History of art Books

Book SynopsisCelebrate your love of Hogwarts and the Harry Potter films with this exclusive set that includes a tiny book of artwork and behind-the-scenes facts about the famous school of magic and a collectible Hogwarts castle enamel pin. NOVELTY TINY BOOK: Completely legible, printed in full color, and encased in a slipcase with a ribbon marker, this novelty tiny book allows fans to meet students and teachers, explore the castle and grounds, and learn everything there is to know about the famous school of magic and its history on-screen. COORDINATING PIN: The set includes a colorful enamel pin of the Hogwarts castle that can be worn or added to a tote bag or lanyard to show your Hogwarts pride! ADD TO YOUR COLLECTION: Add more fun tiny book and pin sets from Insight Editions to your collection with Harry Potter: Dark Arts Tiny Book and Pin Set, DC Comics: The Joker Tiny Book and Pin Set, and DC Comics: Harley Quinn Tiny Book and Pin Set.

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Book SynopsisThe Vincent van Gogh Set of 3 Mini Notebooks features a collection of three mini, foiled notebooks with alternating lined and blank pages. Each notebook has a different beautiful design: Starry Night over the Rhône, Starry Night and Cafe Terrace. With a sturdy cover and rounded corners, they are perfect to be carried everywhere! Vincent van Gogh is considered one of the world's greatest painters, his work having had a huge and far-reaching influence on 20th-century art as well as remaining visually and emotionally powerful to this day. This Collection presents three of his most iconic paintings, perfect for all art lovers! Flame Tree: The Art of Fine Gifts.

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Book SynopsisA sumptuous illustrated biography, history and gallery of the acclaimed artist of the late 19th and early 20th century.

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Book SynopsisThis breathtakingly detailed book presents dress patterns, construction details, embroidery and making instructions for fifteen garments and accessories from a seventeenth-century woman's wardrobe. Full step-by-step drawings of the construction sequence are given for each garment alongside photographs of the objects and the groundbreaking use of x-ray photography revealing the hidden elements of the clothes, the precise number of layers and the stitches used inside.

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Book Synopsis'A veritable tome of sneaker history...backed by nearly a decade of research and discovery.' - Hypebeast A riotous, 720-page celebration of sneaker culture and sporting legends, as told through the medium of vintage print advertising More than a decade in the making, Soled Out is the definitive - and only - collection of sneaker advertisements from the footwear industry's golden age. Lovingly written and compiled by Simon 'Woody' Wood, founder of the legendary Sneaker Freaker magazine and author of The Ultimate Sneaker Book, this colossal volume combines nearly 900 vintage images with a punchy narrative full of insider stories and historical revelations. Featuring the biggest brands, classic sneaker models, superstar athletes, and pop culture icons - from Adidas, New Balance, and Puma, to Asics, Pony, and Pro-Keds; the Nike Air Max and Converse All Star to New Balance 990 and Reebok Pump; Andre Agassi and Michael Jordan to Paula Abdul and MC Hammer - every page is laced with incredible graphics and unforgettable advertising slogans. Sit back and enjoy the spectacular scenery ahead as Soled Out powers through a 720-page marathon celebration of the rubber, leather, and mesh we wear on our feet.Trade Review'Woody is an OG who loves to tell stories.' – HYPEBEAST'[This] book from Sneaker Freaker is so important.' – Sole Collector

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Book SynopsisIn this truly beautiful book, Andrea Zanatelli combines his extraordinary artworks with a selection of classical love poetry by Anne Brontë, William Blake, Christina Rossetti, Emily Dickinson, Percy Shelley and many more.Drawing its inspiration from the past, Love is Enough references the decorative arts of a bygone era, and is a combination of romantic imagery, antique fabrics and allegorical illustrations, mixed with poems and mottos. Often mistaken for real embroidery pieces, the artworks are in fact very detailed and intricate digital collages, made to look and feel like handcrafted works.Zanatelli is strongly influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement and the Pre-Raphaelites as well as eighteenth-century collage artist and creator of the Flora Delanica, Mary Delany, among others. Recurring themes in his work are romantic love, magical symbols, Victorian era craftsmanship, historical nun’s work and relics. Details of paintings, ancient fabrics, antique jewellery and miniatures are also returning elements as they often become an integral part of the inspiration for the collages themselves.This stunning book is full of intricate detail and brimming with romance, so you can return to its pages again and again.

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Book SynopsisIran was home to some of the greatest civilizations of both the ancient and medieval worlds, but these achievements are now little known outside the country. Epic Iran brings together 250 fascinating objects and images to cast a rare light on 5,000 years of history, showing how civilized life emerged in Iran around 3,200 BC, and how a distinctive Iranian identity, formed 2,500 years ago, has survived until today, expressed through artistic continuities, religious affiliations and the Persian language. Lavishly illustrated, this magnificent and important book encompasses metalwork, ceramics, glass, illustrated manuscripts, textiles, carpets, oil paintings, drawings and photographs from collections around the world. It brings treasures from the ancient and Islamic worlds together with the work of contemporary artists and makers, demonstrating the rich legacy that still influences many modern-day practitioners.Trade ReviewChosen by Rachel Campbell-Johnston as one of The Times best art books of 2021, 4th December 2021Table of Contents1. Emerging Iran: Silent Treasures From the Dawn of History, 3200-550BC - John Curtis 2. The Persian Empire - John Curtis 3. Last of the Ancient Empires: The Iranian Renaissance - John Curtis 4. Change of Faith: The Advent of Islam - Tim Stanley 5. The Iranian Synthesis: An Identity Reborn - Tim Stanley 6. Literary Excellence - Tim Stanley 7. Royal Patronage - Tim Stanley 8. The Old and The New - Tim Stanley 9. Modern and Contemporary Iran - Ina Sarikhani Sandmann

