Search results for ""thames hudson ltd""

The elegance of Tuscany’s grand cities is found on a more intimate scale in its numerous small towns and villages, the most charming of which are celebrated in this revised, compact edition of the bestselling book. Thirty-six villages from all over Tuscany feature here, from those clustered around the great cities of Lucca and Florence, which produce some of the finest olive oil and are home to some of the world’s greatest works of art, to the Chianti region and the valley of the Orcia, devoted to the cultivation of aromatic herbs. The vivid, highly descriptive accounts of each village are accompanied by page after page of marvellous colour photographs. ‘Beautifully composed photographs … graceful, knowledgeable text’ – Country Living ‘Breathtaking photographs … the riches and variety of Tuscany are laid out for all to see … a well balanced, well presented and well written exploration of one of Italy’s most beautiful regions’ – Contemporary Review

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The Complete Roman Army draws on archaeology, ancient art and original documentary sources to present the most convincing picture ever published of the world’s most famous fighting machine. Every aspect of the Roman army, from the daily lives of individual soldiers to the outcome of major campaigns, is explored in five accessible sections. Discussions of key Roman battles, hundreds of illustrations and brief biographies of the great commanders bring the campaigns and personalities to life.

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Tells the story of fashion. This book brings to light the fundamental stylistic and formal principles that make up the history of fashion.

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Almost 300 editions and reissues of The Natural History of Selborne testify to its the lasting and universal appeal, but none before has been so beautifully and fittingly illustrated. Gilbert White’s painstaking study of the fauna and flora of his native parish, Selborne in Hampshire, first appeared in 1789 and has delighted and inspired generations of readers ever since. His regular correspondence, beginning in 1767, with two distinguished naturalists forms the basis of The Natural History of Selborne, which was published in the form of his letters to them. The fascination of the book lies in the magic of its prose and the vividness of its description, which have earned it the distinction of being the only work on natural history to have received equal acclaim as a masterpiece of English literature. To complement the text, 124 colour plates have been faithfully reproduced from the hand-coloured engravings of Gilbert White’s contemporaries, giving an invaluable extra dimension to this most captivating of books.

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Living in Morocco celebrates the arts of a country at the height of a cultural renaissance, a land where an ancient tradition of craftsmanship has been sustained and recently reinvigorated. Lavishly illustrated chapters on decorative and folk arts alternate with chapters on Moroccan life today. We visit Chaouen in the Rif mountains, where the town’s smooth, undulating surfaces are painted a bone-chilling blue-tinted white. We take in the shady blue-and-pink world of the Majorelle Gardens, and explore the stories behind the famous hotel La Mamounia. Most importantly, we see Morocco’s arts brought to life in its homes – from former harems to traditional Hispano-Moorish houses. A host of glorious photographs make this a book to relish, and the detailed documentation of Morocco’s houses, arts and crafts make it an invaluable resource for anyone involved in interiors or design.

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People all over the world have always used symbols to express and communicate the things that mean most to them. From a country's flag, which can signify more than patriotism, to a charm bracelet, with its 'portable memories', symbolism takes various forms. Familiarity with symbolism opens up levels of understanding most of us have probably never been aware of. Why, for instance, do we share a secret with the words 'a little bird told me'? What is it about a horseshoe that, in the right circumstances, brings luck? Why a horse's shoe? How old is the swastika, and where has it been used as a symbol (and what was Jung getting at when he said the Nazi's used it 'backwards')? In nearly 1500 entries, many of them strikingly and often surprisingly illustrated, J.C. Cooper has documented the history and evolution of symbols from prehistory to our own day. Lively, informative and often ironic, she discusses and explains an enormous variety of symbols extending from the Arctic to Dahomey, from the Iroquios to Oceania, and coming from systems as diverse as Tao, Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Islam, Tantra, the cult of Cybele and the Great Goddess, the Pre-Columbian religions of the Western Hemisphere and the Voodoo cults of Brazil and West Africa.

