to design something for your business or website, present your product with eye-catching packaging, create a personalised gift for someone special, or simply make something decorative, Art Class: Hand Lettering gives you all the fundamentals to get started.Covering three distinct lettering crafts: modern calligraphy, brushwork lettering and blackboard letter art - each section is presented by an expert artist introducing you to their craft and includes plenty of space for you to practice each lettering techniques. With full alphabets for every typographic style, you have everything you need to produce your own letter art.ABOUT THE SERIES: Arcturus'' Art Class books are a curated series of instructional art and craft titles designed to inspire artists of all levels, from beginner to professional. Stunningly presented in full color and in a highly usable landscape format, these comprehensive books are packed with all the ideas, inspirations, step-by-step projects, and techniques you''ll need to master the subject covered.
£13.49
Skira Power and Prestige: The Art of Clubs in Oceania
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£38.40
Metropolitan Museum of Art Jewelry: The Body Transformed
Book SynopsisA cross-cultural examination of jewelry spanning 5,000 years that investigates not only the objects themselves but also the bodies they decorated As an art form, jewelry is defined primarily through its connection to and interaction with the body—extending it, amplifying it, accentuating it, distorting it, concealing it, or transforming it. But how is the meaning of jewelry bound to the body that wears it? Establishing six different modes of ornamenting the body—Deconstructed, Divine, Regal, Idealized, Alluring, and Resplendent—this artfully designed book illustrates how these various definitions of the body give meaning to the jewelry that adorns it. More than 200 examples of exceptional jewelry and ornaments, created across the globe from antiquity to the present, are shown alongside paintings and sculptures of bejeweled bodies to demonstrate the social, political, and aesthetic role of jewelry. From earflares of warrior heroes in Pre-Columbian Peru to designs by Yves Saint-Laurent, these precious and most intimate works of art provide insight not only about the wearer but also into the designers, artisans, and cultures that produced them.Published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Distributed by Yale University PressExhibition Schedule:The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (11/12/18–02/24/19)
£38.00
The History Press Ltd AngloSaxon Crafts
Book SynopsisThe art and craftmanship of the Anglo-Saxons has been much admired, but this is the first book to look closely at the background to the skilful work and the techniques involved in its creation. The author covers the way in which the objects were made, as well as the materials and tools used in the process - all of which are shown in detailed drawings. Objects explored in this study include brooches, swords, woven materials and buildings, many of which are superbly illustrated in colour.
£20.62
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Fresh Paint
Book SynopsisA ten-year tour of New York City graffiti captured on walls, trucks, and subway cars. Over 400 eye-popping photos provide a decade-long tour of graffiti art in New York City. Walls, trucks, and subway cars are featured with graffiti by the crews X-Men, KD, TNB, 156, RIS, AOK, TC-5, FAME CITY, COD, XTC, TFP, MCI, IF, DYM, 718, TD4, SMART, TATS CRU, FLY-ID, GFR, AKB, and many more. Because New York City has made a concerted effort to remove graffiti from the city, the images captured here will never be seen again. Walls were repainted and some buildings were demolished, keeping graffiti crews working fast to keep ahead of the trend. The author worked even faster to capture their ephemeral efforts. If you have a fascination with urban life and colorful expression, this book is definitely for you.
£27.19
Thames & Hudson Ltd The Colouring Bronzing and Patination of Metals A
Book SynopsisThe techniques of metal colouring, bronzing and patination are assuming a new importance in contemporary fine metalwork and design. Richard Hughes and Michael Rowe have assembled and tested the recipes included in this book, which is the most comprehensive work on the subject currently available, an essential reference and sourcebook for practitioners and all those involvoved in sculpture, architecture, designs and the decorative arts. It brings together hundreds of recipes and treatments previously scattered in a variety of old books and technical papers, and provides the artist-craftsman with a very wide range of coloured finishes.Trade Review'A meticulous piece of research, immaculately presented' - Design'I am so impressed by this book it's hard to know where to start' - Metalsmith
£48.75
ACC Art Books Faberge in London: The British Branch of the
Book SynopsisRoyalty, Aristocrats, American heiresses, exiled Russian Grand Dukes, Randlords, Maharajas, Socialites and Financiers with newly made fortunes flocked to Fabergé in London to buy gifts for each other. The Imperial Russian Goldsmith's London branch was the only one outside of Russia and its jewelled and enamelled contents were as popular there as they were in St. Petersburg or Moscow. Using previously unreferenced sources and a newly discovered archive of papers relating to Fabergé in London, Kieran McCarthy studies the branch's structure, customers and exclusive stock. The book will be of interest to enthusiasts of the decorative arts, the social history of the Edwardian Golden Age and especially of European Royalty. Fabergé's works were and continue to be intimately associated with the British Royal Family. For Violet Trefusis, daughter of King Edward VII's mistress Mrs. Keppel and lover of Vita Sackville-West, a Fabergé cigarette case was the emblem of Royalty, as symbolical as the 'bookies' cigar', or the 'ostler's straw'.