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Book SynopsisImagine your favorite movies as vintage books! This clever collection features iconic films, cult classics, and box office hits brilliantly designed to look like original book covers—a delight for film fanatics and bibliophiles alike.A good book cover is evocative, emotional, and revealing. It lures readers in and invites them to begin a journey with just a hint of the story that is about to unfold. They are true works of art. Though many great movies are based on books, many more are not. Good Movies as Old Books features more than 200 beloved films reimagined as book covers for the first time, giving readers the distinct pleasure of seeing a favorite film transformed into cover art. Through masterful design, art, and typography, graphic designer Matt Stevens has created original vintage-style covers across film genres and eras of book design. From Braveheart to Parasite, Do the Right Thing to Top Gun, this page-turning assortment of box office hits, acclaimed indies, golden era gems, and cult classics will inspire you to discover new favorites or rethink the films you've seen a thousand times. A whole new way to celebrate the movies we love, this is the perfect gift for bibliophiles and cinephiles.BOOKISH FUN MEETS FILM FANDOM: This art book sits directly in the center of the Venn diagram of book and movie love. It's a fun and fresh appreciation of books and cinema, perfect for both avid readers and movie fanatics.  ORIGINAL COLLECTIBLE ART: Matt Stevens is a graphic designer and illustrator whose passion for film shines through his unique works of art. He uses a dazzling variety of styles and graphics that perfectly reflect each film’s tone, visuals, and emotion. MOVIE LOVERS GIFT:  The ultimate illustrated statement book for anyone with multiple streaming subscriptions, who loves movies based on books, or who regularly goes to the movie theater, this handsome book features a textured cover and eye-catching foil for an extra-special, luxe feel. COMPANION SET OF ART CARDS: Pair this giftable volume with the Good Movies as Old Books: 100Postcards, a boxed set of 100 images drawn from the book, to create an irresistible set.Perfect for: Cinephiles and bibliophiles Film students and art students Movie buffs and avid readers Gift-giving for Father's Day, Mother's Day, graduation, or birthday Art book collectors and design enthusiasts Fans of Jane Mount's Bibliophile, 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, The New York Times Book of Movies, and Accidentally Wes Anderson

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Book SynopsisWhat makes the Book of Kells such an extraordinary example of illuminated manuscript? Why is Durer's self-portrait so iconic? How did Turner's Rain, Steam, Speed turn the art world on its head? What's so great about Jasper John's Flag? And who was Whistler's mother, anyway? Art history is filled with paintings that shocked, intrigued, enraged and mystified their audiences - paintings that exemplified the period in which they were created and forever changed the way we think. Here, one hundred examples of these icons of art are presented in beautiful, high-quality reproductions. Each double-page spread features lavish illustrations and details as well as engaging texts that explain why the painting belongs in the pantheon of world-changing art. Published in association with the Stadel Museum, Frankfurt.

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Book SynopsisShowcases some of the most stunning treasures from the dynasty that created the Taj MahalThe Great Mughalspresents, for the first time, the opulent, internationalist culture of Mughal Hindustan in the age of its greatest emperors: Akbar (r. 1556?1605), Jahangir (r. 1605?27) and Shah Jahan (r. 1628?58). Providing a compelling new narrative to describe the origins of Mughal art, it explores how a huge Iranian influence permeated the sophisticated craft traditions of the Indian subcontinent to create a distinctively Mughal court are included, from contemporary portraits to jeweled gold vessels and carpets. In chapters that conjure the unique dynamics of each reign, essays with historical sweep combine with texts focused on important objects to tell unexpected stories about a dynasty perhaps best known for commissioning the Taj Mahal.

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Book SynopsisBernini and His World is a unique exploration of Gian Lorenzo Bernini the sculptor, offering new insights and including discussions of the artist’s stylistic innovations and the ways in which he approached sculpture. Placing his life and work within a social, anthropological and historical context, Livio Pestilli gives a fascinating and in-depth account, from the Rome in which Bernini lived and its reception of foreign sculptors to the myth-making narrative of his biographers, and the judgements of his critics.Beautifully illustrated and engagingly written, this book draws on a deep familiarity with both historic and modern Italian culture to give readers a vivid account of sculpture and sculptors in early modern Rome, and of Bernini’s lasting legacy.Trade Review'Pestilli’s innovative approach offers exciting new perspectives on the artist, and makes you look afresh at the man, his work and his world.' – The Art Newspaper 'documents Bernini's legacy to other artists with a staggering array of color photographs...vast visual encyclopedia of Baroque sculpture in Rome...the real value of the book is its magical mystery tour through the mind and art of Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Rome’s very own Vesuvius' – New York Review of Books'Pestilli and his publisher deserve high praise for having assembled the most beautiful collection of colour images of Roman baroque sculpture between two covers.' – Bruce Boucher, TLS'Livio Pestilli approaches the artist not chronologically but kaleidoscopically, as he puts it, posing unexpected questions that allow him to probe the career and the major works in eye-opening ways.' – The Burlington Magazine'In this fascinating book, Pestilli (Trinity College, Rome) provides thought-provoking insights into the life and art of Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598–1680). Pestilli extends discussion of the artist into new territory fitting for the present environment. With its excellent illustrations and solid scholarly apparatus, this is a valuable book for academic audiences. Highly recommended.' – A. V. Coonin, Rhodes College, Choice ReviewsTable of ContentsPreface; Chapter 1: "Berninus Neapolitan[us] sculptor"; Chapter 2: Of Sculptors and Cobblers; Chapter 3: Tall Tales; Chapter 4: Biographies, Garments, and Bernini's "Abito...grosso, e rozzo" in Perspective; Chapter 5: Pride and Prejudice: Paris–Rome; Chapter 6: Bernini's Shadow; Bibliography; Index