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Late Antiquity and the early Middle Ages are now understood as times of extraordinary skill and creativity in the decorative arts. In the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantium) artists and craftsmen transitioned from ‘Roman’ to ‘Byzantine’ art and inspired a move from naturalism to a more hieratic and symbolic style, drawing on the deep artistic links connecting the Mediterranean world and the East. The many spectacular artefacts from this period in the Wyvern Collection are luxury objects, most commissioned by wealthy patrons or the Church, ranging in date from the fourth century to around 1300. Masterpieces of great significance for art history, including a 5th-century Artemis missorium, previously unpublished, and an 11th-century enamelled enkolpion from Constantinople are among the highlights of the collection. Other extraordinary objects – Late Roman chariot decorations, a stone funerary door from Syria and brooches brought across Europe by the families of Roman soldiers – complete this artistic panorama of the great Mediterranean and Persian civilizations, whose creative influence extended to the far west of the Islamic world. The catalogue, by Byzantine metalwork expert Marco Aimone, is augmented by three essays from technical specialists: Jack Ogden (enamelling), Peter Northover (metallurgy) and Erica Cruikshank Dodd (hallmarks). Rika Gyselen also contributes readings of Persian inscriptions.

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An expert palaeoarchaeologist reveals how our understanding of the evolution of our species has been transformed by momentous discoveries and technological advancements. Who are we? How do scientists define Homo sapiens, and how does our species differ from the extinct hominins that came before us? This illuminating book explores how the latest scientific advances, especially in genetics, are revolutionizing our understanding of human evolution. Paul Pettitt reveals the extraordinary story of how our ancestors adapted to unforgiving and relentlessly changing climates, leading to remarkable innovations in art, technology and society that we are only now beginning to comprehend. Drawing on twenty-five years of experience in the field, Paul Pettitt immerses readers in the caves and rockshelters that provide evidence of our African origins, dispersals to the far reaches of Eurasia, Australasia and ultimately the Americas. Popular accounts of the evolution of Homo sapiens emphasize biomolecular research, notably genetics, but this book also draws from the wealth of information from specific excavations and artefacts, including the author’s own investigations into the origins of art and how it evolved over its first 25,000 years. He focuses in particular on behaviour, using archaeological evidence to bring an intimate perspective on lives as they were lived in the almost unimaginably distant past.

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Spanning the Minoan and Mycenaean origins of Greece to its eventual conquest by Rome, this new single-author survey combines an authoritative and engaging retelling of the history of ancient Greece with an assessment of the relevance of the Greeks today. Beautifully illustrated with examples of art, archaeology and architecture – from the frescoes of Akrotiri to the spectacular discovery of the Tomb of the Griffin Warrior in 2015 – this account foregrounds the variety and diversity of what it meant to be Greek. Dedicated chapters on Athens and Sparta highlight the differences of culture and civic structure within the Greek world, as well as the political tensions that would precipitate the Peloponnesian War and the subsequent Macedonian Hellenistic Age. Numerous maps and timelines support the clear chronological narrative, while ‘Spotlight’ features at the end of each chapter offer a visual commentary on specific concepts, places and institutions, such as the oracle of Delphi and the image of Alexander the Great. Greece in the Ancient World is the story of a culture that transformed the Western world. The Greeks’ achievements and failures, their ideals and their faults, established a legacy that remains at the heart of our modern life.

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Alfred Russel Wallace, Henry Walter Bates and Richard Spruce were English naturalists who went to Amazonia 150 years ago. This book is the first to combine all three young men’s experiences of the Amazon, drawing heavily on their own letters and books. All three explored an unknown river and had many thrilling adventures: violent attacks of malaria, fearful rapids, murder attempts, encounters with newly contacted indigenous peoples, shipwrecks, and many other hardships. In addition to their huge contributions to knowledge of the Amazonian environment, each is particularly famous for one discovery. Wallace is acknowledged as a co-discoverer, along with Charles Darwin, of the theory of evolution. Bates discovered protective mimicry among insects, a phenomenon named after him. Spruce transported the quinine-bearing Cinchona tree, the most important medicinal plant of the nineteenth century, to India, where it saved countless lives from malaria.

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This handy guide to Egyptian mythology explores how the ancient Nile-dwellers explained the world around them. It delves into the origins of life, the creation and evolution of the world, and the reigns of the gods on earth, before introducing us to the manifestations of Egypt’s deities in the natural environment; the inventive ways in which the Egyptians dealt with the invisible forces all around them; and the trials and tribulations of the life hereafter. This is the perfect introduction for modern readers to the mysteries of Egyptian mythology.