£41.25
Royal Collection Trust The Miniature Library of Queen Mary's Dolls'
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£14.41
Prestel Koloman Moser: Designing Modern Vienna 1897-1907
Book SynopsisDuring his short career, Koloman Moser became a towering figure in Viennese culture. His varied work in interior and graphic design, furniture, textiles, jewellery, metalwork, glass and earthenware helped usher in the modern era. This book surveys the entirety of Moser's oeuvre. It examines his work as a graphic designer and his involvement with the Vienna Secession, with special focus given to his role as an illustrator for the journal Ver Sacrum (Sacred Spring). Moser's forays into textile design and ceramic work are also introduced. The book features his designs for the Vienna Secession, Thonet Brothers and the Mautner family, among others that characterise his early modern style. The book also explores Moser's seminal role as a founding member of the Vienna Workshops, along with architect Josef Hoffman and patron Fritz Waerndorfer. Included are many reproductions of Moser's masterpieces, including the window of the Steinhof Chapel, his exhibition posters, postage stamps and currency and elegant samples from his design portfolio, "The Source."
£52.25
Thames & Hudson Ltd The Celtic Design Book
Book SynopsisA guide to the art and design of the Celts that provides a comprehensive source of instruction and inspiration for artists, designers and craftspeople of all kinds.Trade Review"'A treasure trove of ideas... These are excellent books for anyone really interested in Celtic design itself, or for anyone interested in developing their skills in formalized design' - Popular Crafts"Table of ContentsIntroduction • A Beginner’s Manual: Step Patterns • Key Patterns Early Celtic Spirals • Geometry of the Spiral • Irish Half Uncial Script How to Lay Out a Manuscript Page • How to Decorate Letters Knotwork: The Secret Method of the Scribes: The Three Grids King Solomon’s Knot • The Foundation Knot • Extending Knots – and the Josephine Knot • Building a Panel • Analysis of Plaitwork • Plaitwork to Practise • Division of a Square • Plaitwork Panel from the Book of Durrow • Spiral Knots • Spiral Knot Borders Illuminated Letters: Celtic Illumination, the Early Development • Major Initials from the Golden Age of Celtic Art • Decorated Alphabet • Decorated Ampersands Animal Alphabet • Animal Ampersands • Angular Capitals
£16.19
Thames & Hudson Ltd Art Deco Collectibles
Book SynopsisIn the 1920s and '30s Art Deco influenced everything from art and architecture, interiors and furnishings, automobiles and boats, to the small personal objects that are part of everyday life. In this title, the items demonstrate Deco style at its most alluring. They were then the height of fashion, and are highly prized collectibles today.Trade Review'Encompasses Deco style at its most alluring' - Antiques Diary'For those of us with a penchant for the Gatsby age ... Page after page features glamorous geometric designs.' - Homes & Antiques'A must have book for the collector and those with a passionate interest in the Art Deco movement.' - Retirement Today'A treasure trove if design inspiration and reference.' - GlassTable of ContentsIntroduction • 1. Cigarette Cases and Lighters • 2. Compacts, Vanity Cases, Nécessaires, Minaudières and the Dressing Table • 3. Jewelry and Watches • 4. Cameras and Miscellanea • Directory of Designers, Craftsmen and Techniques
£27.96
C&T Publishing Crafting Paper Flowers
Book SynopsisCraft everlasting beauty with paper flowers.
£16.99
WW Norton & Co R. Crumb The Complete Record Cover Collection
Book SynopsisA landmark work that pays splendid homage to a forgotten era of seminal American music.
£19.79
Pointed Leaf Press Life of Things
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£31.50
Getty Trust Publications Illuminated Manuscripts of Germany and Central
Book SynopsisAn illustrated survey of the art of illumination from the collection of the J Paul Getty Museum. It presents more than 70 full-colour reproductions of some of the most highly-prized German and Central European manuscript illuminations in the world.
£16.14
Lund Humphries Publishers Ltd Owen Jones and the V&A: Ornament for a Modern Age
Book SynopsisOwen Jones (1809–1874), a prolific architect, designer, illustrator and printer, was recognised during his lifetime as one of the most influential contemporary figures in art and design theory. This insightful book, the latest in the V&A Nineteenth-Century Series, explores his relationship with the South Kensington Museum (later the Victoria and Albert Museum), from its inauguration in the 1850s through to his death in 1874. With particular focus on the creation of his celebrated volume The Grammar of Ornament (1856), his decorative scheme for the museum’s so-called ‘Oriental Court’ and the preparation of his lesser-known publication Examples of Chinese Ornament (1867), it offers a fascinating exploration of the identity of the early museum and its imperial context.Table of ContentsDirector’s Foreword; Series Editor’s Foreword; Introduction: From the Great Exhibition to the South Kensington Museum; Chapter 1 - ‘An ever-gushing fountain’: The Grammar of Ornament; Chapter 2 - Applied Principles: The ‘Oriental Court’; Chapter 3 - ‘Suggestive Character’: Examples of Chinese Ornament; Conclusion - ‘The Lawgiver of Ornamental Art’; Notes; Further Reading; Acknowledgements; Index.