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Book SynopsisA comprehensive, scholarly yet succinct illustrated survey of myth as it appears in Greek art.Table of ContentsPreface • 1. Introduction • 2. A Demonstration of Method: The Return of Hephaistos; Troilos and Achilles • 3. Portraits of the Gods • 4. The Ascendancy of the Olympians • 5. Perseus; Bellerophon • 6. Herakles • 7. Theseus • 8. Argonauts; Calydonian Boar Hunt • 9. The Trojan War • 10. The Aftermath of the War

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Book SynopsisA Sunday Times Art Book of the Year: the first critical illustrated biography of this much-loved artist, locating her firmly in the art worlds of late 19th- and early 20th-century London and Paris. One of the most significant British artists of the twentieth century, Gwen John (1867-1939) made her life and work within the heady art worlds of London and Paris. This critical biography demolishes the myth of Gwen John as a recluse and situates her, brilliant, singular and assured, amid a rich cultural milieu that included James McNeill Whistler, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Paula Modersohn-Becker and Maude Gonne. Art historian, curator and novelist Alicia Foster draws on previously unpublished archival sources to explore John's many relationships with artists and writers, including her affair with Auguste Rodin, passionate friendships with Jeanne Robert Foster and Véra Oumançoff, and correspondence with, among others, the poet Rainer Maria Rilke and her Slade compatriot and felloTrade Review'Foster’s study, splendidly illustrated throughout, is a genuinely critical biography: a careful gathering at every stage of John’s career of the impact on her life and work of different milieux and individuals, of her response to ideas and techniques, currents and influences, letting us see a great artist working out her own way to live, draw, and paint' - Jenny Uglow, New York Review of Books'In this thoughtful biography Gwen John takes her deserved place as leading lady. Recueilli was a favourite Gwen word - collected or gathered - but what takes you by surprise is her determination, her total dedication to art and, when it comes to Rodin, her sensuousness. The more you look at her initially unassuming paintings the more enigmatic, elusive and powerful they become. A present for a young woman with a room - and a will - of her own' - Laura Freeman, Art Books of the Year, The Sunday Times'Exemplary in its social and art historical research' - Observer'Foster shakes up the usual view of John, virtuosically reading her paintings not as quiet meditations on solitude and domesticity but as direct interventions in the world around her' - Times Literary Supplement'Art historian Alicia Foster sets the record straight in this eminently lucid biography, revealing a well-connected personality embedded at the heart of international modernism' - Art Quarterly'Beautifully illustrated throughout, the book breaks down the myth of the artist as a recluse and tells the story of her life, as well as painting a vivid portrait of London and Paris of her time' - The Artist'A psychological portrait of a woman who helped develop her own mythology, not least through a combination of self-dramatisation and canny self-promotion … a welcome critical study of her work that acknowledges her ambition and places the artist within the various environments that inspired, shaped, and stimulated her' - Literary Review'A brisk, beautifully illustrated biography' - Daily Telegraph'Foster’s book and Pallant House’s exhibition give us a different Gwen John: sensuous, single-minded and experimental in how she chose to live and work' - The Times'This new biography by art historian and long-term Gwen John scholar Alicia Foster re-examines John’s life and art in the light of previously unpublished archival material … Far from choosing to live an isolated existence, [Gwen John’s] many friendships with major artists, poets and writers of the day profoundly influenced her work, as is made abundantly clear from the wealth of illustrations' - Collagerie'Foster’s new biography, which stands in as a catalogue for the show, does a better job of proving John’s “worldliness”' - London Review of Books'Fascinating, handsomely illustrated … not only illuminates John’s work and personality as never before, but dispels a number of legends that have grown up about her life' - The Lady'Extensively illustrated, erudite and readable' - The Burlington Magazine'A splendid and deservedly well-received new biography of the artist, arguing that the old image of the introverted and reclusive painter should be tempered with a more socially engaged one' - Sean McGlynn, The CriticTable of ContentsIntroduction 1. London 1895 2. Slade Revolution 3. Whistler and After 4. Paris 1904 5. Rodin/Rilke 6. Lettres à Julie 7. A Library 8. Faith 9. From the Left Bank to the New World 10. The Convalescent and the Generals 11. Salon Life 12. A Parisian in London 13. The Modern Interior 14. The Pilgrim 15. After