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This book tells the remarkable lives of the pioneers of science – from Galileo and Newton, Faraday and Darwin, Pasteur and Marie Curie, to Einstein, Freud, Turing, and Crick and Watson. A series of seventy articles, written by an international team of distinguished scientists, historians of science and science writers, provides an unrivalled account of the lives and personalities behind the greatest scientific breakthroughs of all time. Organized thematically, starting at the ‘Universe’, and moving smaller through the ‘Earth’ and ‘Molecules and Matter’ to ‘Inside the Atom’, with the final two sections looking at ‘Life’ and ‘Body and Mind’, it covers all the major scientific disciplines, including astronomy, biology, biochemistry, chemistry, computing, ecology, geology, medicine, neurology, physics and psychology, as well as mathematics. The Scientists will intrigue budding scientists, those fascinated by the lives of great individuals, and anyone curious to know how over the centuries we came to understand the physical world around us and inside us.

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The most comprehensive, practical, and beautiful directory of type, organized by type category - Serif, Sans Serif, Display, and Script - and covering all styles throughout history. Type Directory offers over 1,800 examples of the best in type design, spanning almost 600 years of design history. From classics such as Garamond, Baskerville, Futura, and Helvetica, to more idiosyncratic recent creations such as Gotham and Filosofia, Type Directory features illuminating profiles of the most important and influential typefaces ever created. Organized by type category - Serif, Sans Serif, Display, and Script - each typeface is presented in uppercase and lowercase alphabetical letters, along with numbers, key punctuation marks, and symbols. This comprehensive guide also features profiles and interviews with leading designers and type foundries, as well as inspirational examples of graphic designs using specific typefaces.

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The Field Guide to Typography explores and explains the myriad typefaces that we see around us in our day-to-day lives, from airplane liveries to computer screens, from billboard hoardings to signage systems. It presents over 120 typefaces – old and new, common and unusual – with photographic references to help ‘font spotters’ identify particular typefaces in the wild. Accompanying background information explains the origin, usage and key features of each typeface, and ‘Field Facts’ provide little-known nuggets of information to expand your typographical awareness. Attractive and informative, The Field Guide to Typography is a unique visual reference for novice font fans and experienced designers alike, and a comprehensive celebration of our expanding typographic world.

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One of the greatest Netherlandish artists, Pieter Bruegel the Elder (1525/30–1569) is best known today for his paintings of peasant life. Yet it was above all through his exceptional graphic work that he achieved widespread fame during the 16th century. This luxurious book offers readers the opportunity to get up close and personal with Bruegel’s famous prints. Published as part of this special Bruegel year, it accompanies the exhibition at the Royal Library of Belgium, Brussels, which is renowned as a pioneer in Bruegel scholarship and holds an unparalleled collection of the artist’s graphic work.

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'I perhaps owe it to flowers', wrote Claude Monet (1840-1926), ‘that I became a painter.’ One of the leading figures of the Impressionist movement and perhaps the most celebrated landscape painter of his age, Monet dedicated his life to capturing the subtleties of the natural world. Trees – willows enveloped in the eerie mists of the Seine, palm trees beneath the bright Mediterranean sun or poplars heavily laden with snow – became a significant motif in his work, and he used them to experiment with an extraordinary variety of tones and colours. Ralph Skea’s account is split into five main chapters, each focusing on a different theme: Monet’s earliest drawings and paintings of trees; his atmospheric use of rivers and coastlines, from the English Channel to the Italian Riviera; the fields, farmlands and orchards of France; parks and gardens in both the city and the countryside, including his series of paintings featuring trees reflected in his water-lily pond; and his muted depictions of trees in winter. The result is a succint and highly accessible exploration of some of the best-loved landscapes in art.

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In our age of fast-paced biotechnological progress and humans' increasing impact on the environment the autonomy of 'nature' has come into question. We can now engineer living things, blur the biological distinctions between humans and animals, and influence parts of our world that we cannot see - such as DNA and genes. These discoveries and far-reaching developments have created fertile ground for artistic expression. This book reveals the ways in which the work of bio artists offers new meanings for our lives in the wake of scientific discovery, as well as new frameworks for describing them. Four thematic chapters cover the key areas in which biotechnology has had an impact on today's world, including ecology, biomedicine, designer genomes and evolutionary theory, profiling the work of 60 artists, collectives and organizations from countries including France, Germany, the US, the Netherlands, Mexico and Japan. Interviews with eight bio artists and technologists, including Arne Hendriks, Mark Dion, Boo Chapple, Heather Dewey-Hagborg and Raphael Kim, provide a deeper insight into the ideas and methods of this new breed of creative practitioner.