£33.25
Flame Tree Publishing The Day of the Dead Art Inspiration Counter
Book SynopsisThe Day of the Dead is a festival of culture and youth, a celebration of life in death.The beautiful rituals, the sugar skulls, the costumes and the festivities have grown into a massive counter culture: art, movies, cartoons and literature have been consumed by the brilliant power of the Day of the Dead, tendered here in this lively new book.
£15.00
Luath Press Ltd Voicing Scotland: Folk, Culture, Nation
Book SynopsisVoicing Scotland takes the reader on a discovery tour through Scotland’s traditional music and song culture, past and present. West unravels the strings that link many of our contemporary musicians, singers and poets with those of the past, offering up to our ears these voices which deserve to be more loudly heard.What do they say to us in the 21st Century? What is the role of tradition in the contemporary world? Can there be a folk culture in the digital age? What next for the traditional arts?Trade ReviewCan folk stay true to tradition and still be genuinely contemporary? Can its pride in place counter globalisation- without collapsing into narrow nationalism? The answer for, Gary West, is a resounding Yes. - SCOTSMANVoicing Scotland...is an engrossing assessment of where Scottish Traditional Music standsl, at a time of resonant political developments in the nation's history but also of globalisation and the threat of cultural homogenisation in todays 'liquid society'. - SCOTSMAN
£11.69
ACC Art Books Japanned Papier Mâché and Tinware c.1740-1940
Book Synopsis"a well-written, well-referenced and well-illustrated book. It provides a valuable addition to the literature and our understanding of a previously little-researched facet of the industrial midlands" British Art Journal "Cataloguers now have an impressive volume of new information to draw on when describing anything from a simple tea tray to those suites of papier mâché furniture which remain as impressive today as when they dazzled visitors at the great international exhibitions of the 19th century" Antiques Trade Gazette As one of the few decorative arts about which little has been written, japanning is today fraught with misunderstandings. And yet, in its heyday, the japanning industry attracted important commissions from prestigious designers such as Robert Adam, and orders from fashionable society across Europe and beyond. This book is a long overdue history of the industry which centred on three towns in the English midlands: Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Bilston. It is as much about the workers, their skills, and the factories and workshops in which they laboured, as it is about the goods they made. It tells of matters of taste and criticism, and of how an industry which continued to rely so heavily upon hand labour in the machine age reached its natural end in the 1880s with a few factories lingering into the late 1930s. Richly illustrated, it includes photographs of mostly marked, or well-documented, examples of japanned tin and papier mâché against which readers may compare - and perhaps identify - unmarked specimens. Japanned Papier Mâché and Tinware draws predominantly upon contemporary sources: printed, manuscript and typescript documents, and, for the period leading up to the closure of the last factories in the 1930s, the author was able to draw on verbal accounts of eyewitnesses. With a chapter on japanners in London, other European centres, and in the United States, together with a directory of japan artists and decorators, this closely researched and comprehensive book is the reference work for collectors, dealers and enthusiasts alike. Contents: From Imitation to Innovation; Enter the Dragon!; The Lion of the District; Japanning & Decorating; Not a Bed of Roses!; Clever Accidents?; Decline of the Midlands Japanning Industry; The Birmingham Japanners; The Wolverhampton Japanners; The Bilston Japanners; Japanners in London and Oxford; Products; Other Western Japanning Centres; Appendices.Trade ReviewCollectors' Companion "This closely researched and comprehensive book is the definitive work for collectors, dealers and enthusiasts alike".Table of ContentsFrom Imitation to Innovation; Enter the Dragon!; The Lion of the District; Japanning & Decorating; Not a Bed of Roses!; Clever Accidents?; Decline of the Midlands Japanning Industry; The Birmingham Japanners; The Wolverhampton Japanners; The Bilston Japanners; Japanners in London and Oxford; Products; Other Western Japanning Centres; Appendices.