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Book SynopsisIn full color, with over 750 images to enhance and clarify the concepts, this thought-provoking resource is for graphic designers, professors, and students.This Third Edition, wholly revised and updated with essays on design thinking by seven industry leaders and a wealth of new images, provides designers, art directors, and students—regardless of experience—with a unique approach to thoughtful, convincing design. In full color with guidance on the rules of design and how to break them for the reader’s benefit. Contributing essayists are Niklaus Troxler, Geray Gençer, Ashley Schofield, Brian D. Miller, Fons Hickman, Max Shangle, and Tad Crawford. The Elements of Graphic Design, Third Edition describes how to:• Employ white space as a significant component of design• Define and reveal dominant images, words, and concepts• Use scale, position, and color to guide readers through levels of importance• Use type for maximum comprehension and value to the reader Educator, author, and thirty-five-year design veteran Alex W. White has assembled a wealth of information and examples in his exploration of what makes visual design both stunning and powerfully attractive to readers.Trade ReviewPraise for the Second Edition "White sets out key concepts of space, unity, page architecture, and typography for the benefit of other designers, art directors, and students. . . . A clear introduction; recommended for anyone learning or reviewing graphic design." —Library Journal “Alex W. White provides one of the clearest and most thoughtful introductions to graphic design that I’ve read. This book is also one of the few to really demystify the idea and use of white space in design—a topic that at once confuses young designers and causes seasoned clients to curl their lips with disdain. Read and learn.” —Alexander Isley, lecturer at Yale Graduate School of Art, past President of AIGA NY “The Elements of Graphic Design’s first edition has been one of the most useful books on the details of design and effective visual communication. The second edition is certain to become a standard in every design studio library.” —Sharon Werner, founder of Werner Design Werks “An expert educator, Alex W. White has purified the fundamentals of graphic design into a vigorous and all-embracing book. No matter what stage of your design career, this second edition of The Elements of Graphic Design is, or ought to be, required reading.” —Kevin Smith, AIGA awards recipient, Professor at Parsons, The New School for Design “Student or professional, if you need the ‘simple’ basics—or want to get to more ‘complex’ basics—if you don’t yet know the necessities of successful graphic design—or have forgotten them in the complexity of today’s overwhelming possibilities, here is the book for you. It’s by a guy who has quite a track record of speaking to both.” —Ed Fella, AIGA Medalist, Professor at CalArts’ graphic design program “This book explains what I try to get across to my designers: how to make all parts of a design work together. My office has a big library and this is the book I hand over when breakthroughs are needed.” —Matteo Bologna, CD and founder of Mucca Design, New York

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Book Synopsis'Martin Bailey has written some of the most interesting books on Vincent’s life in France, where he produced his greatest work” - Johan van Gogh, grandson of Theo, the artist’s brotherStudio of the South tells the story of Van Gogh’s stay in Arles, when his powers were at their height. For Van Gogh, the south of France was an exciting new land, bursting with life. He walked into the hills inspired by the landscapes, and painted harvest scenes in the heat of summer. He visited a fishing village where he saw the Mediterranean for the first time, energetically capturing it in paint. He painted portraits of friends and locals, and flower still life paintings, culminating in the now iconic Sunflowers. He rented the Yellow House, and gradually did it up, calling it ‘an artist’s house’, inviting Paul Gauguin to join him there. This encounter was to have a profound impact on both of the artists. ThTrade Review"a revelatory study" - The Times “the text is richly detailed, often anecdotal, exuding the warmth you’d expect if [Martin Bailey] were speaking of a close friend...a vivid illumination of the artist’s prolific 15-month stay in Provence...the book is able to offer a true insight into Vincent the man - not just Van Gogh the artist.” - Art Quarterly Table of ContentsPreface Prologue: Paris 1. Discovering Arles 2. Blossoming Orchards 3. An Artist’s House 4. Heights of Montmajour 5. Seascapes 6. Harvest Time 7. The Rh.ne and its Canals 8. Portraits of Friends 9. Flowers 10. Colours of the Night 11. Gauguin’s Arrival 12. Elysian Fields 13. Street of the Kind Girls 14. Collaboration 15. Postman Roulin 16. Out of his Mind 17. Doctor Rey 18. Spring Postscript: Van Gogh’s Bed On the Trail of Van Gogh Chronology Endnotes Select Bibliography A Note to the Reader Index Picture credits Acknowledgements

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Book SynopsisFor more than five centuries The Last Supper has been an artistic, religious and cultural icon. The art historian Kenneth Clark called it ''the keystone of European art'', and for a century after its creation it was regarded as nothing less than a miraculous image. And yet there is a very human story behind this artistic ''miracle''. Ross King''s Leonardo and the Last Supper is both a ''biography'' of one of the most famous works of art ever painted and a record of Leonardo da Vinci''s last five years in Milan.Trade Review[A] richly entertaining tale of how Leonardo came to paint The Last Supper. King, who had previously written acclaimed accounts of Brunelleschi's Florentine dome and Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling, has an infectious relish for the gaudy, brutal and brilliant world of the Italian Renaissance * Mail on Sunday *The story of Leonardo's creation of the work has now found an ideal chronicler in Ross King ... King has the gift of clear, unpretentious exposition, and an instinctive narrative flair * Guardian *Extraordinary -- Must Reads * Sunday Times *A gripping account ... Fascinating * New York Times *A thrilling account of the mercurial Leonardo and the making of his most puzzling masterpiece ... A perfectly controlled, seriously documented story that you really want to read * Scotsman *Absorbing ... A truly immersive portrait of an era * Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisWith the patronage of the powerful Medici family, a canon of secular and religious work, and contributions to the celebrated Sistine Chapel, Sandro Botticelli (1444/45–1510) was well placed for fame. After his death, however, his work was eclipsed for some four hundred years. It wasn’t until the 19th century that the painter began to gain major art-historical recognition. Today, Botticelli is hailed as a towering figure of the Florentine Early Renaissance. His secular works The Birth of Venus and Primavera, mostly read as an allegory of Spring, are among the most recognized paintings in the world, resplendent in their delicate details, graceful lines, and compositional balance. His arrangements are fluid yet poised, his figures serene yet sensual. Venus, in particular, is held up as art-historical icon of beauty: pale-skinned, delicately featured, soft with fecund promise. This essential introduction presents key works from Botticelli’s oeuvre to understand the making of a Renaissance legend. Through the painter’s most famous mythological and allegorical scenes, as well as his radiant religious works, we explore a mastery of figuration, movement, and line, which has gone on to inspire artists from Edgar Degas to Andy Warhol, René Magritte to Cindy Sherman.