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From the 1860s through to the early 20th century the rise of Japonisme and the Art Nouveau movement meant that few could ignore or resist the obsession with all things Japanese. Superbly crafted and often highly decorated Japanese objects – lacquer, metalwork, ceramics, enamels and other decorative items – excited, stimulated and inspired Western artists and craftsmen to produce their own works. Arts of the Meiji period (1868–1912) were displayed at international exhibitions, galleries of influential dealers and at fashionable stores in London, Paris and Vienna. This book includes many examples of the superlatively designed and executed decorative arts of the Meiji periods from the Khalili Collection, the greatest collection of Meiji period art in the world. Artists such as Van Gogh, Whistler, Monet, Manet, Klimt and Schiele were all, to varying degrees, influenced by the arts of Japan. Van Gogh said that he owed his inspiration to Japanese art, but even he was probably not aware of just how much art in Europe had already been greatly influenced by that of Japan.

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The encounter between art and fashion has been a rapidly growing phenomenon over the last decade, with major international artists working with top fashion houses to produce contemporary masterpieces that challenge the traditional boundary between these two dynamic cultures. In Art/Fashion in the 21st Century, five chapters feature concise essays with profiles of the key designers, break-out stories about the most avant- garde projects and interviews with the leading lights of the art-fashion crossover phenomenon. Nearly 250 illustrations showcase collaborative art/fashion work from Acne Studios, Balenciaga, Chanel, Hussein Chayalan, Tracey Emin, Jean Paul Gaultier, Zaha Hadid, Hermès, Marc Jacobs, Calvin Klein, Jeff Koons, Stella McCartney, Issey Miyake, Takashi Murakami, Prada, Richard Prince, Anselm Reyle, Cindy Sherman, Juergen Teller, Viktor & Rolf, and many more. This is essential and inspiring reading for all those interested in the very cutting edge of both art and fashion – and those who are already there.

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Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890) felt a profound empathy with the natural environment, and considered the spiritual essence of trees to be comparable with that of human figures. Vincent’s Trees traces Van Gogh’s development as a painter of trees in the natural landscape – from his home province of North Brabant, through Paris to Provence. Ralph Skea’s elegant prose is accompanied by Van Gogh’s vibrant illustrations of trees, which range from pencil and ink sketches to watercolours and oil. Stylistic experiments encompassing Pointillism and compositions inspired by Japanese prints give way to the expressive, painterly depictions of his later work. The book also includes quotes from Van Gogh’s letters, which convey the depth of his feeling for the natural landscape, and the force with which it affected him.

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An essential visual overview for students and readers with an interest in Sienese art, history and Renaissance culture. For two centuries, the city-republic of Siena was home to a brilliant succession of painters who created some of the greatest masterpieces of all time; an imagery unmatched in colouristic intensity and spatial experimentation. This overview, now revised and updated, is an essential introduction to this extraordinary artistic tradition. Taking a broadly chronological approach, it moves from the 14th-century Siena of Duccio, Simone Martini and the Lorenzetti brothers, to the 15th-century city of Sassetta and Giovanni di Paolo. Perceptive visual analysis of the distinctive styles and conventions of Sienese painting is combined with clear explanations of traditional techniques such as fresco and tempera. The works are also placed in their social and religious context through discussion of Siena’s system of government, its civic consciousness, the importance of the Franciscan movement and the cults of local saints. An accomplished writer as well as a practising artist, Timothy Hyman brings breadth of knowledge and experience to this extensively illustrated book, brilliantly conveying his personal enthusiasm for Sienese art.