£36.00
Thames & Hudson Ltd Arts and Crafts of Morocco Arts Crafts S
Book SynopsisDemonstrates the strengths of Moroccos crafts a centuries-long tradition which intermingles influences from both Black Africa and Islam. This book examines vibrantly coloured textiles, jewelry, leather, wood and metalwork and an enormous variety of pottery and ceramics.Table of ContentsIntroduction • I. Beliefs, Symbols and Tattoos • II. Textiles: Clothing, Weaving ad Embroidery • III. Jewelry and Adornment • IV. Leatherwork, Woodwork and Metalwork • V. Ceramics • VI. Ceremonies and the Celebration of Life and Death • Collecting Moroccan Arts and Crafts • Glossary, Bibliography, Index
£14.44
National Gallery Company Ltd A Closer Look: Frames
Book SynopsisFrames often catch the eye and arouse the curiosity of visitors to galleries and museums, yet labels and catalogues rarely comment on them. Nicholas Penny conveys his interest in the history of frames, the design and techniques of frame-making, what frames do for paintings, and the part they play in the decoration and often the architecture of an interior. The emphasis is on the changing function and varied purpose of frames as well as the different styles of ornament, materials, finishes, and techniques used. This Closer Look guide is illustrated by frames from the National Gallery's magnificent collection.Published by National Gallery Company/Distributed by Yale University Press
£9.99
Amber Books Ltd Haunted Places
Book SynopsisThe strange cries heard at night in a dilapidated penitentiary, the glimpse of a ‘White Lady’ floating through a graveyard, the face at the window in a room that has been locked for decades – stories of hauntings never cease to intrigue us. From palaces to prisons, from an 11th century chateau in France to 'The Island of the Dolls' in Mexico City, Haunted Places features the world’s most fascinating spooky locations. Some hauntings are recent, others are ancient, but all the stories are striking: from the deceased monks who pace the boundaries of a ruined former priory, to the lift operator in a Canadian hotel still working his shift decades after he died, to the infamous Vlad the Impaler, who haunts a Romanian castle where he was imprisoned for seven years. With tales of the ‘Mad Old Woman’ who searches Highgate cemetery in London for the children she supposedly murdered to strange laughter heard at night, from apparitions to floating orbs to radios suddenly changing station, Haunted Places features 150 outstanding photographs of haunted sites. Each eerie photograph is accompanied by a caption explaining the story of the haunting, from tragic accidents to brutal murders, from executions to disease and other sorrowful endings.Table of ContentsIntroduction Castles & Forts Bhangarh Fort, Rajasthan, India Bolsover Castle, Derbyshire, UK Château de Brissac, Angers, France Bran Castle, Brasov, Romania Château de Chambord, Loir-et-Cher, France Chillingham Castle, Northumberland, UK Corvin Castle, Hunedoara, Romania Fort Adams, Newport, Rhode Island, USA Hammond Castle, Massachusetts, USA Old Fort Niagara, New York, USA Château de Fougeret, Queaux, France Norwich Castle, Norwich, UK Framlingham Castle, Suffolk, UK Knebworth House, Hertfordshire, UK Bodiam Castle, East Sussex, UK Landguard Fort, Felixstowe, UK Predjama Castle, Slovenia Château de Randan, Auvergne, France Balintore Castle, Perthshire, UK Cemeteries Greyfriars Burial Ground, Perth, UK Highgate Cemetery, London, UK Precious Blood Cemetery, Woonsocket, Rhode Island, USA Greyfriars Kirkyard, Edinburgh, UK Père-Lachaise Cemetery, Paris, France Easton Baptist Church, Connecticut, USA Union Cemetery, Easton, Connecticut, USA Brightling Churchyard, East Sussex, UK Hotels & Public Places Blair Street Vaults, Edinburgh, UK Banff Springs Hotel, Banff, Canada Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, Colorado, USA Mary King’s Close, Edinburgh, UK Cassadaga Hotel, Cassadaga, Florida, USA Edificio Praça da Bandeira, São Paulo, Brazil Lawang Sewu, Semarang, Indonesia Old Diplomat Hotel, Baguio City, Philippines Sterling Opera House, Derby, Connecticut, USA Bird Cage Theatre, Tombstone, Arizona, USA Monte Vista Hotel, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA Penny Lane, Liverpool, UK Cromer Pier, Cromer, Norfolk, UK Casino Degli Spiriti, Cannaregio, Venice, Italy Houses, Mansions & Palaces Norton Conyers, Yorkshire, UK Gaineswood, Demopolis, Alabama, USA Houghton Mansion, Massachusetts, USA Vaile Mansion, Independence, Missouri, USA Winchester Mystery House, San Jose, California, USA Dakota Building, New York, USA Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast, Fall River, Massachusetts, USA LaLaurie House, New Orleans, USA Reichstag, Berlin, Germany Palace of Versailles, France Ecclesgrieg House, St Cyrus, UK Mohatta Palace, Karachi, Pakistan Baron Empain Palace, Cairo, Egypt Plas Teg, Flintshire, UK Speke Hall, Liverpool, UK Coolbawn House, County Wexford, Ireland Sturdivant Hall, Selma, Alabama, USA Industry Boston Light, Little Brewster Island, Boston, USA Slater Mill, Rhode Island, USA Sloss Furnaces, Birmingham, Alabama, USA Little Brewster Island, Boston, USA St Augustine Lighthouse, Florida, USA Institutions Former HM Prison Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK Alcatraz Island, San Francisco, California, USA Former Atlanta Prison Farm, Atlanta, Georgia, USA Burlington County Prison, Mount Holly, New Jersey, USA Buffalo State Asylum, New York, USA Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia, USA Rutland Prison Camp, Massachusetts, USA Kilmainham Gaol, Dublin, Ireland Ohio State Reformatory, Mansfield, Ohio, USA Pennhurst State School, Spring City, Pennsylvania, USA Renwick Smallpox Hospital, Roosevelt Island, New York, USA Trans-Allegheny Asylum, West Virginia, USA West Virginia State Penitentiary, USA RAF West Raynham, Norfolk, UK Religious Places Catacombs, Paris, France Greyfriars Priory, Dunwich, UK Mont St Michel, Normandy, France Sedlec, Czech Republic Thetford Priory, UK Parish Church and Ruins, Binham Priory, UK St Andrew’s Church, Walberswick, UK Towns, Cities & Islands Ellis Island, New York, USA Island of the Dolls, Xochimilco, Mexico City, Mexico Salem, Massachusetts, USA Poveglia, Venice, Italy