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Book SynopsisThe fourth edition of the essential introduction to digital art, one of contemporary artâs most exciting and dynamic forms of practice. Digital art, along with the technological developments of its medium, has rapidly evolved from the âdigital revolutionâ into the social media era and to the postdigital and post-Internet landscape. This new, expanded edition of this invaluable overview of the medium traces the emergence of artificial intelligence, augmented and mixed realities, and Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), and surveys themes explored by digital artworks in the areas of activism, networks and telepresence, and ecological art and the Anthropocene. Christiane Paul considers all forms of digital art, focusing on the basic characteristics of their aesthetic language and their technological and art-historical evolution. By looking at the ways in which internet art, digital installation, software art, AR and VR have emerged as recognized artistic practices, Digital Art is an essenTrade Review'Excellent' - Art Monthly

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"...excellent...highly detailed...fascinating..." - Martin Bailey, The Art Newspaper'... it is packed with information and event. Few biographies of artists can be described as gripping. This often is.'---Martin Gayford, The Sunday Telegraph"... a magisterial portrait of a deeply troubled man. It is both humerous and tragic in its account of Munch's abortive relationships with women, his dependence on drink, and his struggle for success and recognition.'---Frances Spalding, The Sunday Times"[An] assured and vivid biography."—Peter Schjeldahl, New Yorker"...a significant addition to the literature on the Norwegian artist... It is among Prideaux's achievements to give us a thousand...details that pull Munch into sharper focus." - Christopher Riopelle, Apollo Magazine"Sue Prideaux's marvellously detailed study of Munch's extraordinary life takes us deep into the very soul of an astonishing Scandinavian painter who must be measured by no ordinary yardstick."---Birmingham Post "Beautifully illustrated, this is one of the most engaging biographies I have read this year."---Mohara Gill, Art Buyer at Foyles Bookshop, The Bookseller"Already a successful novelist, [Prideaux] combines a scholar's precision with a writer's insight."---The Brighton Argus"In Edvard Munch: Behind the Scream, Sue Prideaux, who speaks fluent Norwegian and was able to read Munch's diaries first hand, extends the understanding of this complex man."---Sue Hubbard, The Independent"[Munch] once wrote: 'Just as Leonardo studied the recesses of the human body and dissected cadavers, I try from self-scrutiny to dissect what is universal in the soul.' Prideaux has written a life which goes a long way towards upholding his aim and anyone who wants to know how and why he painted as he did should read this book."---Tom Rosenthal, The Independent on Sunday'... [an] absorbing account of the social and intellectual forces, as well as the personal demons, that Munch struggled against - or solicited - in order to create.'---Alan Jenkins, Times Literary Supplement"This fine biography succeeds in explaining why this deeply troubled man, in many ways forgotten, was and is an important and profound artist." ---Alastair Lack, Oxford TimesWinner of the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Biography in 2005, awarded by the University of Edinburgh.Selected for Association of American University Presses (AAUP) Books for Public and Secondary School Libraries, 2006“Such was the nature of Edvard Munch’s life that this book makes a gripping read. Prideaux provides a convincing sense of the psychological experiences of Munch and also the flavor of the times that he occupied.”—John Milner, University of Newcastle“Munch emerges as a real person, rather like you and me.”—Karl Ove Knausgård“Munch emerges as a real person, rather like you and me.”—Karl Ove Knausgård -- Karl Ove Knausgård

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Book SynopsisThe acclaimed biography detailing the lives of the British inter-war artists and designers centred on Ravilious - an enthralling narrative of creative achievement, joy and tragedy. In recent years Eric Ravilious has become recognized as one of the most important British artists of the 20th century, whose watercolours and wood engravings capture an essential sense of place and the spirit of mid-century England. What is less appreciated is that he did not work in isolation, but within a much wider network of artists, friends and lovers influenced by Paul Nash's teaching at the Royal College of Art - Edward Bawden, Barnett Freedman, Enid Marx, Tirzah Garwood, Percy Horton, Peggy Angus and Helen Binyon among them. The Ravilious group bridged the gap between fine art and design, and the gentle, locally rooted but spritely character of their work came to be seen as the epitome of contemporary British values. Eighty years after Ravilious's untimely death, Andy Friend tells the storyTrade Review'The book is magnificent. I can’t recommend it enough ... Andy Friend seems to have opened new vistas on the lives, loves and connections of this mesmerising and migrant artist – right up to his last fatal flight off Iceland in 1942' - Robert Macfarlane'Shrewdly and sympathetically charts the wide-ranging influence of this group and their personal and professional relationships' - Sunday Times'A fascinating slice of English artistic and social history' - New York Review of Books'A lovingly researched and crafted portrait of intricately connected creative lives... New voices emerge from the archives, unfamiliar images light up the pages. Here, above all, is the joyous making of art' - Alexandra Harris, author of Weatherland'One of the best biographies this year … a lovely account' - Guardian'Adds much new detail and factual fine-tuning to our picture of national, in contrast to international, modern art in interwar Britain' - Daily Telegraph

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Book SynopsisFrom the authors of NYC Storefronts comes a sprawling new collection of intimately-rendered shops that line the streets and sidewalks of the Big Apple's most populous borough.Nowadays, Brooklyn is both destination and home to so many New Yorkers that shopping, eating out, doing errands, and going to cultural events can all be done without leaving the borough. A Brooklyn denizen for years, illustrator Joel Holland knows how special the place is. Imbuing his drawings with the same heart and panache that he brought to the Manhattan book, he takes readers on a trip into its far-flung neighborhoods, from Greenpoint to Coney Island; Bay Ridge to Brownsville. These pages highlight a telephone book's worth of small businesses that contribute to Brooklyn's multicultural, demographic-spanning appeal: Mom and Pop restaurants and African music sellers; clothing from Carhartt to vintage; vinyl and knitting stores that double as community centers; auto-repa