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From the turn-of-the-century S-bend silhouette to celebrity couture of the new millennium and the evolution of streetwear, this comprehensive survey explores significant developments in fashion from 1900 to the present day. Fashion historians Amy de la Haye and Valerie Mendes focus on key movements and innovations in style, and explore trends through the work of some of the world’s most original and influential designers and couturiers. Chapters are organized around crucial shifts in tastes and major world events, and exciting advances in fashion are placed within their socioeconomic, political and cultural contexts. International in scope with colour illustrations throughout, this edition includes updated text as well as a new chapter that discusses some of the defining features of fashion in our time: the industry’s proactive embrace of age, gender and race diversity, and its ongoing efforts to combat labour exploitation and encourage global sustainability.With 315 illustrations in colour

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This book distils a lifetime’s study of Viking art. Written by a leading authority, it introduces all the intricate and beautiful art styles of the Viking age. It ranges in time from the first major Viking expeditions overseas around AD 800 to the general establishment of Christianity in Scandinavia some 300 years later. The opening chapter introduces the geographical and historical background to Viking culture; thematic chapters then describe and illustrate the six main Viking art styles, showing how they emerged from and interacted with one another. Delicate metalwork, elaborate wood-carvings and the famous Gotland picture-stones are all discussed. Viking art ranges in scale from ship burials to decorated weapons and finely crafted jewelry; all feature here, alongside Viking architecture and archaeological traces left by Vikings across continental Europe and beyond. The final chapter examines Viking art in relation to pagan mythology, the conversion to Christianity, and the Viking legacy for later artistic movements. First published in 2013 and now revised and updated throughout, this volume is a modern classic that serves as a definitive guide for all those interested in the vibrant artistic culture of this fascinating period in European history.With 224 illustrations

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The dazzling colours and patterns of the art of the Pacific Islands have long entranced Western audiences, not least artists such as Gauguin and Picasso. The tendency has been to regard Oceanic art as ‘primitive’, mysterious and shrouded in taboo, but Nicholas Thomas, in looking at and beyond the familiar, stunning surfaces of masks and shields, carved canoe prows and feathered gods, discovers the significance of such objects, past and present, for the peoples of the Pacific. In this revised edition with a completely new chapter on globalization and contemporary art, he shows how each region is characterized by certain art forms and practices – among them Maori ancestral carvings, rituals of exchange and warfare in the Solomon Islands, the production of barkcloth by women in Polynesia – while also being shaped by influences from within the Pacific and beyond. The dynamism and diversity of this compelling art are highlighted by the works accompanying this revelatory text – from those that evoke deep-rooted customs to ones that address contemporary political issues, now illustrated in colour throughout.

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One of the most popular and influential British artists of our times, David Hockney has never ceased to change his style and ways of working, always re-energizing his art with new solutions, fresh ideas and technical mastery. Now excitedly embracing his ‘late period’, Hockney remains as engaged as ever with the questions he has always posed for himself – what to depict, how to depict it and how to persuade the spectator that he or she is an active participant rather than just a passive witness. Published to mark Hockney’s 80th birthday and in the wake of the most extensive Tate retrospective ever accorded to a living artist, this new edition includes a new preface, afterword and final chapter covering work of the past two decades. Tracing a line from the beginnings of Hockney’s career in the early 1960s, the portraits and images of Los Angeles swimming pools, his drawings and photocollages, to his highly acclaimed stage designs for the opera, video works, his iPad drawings and other novel forms of picturemaking, Marco Livingstone shows the continuing preoccupation with invention and artifice that has made this artist’s work at once popular and enduring.

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John Boardman has updated his classic account of one of the most popular historic artistic traditions among Western audiences. In the twenty years since the last edition was released, valuable evidence has come to light which has dramatically enhanced our understanding of the art of this ancient civilization. We now know conclusively that Greeks in fact lavished their sculptures with realistic colour paint, and also worked with a wealth of other materials on a major scale, including wood and precious metals, proving that our view of ‘classic’ pure white marble of the age is a Renaissance construction. We can identify the work of individual artists, and schools of artists, and have a clearer picture than ever of how art and artistic ideas travelled throughout the Greek world. Boardman encourages the reader to consider the beautiful pieces that have been preserved in their original context, rather than as the isolated installations of our modern galleries, weaving into the discussion of the art objects insights into the society that produced them. Illustrated in full colour throughout for the first time, this fifth edition showcases more vividly than ever the artistic endeavours of the ancient Greeks.