£17.99
British Museum Press Krishna in the Garden of Assam The history and
Book SynopsisLooks at the art, technique and iconography of the textile and also place it within its wider religious, cultural and geographical contexts. This book traces the fascinating history and its journey from Assam to London.
£9.49
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Timeless Beauty
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£23.79
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Mexican Masks and Puppets
Book Synopsis
£39.09
The History Press Ltd Travelling Art
Book SynopsisThe hey-day of the British gypsy caravan was short, only about 70 years, during which period it grew from a simple utility vehicle, blossomed and flourished as a mobile work of art, then disappeared from common sight. These caravans were masterpieces of woodcraft and design, and the best of them cost as much as a small house. Unlike any small house, almost half the cost was in the decoration. This beautifully illustrated book presents the different types of caravan and the great variety of art which was carved and painted upon them and their brothers-in-transport, the old narrowboats. While there were certain rules and conventions of style, the decoration on and in all the types was ultimately governed only by how much money could be spent. The caravan in particular was the supreme status symbol among travelling people and its art the prime means for expressing where one stood in the world.
£17.00
Yale University Press Matisse and Decoration
Book SynopsisTrade Review“These 249 pages really are something of an artistic, as well as literary gem.” —David Marx, David Marx Book Reviews“Klein’s scholarship and insights make this beautifully written volume required reading.”—Karl Buchberg, The Burlington Magazine“The issue of the “decorative” in Matisse’s work has long been a thorn in the literature: while the artist never stopped affirming its importance, aiming to dismiss the negative connotations that plagued the concept of decoration in the context of modernist art, his enormous achievements in the field of decorative arts remain almost entirely understudied, with the exception of the Vence Chapel. Most Matisse scholars have taken the artist at his word and treated the “decorative” as a quality pertaining to his paintings. John Klein does not contradict this view, but he shows how Matisse’s thought evolved not only to admit that the “decorative” and decoration proper could meet, but also, after the Second World War, that the decorative arts were the most appropriate means to convey his idiosyncratic sense of the “decorative.” Examining many little-known commissions, and in some cases their relative failure, Klein reveals a gradual change in Matisse’s response to the demands of his patrons, and to the various media to which he gradually submits. Matisse, a stubborn man, prone to dissatisfaction with the translation of one of his designs into a medium he did not directly control, learned how to take advantage of a given medium’s limitations. This arc is formidably traced in this book, radically changing our understanding of Matisse’s career.”—Professor Yve-Alain Bois, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton“Matisse believed passionately in the life-enhancing potential of decorative art but, as John Klein reveals in this absorbing, fully documented, and comprehensive study, many of the commissions he eagerly accepted would involve frustration and setbacks, as he strove to master new techniques, work effectively with his collaborators, satisfy capricious patrons, and, above all, meet his own exacting standards. Written with perfect lucidity and rare candor, generously illustrated, and handsomely designed, Matisse and Decoration places the personal ambitions and unique creative process of the artist center stage, but never loses sight of the wider cultural and political context that shaped Matisse’s thought and action. The unfolding human drama Klein describes makes for enlightening and compelling reading.”—Professor Elizabeth Cowling, Edinburgh College of Art
£38.00
Silvana Lenci: Ceramics from the Giuseppe and Gabriella
Book SynopsisThe glorious Manifattura Lenci of Turin is the protagonist of this volume, which presents one hundred and fifty works belonging to the Ferrero Collection. Small plastics and decorative sculptures have made the fortune of this historical manufacture, first active in the field of cloths and dolls, for 'toys in general, furniture, furnishings and children's clothing', and subsequently, since 1927, in the ceramic sector. The Lenci production was inspired by the fashion magazines of its time, between customs and bon ton, reflecting the taste of an era and a society, which had identified in its products the bourgeois status symbol. Lenci was characterised over the years by the creative contribution of important artists such as Sandro Vacchetti, Elena Konig Scavini, Marcello Dudovich, Gigi Chessa, Mario Sturani, and Abele Jacopi, who made the ceramic production unique and inimitable. In 1934 Sandro Vacchetti, former artistic director of Lenci manufactory, founded the successful Essevi ceramics, which follows in the footsteps of Lenci and constitutes a continuation of their style.