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Book Synopsis‘A pacy legal thriller, packed with a colourful cast of characters’ TelegraphOne winter afternoon in 2003, art critic Richard Dorment answered a telephone call from Joe Simon, an American film producer and art collector, ringing at the suggestion of his neighbour, David Hockney. The Andy Warhol Art Authentication Board had declared the two Warhols in Simon’s collection to be fake, and he thought Dorment could help.So began a ten-year saga to prove the authenticity of a series of paintings by one of the most famous American artists of all time. Film stars, art forgers, a murdered Russian oligarch and a Mob lawyer would be swept up in the pursuit. Part detective story, part art history, part memoir, part courtroom drama, Warhol After Warhol is a spellbinding account of the dark connection between money, power and art.‘Sleuth-like in its plotting and with chapter headings which sometimes recall those of a Vi

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Book Synopsis"A collection of essential quotations from the renowned fashion designer, DJ, and stylist"--Trade Review"Virgil Abloh says the darndest, most illuminating things—enough in his young fashion career to fill a 160-page book titled Abloh-isms. . . . The book maps out Abloh’s unique thinking in chapters devoted to his early years, his inspirations and influences, his creative methods, his impact and his singular point of view on streetwear, fashion and art . . . breathtakingly incisive."---Miles Socha, Women’s Wear Daily online"[Abloh-isms] spotlights a diverse selection of quotes by Virgil Abloh who has made a profound mark in the worlds of fashion, art, design and pop culture. Authored by Larry Warsh, the book features a collection of quotes by Abloh that were gathered from interviews, discussions, media outlets and other sources. The quotes touch on Abloh’s creativity, passion, innovation, race, and what it means to be an artist of his generation."---Keith Estiler, Hypebeast"Abloh-isms is the new Bible for all the fans of the American designer. . . . An unmissable volume for all Abloh fans, and for all fashion lovers." * NSS Magazine *"This set of quotes reflects the unique and peculiar perspective, idea and philosophy that accompanied Virgil Abloh throughout his life showing us how he became an icon of our time." * Collater.al *

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Book SynopsisAs his personal circumstances move in constant flux, Ai Weiwei remains a cultural magnet. Renowned for his political activism and social media activity almost as much as for his social interventions, contemporary approach to the readymade, and knowledge of Chinese traditional crafts, Ai’s fame extends throughout and beyond the art world. Drawn from TASCHEN’s limited Collector’s Edition, this monograph explores each of Ai’s career phases up until his release from Chinese custody. It features extensive visual material to trace Ai’s development from his early New York days right through to his recent practice. Focus moments include his international breakthrough in the early 2000s, his porcelain Sunflower Seeds at the Turbine Hall of the Tate Modern, his response to the Sichuan earthquake of 2008, and his police detention in 2011. With behind-the-scenes studio pictures, production shots, and numerous statements derived from exclusive interviews with Ai, we gain privileged access to the artist’s process, influences, and importance. The book includes texts from Uli Sigg, Ai’s longtime friend and former Swiss ambassador to China and Roger M. Buergel, who curated the 2007 documenta and hosted the artist’s Fairytale piece.Trade Review“A comprehensive excursion, complete with abundant illustrations and material, through the life and work of this star artist, who like no one since Joseph Beuys has succeeded in intertwining scupltural, media and political thinking. A seminal work!” * Art *“A landmark monograph for sure.” * Paris Match *“The first comprehensive monograph on the life and work of Ai Weiwei.” * ARTNews *

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Book SynopsisA detailed reference book on the extraordinary period of art that flowered in the newly independent Dutch Republic, with works from c.1600 to c.1680, with biographies of the most significant artists and an extensive gallery of thematic works.

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Book SynopsisCreate gorgeous hand-knitted wearables and homewares with this easy-to-follow, officially licensed book of Beatles knitting patterns.The patterns from this fully licensed knitting book are inspired by Apple’s exclusive archive of Fab Four design details and album artwork. Create adult sweaters, cardigans, accessories, childrenswear, and homewares that are cozy, gorgeously detailed and unmistakably Beatles. The patterns are designed to appeal to all ages, and when made with the yarns suggested, are intended to result in heritage pieces that fans will treasure. There are designs in easy, intermediate and advanced levels, with a particular emphasis on intarsia and colorwork techniques. Just as the music of the Beatles is enjoyed by multiple generations, so too are handicrafts including knitting. This beautifully designed book offers Beatles-inspired knitting pattern designs that look—and feel—good. Alongside these fantastic patterns, knitters will