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As heard on BBC Radio 4's 'A Good Read’ 'Where and how Dada began is almost as difficult to determine as Homer's birthplace', writes Hans Richter, the artist and film-maker closely associated with this radical movement from its earliest days. Here, he records and traces Dada's history, from its inception in wartime Zurich, to its collapse in Paris in the 1920s when many of its members were to join the Surrealist movement, to its reappearance in the 1960s in movements such as Pop Art. This absorbing eyewitness narrative is enlivened by extensive use of Dada documents, illustrations and texts by fellow Dadaists. The complex personalities, relationships and contributions of, among others, Hugo Bali, Tristan Tzara, Picabia, Arp, Schwitters, Hausmann, Duchamp, Ernst and Man Ray, are vividly brought to life. Over a hundred years on from the riotous inception of Dada at the Cabaret Voltaire in Zurich in 1916, art historian Michael White provides a new introduction and commentary to a book that has become a legend in its own right, influencing a generation of performers and artists since its first publication in 1965 - David Bowie even quoted from Dada: Art and Anti-Art in his Scary Monsters album. Michael White has unearthed Richter's private correspondence with his fellow Dada artists to tell the story of how the book came about and, using previously unseen archive sources, enables us to read between the lines and discover the truth behind this most elusive of art movements.

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Rewritten from cover to cover and updated to include the discoveries and new theories from the past decade and a half, this classic guide to the art of the ancient Maya is now illustrated in full colour throughout. World expert Mary Miller and her co-author Megan O’Neil take the reader through the visual world of the Maya, explaining how and why they created the paintings, sculpture and monuments that intrigue and compel people the world over. With an array of new material, from recent finds including the La Corona panels, to new studies of the monuments at Palenque, Zotz and elsewhere, to the beautiful wall paintings discovered in recent years, this new edition will be essential reading for students and scholars – and for travellers to the cities of this mysterious civilization.

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Twenty years in print, The Thames & Hudson Dictionary of Graphic Design and Designers contains around 750 entries offering detailed information on every important graphic designer, movement, agency, practice and publication from 1840 up to the present day. The dictionary gives clear and accessible definitions, from technical minutiae of typography to computer-aided design and printing. Cross-references make navigating between entries simple. The endmatter contains a handy bibliography of key texts and recommended reading, as well as a timeline that puts the most influential individuals, developments and movements in chronological order. This third edition contains over 200 new, updated or expanded entries (as well as 45 new illustrations, 22 in colour) on the latest designers, terms and influences; content that ranges from Adobe InDesign to Manga, and from Chip Kidd to Marian Bantjes. Redesigned and re-typeset throughout, the book remains an indispensable reference tool to all students and practitioners of graphic design.

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Since the Modern Movement began to be challenge in the late 1960s, architecture has followed a number of widely divergent paths. In this thoughtful and eloquent book, Diane Ghirardo examines the architectural world of the late twentieth century and its theories in the crucial context of social and political issues. Within a survey of a broad range of buildings, she focuses on specific 'megaprojects' as paradigms for discussion. In the realm of public space, she argues, the key questions are raised by the Disney empire and its amusement parks; in domestic space, by the IBA in Berlin, with projects ranging from new structures to rehabilitation and residents' self-build. Her text ranges world-wide, and she considers the work of lesser-known designers and women architects as well as famous international stars.

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Carole Hillenbrand’s book offers a profound understanding of the history of Muslims and their faith, from the life of Muhammad to the religion practised by 1.6 billion people around the world today. Each of the eleven chapters explains a core aspect of the faith in historical perspective, allowing readers to gain a sensitive understanding of the essential tenets of the religion and of the many ways in which the present is shaped by the past. It is an ideal introductory text for courses in Middle Eastern studies, in religious studies, or on Islam and its history.

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Chronicling forty years of luxury architecture and design by Steve Leung, founder of one of Asia’s most successful design studios. This major design monograph represents a comprehensive overview of 35 years of architectural, interior- and product-design work by Steve Leung, founder of Hong Kong-based Steve Leung Design Group (SLD). Spanning luxury residential developments and hotels to high-end restaurants and resorts, SLD’s work extends from Hong Kong to China and across Asia. This book – organized by themes that reflect periods in Leung’s life and work – captures the essence of one of Asia’s most successful and entrepreneurial practices. Introductory texts frame projects presented in each chapter, based on interviews with Steve and other influential creative and cultural figures, and are followed by illustrated project spreads that place each theme in context.