£23.96
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Victorian Stained Glass
Book SynopsisA beautifully illustrated guide to the world of Victorian stained glass and its manufacturers and designers. Victorian stained glass – magnificent, colourful and artistic – adorns countless British churches, municipal buildings and homes. Across the decades, several artistic movements influenced these designs, from the Gothic Revival, through the Arts and Crafts Movement and into Art Nouveau as a new century dawned. Historian Trevor Yorke shows how craftsmen re-learned the lost medieval art of colouring, painting and assembling stained glass windows – but also, in this age of industry, how windows were templated and mass produced. Showcasing the exquisite glass generated by famous designers such as A.W.N. Pugin, Pre-Raphaelites William Morris and Edward Burne-Jones, and by leading manufacturers such as Clayton and Bell, this beautifully illustrated book introduces the reader to many wonderful examples of Victorian stained glass and where it can be found.Trade ReviewWalk through the story of stained glass with historian Trevor Yorke in this stunning new book. * This England *An extraordinarily helpful introduction to the art and manufacture of stained glass. * The Historical Association *An enjoyable read, it also feels as though it would act as a guide – highlighting favoured designs, colours and subjects from each period – enabling you to look forward to putting your new-found knowledge into use the next time you find yourself gazing on a stained glass window. * Family Tree *Table of ContentsStained Glass Lost and Rediscovered: 1530s–1815 The Gothic Revival: 1815–1860 Victorian Stained Glass Companies: The 1860s Morris and Co, Holiday and Kempe: 1870–1900 Stained Glass for the Masses: 1860–1930 Whall, Clarke and Strachan: 1900–1930 Further Reading Places To Visit Index
£8.54
Princeton University Press Between Worlds
Book SynopsisTrade Review"Honorable Mention for the George Wittenborn Memorial Book Award, Art Libraries Society of North America""One of the New York Times' Best Art Books of 2018""A Choice Outstanding Academic Title of the Year""The most thrilling book of the year."---Roberta Smith, New York Times"[A] remarkable catalogue, which exhaustively lays out what can be known of Traylor’s life, in its historical context, and of the references in his art."---Peter Schjeldahl, New Yorker"Traylor’s images . . . now count among the greatest works of 20th-century American art, and thanks to a magnificent catalogue, the artist is obscure no more."---Roberta Smith, New York Times"[A] major monograph."---Karen Wilkin, Wall Street Journal"The detective work in Between Worlds is so engrossing that one may be forgiven for forgetting that the book is also an exhibition catalogue. It accompanies an extensive retrospective, now at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, DC, of Bill Traylor’s paintings and drawings. Traylor, who died in 1949, is considered one of the most important 'folk' or 'self-taught' American artists. But this project demonstrates in magisterial manner how his work exceeds these limiting categories. . . . Umberger is refreshingly blunt about the art world’s racial politics, the persistence and consequences of gatekeeping, and the way categories like 'folk art' marginalize the makers of those pieces. She offers deep research into the artist’s like and work as a welcome remedy."---Siddhartha Mitter, Bookforum"Between Worlds pairs a painstakingly detailed biography with an expansive, object-orientated analysis, the former serving as foundation for the latter."---Annie Monahan, Burlington Magazine"Leslie Umberger’s compelling text, the result of extensive research, details the social and political context to Traylor’s life and art, and pieces together as much as possible of his family history." * Art Quarterly *"This meticulously researched catalogue . . . serves as a corrective to the persistent stereotyping of black art as primitive. . . . Now, with the Smithsonian exhibition and accompanying catalogue, Bill Traylor’s testimony is available to the wider world."---Fran Bigman, Times Literary Supplement"[A] major undertaking. . . . [The book] includes chapters on the world in which [Traylor] lived, carefully documented by biographical details from surviving records, and discusses the emergence of his talent during an active period in late life while recounting how his preserved work captured the attention of the art world decades after his death."---Karla Klein Albertson, Antiques and the Arts"[A] groundbreaking monograph in which Umberger thoroughly reassesses the known facts of Traylor’s life and family, his creative trajectory, and the art world’s discovery of him and positions him within the broader context of American art." * ARTFIX daily *"Between Worlds: The Art of Bill Traylor discusses and illustrates 205 of Traylor’s works, images that are powerfully backdropped by the times he lived in."