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Book SynopsisThe gripping story of the lure of porcelain, or ''white gold'', from the Number One bestselling author of The Hare with Amber Eyes.** A Sunday Times Top Ten Bestseller ** Other things in the world are white but for me porcelain comes first A handful of clay from a Chinese hillside carries a promise: that mixed with the right materials, it might survive the fire of the kiln, and fuse into porcelain - translucent, luminous, white. Acclaimed writer and potter Edmund de Waal sets out on a quest - a journey that begins in the dusty city of Jingdezhen in China and travels on to Venice, Versailles, Dublin, Dresden, the Appalachian Mountains of South Carolina and the hills of Cornwall to tell the history of porcelain. Along the way, he meets the witnesses to its creation; those who were inspired, made rich or heartsick by it, and the many whose livelihoods, minds and bodies were broken by this obsession. It spans a thousand Trade ReviewSweeping in scope ... intimate in detail ... The White Road is a mesmirising and finely wrought work. It is also a cautionary tale about the price of beauty pursued at any cost. -- Ekow Eshun * Independent on Sunday *I loved almost every word of de Waal's book. ... De Waal is intimate with the very stuff that he has tranformed so beautifully into pots; intimate with its history; intimate with the characters who make up its story. And yes, by the end, if this sort of elbow-grabbing book works for you - which it did triumphantly for me - he in intimate with his readers too -- A. N. Wilson * Financial Times *Graceful and insightful… this book is certainly the finest account of the many meanings of porcelain to the modern world that I have read -- Tristram Hunt * The Times *This book is a history of the making of porcelain – its discovery and rediscovery – from ancient China to Dachau. ... Mixed in with this history is a kind of autobiographical account of de Waal's own work. He says he thinks with his hands, and he is amazingly skilled at telling us what is happening as he feels the clay, turns the wheel, unloads the kiln. -- A. S. Byatt * The Spectator *This is the most personal sort of book one can read: an account of a love affair. ... You learn everything you could possibly need to know about porcelain. ... You don't want to stop reading, because de Waal, with his sharp curator's eye, has excellent judgment when it comes to showing readers things that they will find fascinating, funny or moving. * Daily Express *De Waal writes beautifully, wears his learning lightly and charmingly and makes sure anyone and everyone will care deeply about the white stuff too. -- Robert Bound * Monocle *Edmund de Waal's The Hare with Amber Eyes, the story of a collection of netsuke owned by his relatives, was a surprise bestseller. ... This account of china clay should claim an even greater readership. It deserves to. It is an even better book. I already have it marked down as my book of the year. * The Tablet *Edmund de Waal's poetic book is like a porcelain cup richly and delicately painted with the story of a mysterious substance and an alchemical art that have combined to enrich, enchant and sometimes ruin aficionados and artists alike. * Saga Magazine *This is a haunting book, a book that amasses itself piece by piece, gaining in weight. -- Olivia Laing * New Statesman *Edmund de Waal has a way of making you care about handmade ceramics in a way no other writer does -- Ysenda Maxtone Graham * Country Life *engaging and erudite * Economist *engaging and erudite * Economist *A single porcelain pot is sufficiently beautiful to behold, as is this dramatic, gloriously theatrical and irresistibly passionate pilgrimage into a dark hall of mirrors -- Eileen Battersby * Irish Times *a lyrical yet admirably unflinching tale -- Moira Jeffrey * Scotsman *a fascinating voyage -- Alex Sarll * UK Press Syndication *

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Book SynopsisAlexander Lee is a fellow in the Centre for the Study of the Renaissance at the University of Warwick. A specialist in the history of the Italian Renaissance, he completed his first two degrees at Trinity College, University of Cambridge, before proceeding to undertake his doctoral research at the University of Edinburgh. He has previously held positions at the Università degli studi di Bergamo and the Université du Luxembourg. He the author of numerous studies on the Italian Renaissance, including, most recently, Petrarch and St. Augustine: Classical Scholarship, Christian Theology, and the Origins of the Renaissance in Italy (2012), and is currently working on a study of humanistic concepts of empire in the fourteenth century.Trade ReviewFascinating … explores the dualities of creative brilliance and human baseness with a mastery of sources and a popular touch that vividly brings the whole period to life. * Spectator *Effortlessly combines scholarly depth with a highly accessible style. * New Humanist *In this lively decipherment, Alexander Lee explains what’s really going on [in Renaissance art]. * Independent *

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Book SynopsisIn De architectura (c.40 BC), Vitruvius discusses in ten encyclopedic chapters aspects of Roman architecture, engineering and city planning. Vitruvius also included a section on human proportions. Because it is the only antique treatise on architecture to have survived, De architectura has been an invaluable source of information for scholars. The rediscovery of Vitruvius during the Renaissance greatly fuelled the revival of classicism during that and subsequent periods. Numerous architectural treatises were based in part or inspired by Vitruvius, beginning with Leon Battista Alberti's De re aedificatoria (1485).For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductio

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Book SynopsisA brisk and entertaining (Wall Street Journal) journey into the mystery behind why the forbidden fruit became an apple, upending an explanation that stood for centuries. How did the apple, unmentioned by the Bible, become the dominant symbol of temptation, sin, and the Fall? Temptation Transformed pursues this mystery across art and religious history, uncovering where, when, and why the forbidden fruit became an apple. Azzan Yadin-Israel reveals that Eden's fruit, once thought to be a fig or a grape, first appears as an apple in twelfth-century French art. He then traces this image back to its source in medieval storytelling. Though scholars often blame theologians for the apple, accounts of the Fall written in commonly spoken languagesFrench, German, and Englishinfluenced a broader audience than cloistered Latin commentators. Azzan Yadin-Israel shows that, over time, the words for fruit in these languages narrowed until an apple in the Garden became self-evident. A wide-rangin