---Shannon Heupel, Montgomery Advertiser"Between Worlds: The Art of Bill Traylor is a genuinely unfathomable account. . . . Umberger takes great care in flushing out the worlds between that Traylor’s depictions historically dangled. . . . With over 200 drawings reproduced as examples of various techniques or themes, there is much information to digest. Umberger’s unsurpassed skill as a historian and writer, cuts easily through it all revealing depth and dimension. For the reader not intimidated by the bulk of this volume, approaching six pounds, there is much reward and there are too many insights to list. Even 70 years after his death, his life experience remains critically important to our contemporary settings."---Cindy Helms, New York Journal of Books"[Leslie] Umberger emerges as the finest interpreter of Traylor’s life and career, proving that she is an American curator and art historian of the first order. . . . At long last, Bill Traylor’s artwork takes center stage to speak to viewers of the pasts of the present. . . . Between Worlds is a testament to the enduring, inclusive genius of Bill Traylor, a man who came from slavery to make a world all his own. Traylor’s paintings remind us of the indomitable creative spirit, enduring beyond this nation’s sins."---Andrew M. Davenport, Los Angeles Review of Books"A major contribution [and] essential reading for anyone who wants to understand American art in the twentieth century. . . . Umberger’s scrupulously researched book fill[s] in many gaps while overturning long-held assumptions, misinformation and misguided theories about the artist and his work. . . . Umberger writes at length about the historical and cultural circumstances within which Traylor lived and made his art. She fills in a richly detailed background, presents the most complete picture of his life to date, and casts revealing new light on his art. Positioning his work firmly within a cultural context, she rejects any notion of him as an outsider."---Tom Patterson, Raw Vision"[Leslie Umberger’s] curated volume of Traylor’s life and work is a narrative and visual accomplishment; a beautifully-presented book that captures the marvel and struggle of Traylor’s life, and the uniqueness of his work."---Nick Ripatrazone, Angelus News"Umberger does justice to [Bill Traylor’s] work and his life story . . . . [a] wonderful book." * Rethinking History *"Leslie Umberger’s monumental catalogue, Between Worlds: The Art of Bill Traylor, which accompanied her 2018 exhibition at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, is a stunning, intensely researched, and moving tribute to a unique figure in the history of American art . . . . The catalogue, which includes more than two hundred gorgeous illustrations of artworks from public and private collections, along with ample reproductions of archival material and historical photographs, make it not only the most comprehensive resource for Traylor’s work, but also an excellent one for those interested in the history of the American South. A bold and brilliant text, contained inside a beautifully produced object, Between Worlds sets the standard for the type of critical scholarship that can be done on an artist once discounted as marginal or an outsider."---Aleesa Pitchamarn Alexander, Panorama: Journal of the Association of Historians of American Art
£59.50
Amber Books Ltd Amazing Theatres of the World: Theatres, Arts
Book SynopsisWhile often some of the most beautiful, opulent buildings in a town or city, a theatre is so much more than a space for the performance of a play. It is a cultural hub, a meeting place for people from all walks of life and, through the stories told there, brings people together in numerous ways. Indeed, theatres have been doing so for over two millennia. The theatre comes in many forms. From the more rigid and repeated (but no less attractive) designs of Greek and Roman theatres, the buildings that now house our shared cultural output boast some of the finest, most creative structures in the world. Huge and cathedral-like or modest, concrete and futuristic or neo-Renaissance, we are lucky that the physical constructions themselves recapture the ambition of the arts performed within. With chapters organised by continent and featuring theatres and opera houses – and any space for the performing arts – from the Americas, Africa, Asia, Europe and Australasia, Amazing Theatres of the World includes modern masterpieces and ancient remains, art deco delights and Baroque classics, taking in centuries of theatre building. Both the exterior and the interior of buildings are examined, as well as behind-the-scenes shots of dressing rooms and the mechanics of putting on a show. In so doing, we catch a glimpse of how the performing arts and their home has evolved over time. Illustrated with more than 190 photographs, Amazing Theatres of the World includes more than 150 of the most stunning theatres and opera houses.Table of ContentsIntroduction Europe Sea theatre at Bregenz Festival, Bregenz, Austria Meiningen State Theatre, Thuringia, Germany Odeon of Herodes Atticus, Athens, Greece Hungarian State Opera House, Budapest, Hungary Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow, Russia Teatro di San Carlo, Naples, Italy Oslo