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Book SynopsisA landmark illustrated history of rural church monuments - the forgotten national treasures of England and WalesDeep in the countryside, away from metropolitan abbeys and cathedrals, thousands of funerary monuments are hidden in parish churches. These artworks - medieval brasses and elegant marble effigies, stone tomb chests and grand mausoleums - are of great historical and cultural significance, but have, due to their relative inaccessibility, faded from accounts of our art history.Over twenty-five years, C. B. Newham FSA has visited and photographed more than eight thousand rural churches, cataloguing the monumental sculptures encountered on his quest. In Country Church Monuments, he presents 365 of the very best, each accompanied by detailed photographs, biographies of both the deceased and their sculptors and a wealth of contextual material. Many of these works commemorate famous historical figures, from scheming Tudor courtier Richard Rich to VictTrade ReviewA magnificent book - a tremendous achievement, a thing of beauty and a volume that should have a place on every church lover's shelves -- Nigel Andrew * Literary Review *Astonishing and beautifully photographed... The 365 examples chosen for full-page illustration and commentary here are the clotted cream of the milk of human mortality. Newham has visited 9,000 country churches in the past few years for his stupendous project of photographing every rural church in England. His travels with a camera make Cobbett's Rural Rides seem like a bank-holiday jaunt... Newham's pictures are a revelation -- Christopher Howse * Telegraph *This is a true labour of love and one of the most wonderful books I have ever seen -- Marcus Berkmann * Daily Mail *A tour de force... Erudite... Church monuments may at first appear niche, but the subject matter deserves an audience beyond church crawlers or taphophiles. Funeral art provides a powerful insight into the culture and beliefs that they sprang from... Country Church Monuments is a treasure trove of sites just waiting to be discovered. -- Emma J Wells * The Times *Brilliant -- Rachel Cooke * Observer *A life-affirming survey -- Rose Washbourn * House and Garden *An excellent book... Its outstanding quality, however, is its photographs. Only someone who has craned theirneck in semi-darkness to discern the contours of an effigy lying at eye level can appreciate, even if they cannot explain, the expertise of Cameron Newham's technique. In many cases perfect images are provided of recumbent figures taken from directly overhead, often defying the actual space above them.... A wonderful selection, warmly recommended -- Timothy Connor * The Tablet *The wonderful result of 25 years of meticulously chronicling over 8,000 rural English and Welsh churches - and the effigies, marbles, monuments and brasses inside them. Newham has picked out 365 of the best monuments he has found - a feast of the celebrated and the obscure and an enthralling map of our aesthetic and social history -- Lucy Lethbridge * The Oldie *What fortunate isles are these, to boast thousands of local sculpture galleries scattered through towns and villages, nearly all accessible for free: churches that host funeral monuments and memorials spanning more than a millennium. Newham's book is an incomparable means of sampling the very best across England and Wales - a personalised visit for every day of the year, in superb photography and informed commentary * Diarmaid MacCulloch *This beautifully produced gazetteer invites us to look inside our extraordinary wealth of parish churches and see afresh the impressive, the touching, the beautiful and the downright sinister in their monuments, from the fourteenth-century obsession with mortality and the cadaver or the flourishes of baroque new men to the vainglorious fanfares or sentimental doggerel of the nineteenth century. Knights lying with their faithful dogs or wives, busts coolly neoclassical or lavishly periwigged are all accommodated in miniature showhouses in the architectural style of their period. A happy bedfellow for Nicholas Pevsner -- Matthew RiceAn enthralling testament to our ceaseless human striving for eternity -- Editor's Choice * Bookseller *Antiquarian CB Newham's book might seem more melancholy than merry. But it is a life-affirming survey of Britons through the ages * House and Garden *

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Book SynopsisDiscover the history behind photography and learn the skills to get the best from your photographs. A comprehensive all-in-one guide, Photography introduces you to the art, history, and culture of photography, and shows you how to take your own fantastic professional-standard photographs. An in-depth guide to all things photographic, Photography opens with a gallery of more than 30 key figures in photography, from 19th-century pioneers to the top photographers working today. The gallery provides fascinating contrasts between diverse genres, such as art photography, reportage, portrait, and wildlife photography. The book then tells the story of photography, from its garden shed beginnings to the rise of the selfie today. Photography further features: - All the skills and techniques of photography and features tips for using a smartphone to create stunning photos.- Combines creative typography, graphics, and clear text to present p

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Book SynopsisUplifting and engaging, this story recounts the life and career of a rebellious 20th-century British artist

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Book SynopsisJoanna Carey is a writer and artist, and former Children's Book Editor for the Guardian.Trade Review'This lovely book is an absolute delight, and the ravishing cover is the colour of a pink sugared almond' - Daily Mail'Beautiful … Please hunt out this book' - Elly Pear'Funny, sympathetic, original' - Jackie Wullshläger’s Art Books of the Year, Financial Times

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Book SynopsisA fascinating, narrative biography of the art movement that transformed the modern world, tracing the lives and activities of the key protagonists as they set about a revolution in art. October 1917. The Russian Revolution wipes the old tsarist empire off the map. Marc Chagall, Wassily Kandinsky, Kazimir Malevich, Lyubov Popova, Alexander Rodchenko, Olga Rozanova, Vladimir Tatlin and other avant-garde artists participate in the revolutionary struggle, transforming inner cities with their progressive murals, posters, installations and performances. The new political leaders soon want nothing to do with these radical artists. While their reputation is growing in Europe, they experience increasing pressure in the Soviet Union. Against a background of violent social and political change, author Sjeng Scheijen describes with compassion and humour events that shaped the artistic revolution in this, the first illustrated biography to relate the rise and fall of the leading figures of

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Book SynopsisDesmond Morris is one of the last surviving Surrealists. His first solo exhibition was held in 1948 and in 1950 he shared his first London show with Joan Miró. He has since completed over 2,500 Surrealist paintings, and eight books have been published about his work. He has also written several books, one of which, The Naked Ape, ranks among the top 100 bestsellers of all time, with over 12 million copies sold. His The Lives of the Surrealists was published in 2018 by Thames & Hudson, followed by Postures: Body Language in Art (2019) and The British Surrealists (2022).

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisA biography and gallery of one of Spain's great masters, stunningly illustrated throughout.

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