Opera House Oslo, Norway Roman theatre, Cartagena, Spain Palau de la Música Catalana, Barcelona, Spain Auditorium Opera House, Tenerife, Spain Palais Garnier, Paris, France Odéon-Théâtre de l'Europe, Paris, France Salle Richelieu, Paris, France Théâtre de la Gaîté-Montparnasse, Paris, France Le Moulin Rouge, Paris, France Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France Royal Albert Hall, London, UK The Old Vic, London UK Shakespeare’s Globe, London, UK The National Theatre, London, UK Minack Theatre, Cornwall, UK North America Winter Garden, Toronto, Canada Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico City, Mexico Cherry Tree Theatre, New York City, USA New Amsterdam theatre, New York City, USA Delacorte Theater, New York City, USA Metropolitan Opera House, New York City, USA Tampa Theatre, Florida, USA Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles, USA Central & South America Ataneo Grand Splendid, Buenos Aires, Argentina Teatro Colon, Buenos Aires, Argentina Municipal Theatre of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Amazon Theatre, Manaus, Brazil Municipal Theatre of Santiago, Chile Teatro de Cristóbal, Bogotá, Colombia Teresa Carreño Cultural Complex, Caracas, Venezuela Asia National Grand Theatre, Beijing, China Fosun Foundation arts centre, Shanghai, China Wuzhen Theatre, China Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Hong Kong Kabuki-za, Tokyo, Japan The Esplanade, Singapore Municipal Theatre, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Africa & the Middle East Cairo Opera House Cairo, Egypt Khedivial Opera House, Cairo, Egypt Damanhur Opera House, Damanhur, Egypt National Arts Theatre, Lagos, Nigeria Market Theatre, Johannesburg, South Africa South African State Theatre, Pretoria, South Africa Dubai Opera, Dubai, UAE Australasia & the Pacific Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia The Capitol Theatre, Sydney, Australia State Theatre Centre of Western Australia, Perth, Australia Southbank Theatre, Melbourne, Australia Capitol House and Theatre, Melbourne, Australia Her Majesty’s Theatre, Ballarat, Australia Civic Theatre, Auckland, New Zealand Isaac theatre Royal, Christchurch, New Zealand
£17.99
Taschen GmbH Menu Design in America. 1850–1985
Book SynopsisUntil restaurants became commonplace in the late 1800s, printed menus for meals were rare commodities reserved for special occasions. As restaurants proliferated, the menu became more than just a culinary listing. The design of the menu became an integral part of eating out and as such menus became a marketing tool and a favored keepsake.Menu Design is an omnibus showcasing the best examples of this graphic art. With nearly 800 examples, illustrated in vibrant color, this deluxe volume not only showcases this extraordinary collection of paper ephemera but serves as a history of restaurants and dining out in America. In addition to the menu covers, many menu interiors are featured providing an epicurean tour and insight into more than a hundred years of dining out. An introduction on the history of menu design by graphic design writer Steven Heller and extended captions by culinary historian John Mariani accompany the menus throughout the book. Various photographs of restaurants round out this compendium that will appeal to anyone who enjoys graphic and gastronomic history.Trade Review"Menu Design in America proves that food is sex you can look at." * The New Yorker *“... a delicious history of menu creativity.” * TheAtlantic.com *“... a yummy ride through the history of food and restaurants in the United States”. * Monocle *“From the nation that brought us the supersized meal comes this elegant survey of gastronomic graphics.” * Wallpaper *“Indulge your appetite for art with this omnibus of dining and design.” * HuffingtonPost.com *“Whilst providing an extraordinary collection of paper ephemera – ranging from the weird to the wonderful – this publication also serves as a great history of restaurants and dining out in America.” * AnOther Magazine *
£38.00
Skira Cartier Time Art: Mechanics of Passion
Book Synopsis
£40.00
Skira Pearls The General Catalogue Arabic Edition
Book Synopsis
£41.25
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Amish Arts of Lancaster County
Book Synopsis
£23.79
Kite Group Ltd Maltese Lace: History and Mystery - Four
Book Synopsis
£72.00
Thames and Hudson Ltd RHS The Gardeners Book of Patterns
Book Synopsis
£14.96
Flame Tree Publishing A Year of Lovely Quotes Wall Calendar 2025 Art
Book SynopsisThis beautiful wall calendar includes 12 quotes to instil joy, positivity and contentment. Each one is surrounded by glorious floral artwork by illustrator and designer Georgia Breeze. Based in the coastal town of Bude, North Cornwall, Georgia studied art at Falmouth College and went on to specialize in textiles and surface pattern design. After running her own hand-finished greeting cards business, she now focuses on creating designs that explore her love of colour and pattern design. The datepad features previous and next month's views. Printed on FSC-certified paper, with plastic-free packaging.
£9.89