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A highly illustrated history of the diverse visual art produced across East Asia, South Asia and Southeast Asia, written by two specialist art historians. Asia is home to more than half the world’s population, and learning about the art of its many cultures helps readers understand the visual world that surrounds us. This book tells the story of the simultaneous development of artistic techniques, styles and ideas across East Asia, South Asia and Southeast Asia, exploring the ways these regions were often dynamically interconnected with each other, and with places beyond Asia. It covers the full breadth of Asian art history, with almost 500 artworks from China, Japan, Korea, South Asia and Southeast Asia; including areas often under-represented in other books on the subject, such as Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Tibet, Nepal and Mongolia. Authors Lee and Hutton are active teachers, writers and speakers who engage with art history as a progressive field that promotes cross-cultural understanding. In this book, they situate Asian art in the context of art history globally, with 12 ‘Seeing Connections’ features drawing themes and comparisons with art from many other parts of the world. The authors’ approach encourages students to analyse and think about Asian artworks as a way of exploring ideas about gender and sexuality, personal and national identity, migration and diaspora, and anthropogenic climate change.

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This landmark publication presents, for the first time ever, 500 of the very best and previously unpublished graphic works by cinema’s master of film. Created in collaboration with RGALI – the Russian State Archive of Literature and Arts – this book traces Eisenstein’s extraordinary life and career through the distinctive yet evolving styles of his drawings, from early childhood sketches to set and costume designs, and from surreal pshychoanalytic drawings to late abstract works. Foremost Eisenstein scholar Naum Kleiman brings fresh and incredible insights into the motivation and purpose of the drawings, and reflects upon excerpts from Eisenstein’s own discursive texts, some published here for the first time. Comparative frames from Eisenstein’s movies – scanned from the original film – together with a biographical introduction and a foreword by Martin Scorsese completes the revelatory and arresting picture.

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Hokusai created sublime works during the last thirty years of his life, right up to his death at the age of ninety. Publications have hitherto presented his long career as a chronological sequence. This book takes a fresh approach based on innovative scholarship: thematic groupings of works are related to the major spiritual and artistic quests of Hokusai’s life. Hokusai’s personal beliefs are studied here through major brush paintings, drawings, woodblock prints and illustrated books. The book gives due attention to the contribution of Hokusai’s daughter Eijo (Oi), an accomplished artist in her own right. Hokusai continually explored the mutability and minutiae of natural phenomena in his art. His late subjects and styles were based on a mastery of eclectic Japanese, Chinese and European techniques and an encyclopaedic knowledge of nature, myth, and history. Mount Fuji was the most significant model for Hokusai in his quest for immortality. This collection of Hokusai’s works draws on the finest to be found in Japan and around the world, making this the most important publication for years on Hokusai, and a uniquely valuable overview of the artist’s late career.

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This beautifully illustrated book brings to life the greatest treasures from the tomb of Tutankhamun. Fifty of the most important objects on display today are each accompanied by a short, accessible text giving the reader just enough information to understand their relevance and importance while retaining a sense of wonder at these ancient artefacts. Each carefully selected object is presented with a full-page colour image and a facing text explaining what the object is, where it was found and why it was buried with the young Pharaoh. There are quotes throughout the text from Howard Carter on his discovery of the tomb in 1922. An introduction by the esteemed Egyptologist Garry Shaw gives a brief overview of the history of ancient Egypt and sets out what we know about the life and times of the young king. He offers a graphic depiction of the dramatic story of the discovery and opening of the tomb by Howard Carter in 1922, and touches on the latest theories and scientific work that has taken place, as well as explaining what is still left to be discovered and the controversial nature of some of the latest interpretations. This is the perfect pocket-sized companion for anyone visiting the Tutankhamun exhibition travelling around the world, the New Egyptian Museum in Giza or any of the renowned collections of Egyptology in museums across the world.With 92 illustrations, 80 in colour

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In 1960, John Rewald took over the task of researching and collating Cezanne's oeuvre, following the death of Lionello Venturi, publisher of the first catalogue on Cezanne in 1936. The result is this catalogue raisonné, treating the 954 paintings accepted by Rewald. The plate volume reproduces all 954 paintings, with titles, dimensions and dates, and is chronologically arranged by Rewald’s new dating and numbering, with the works grouped by subject. Walter Feilchenfeldt introduces the book’s history and issues of dating, chronology and authenticity. Each painting is accompanied by a detailed commentary, which draws on an enormous variety of sources, and for over half the paintings, the commentary consists of a lengthy essay. Of special interest are the 200 documentary photographs integrated with the entries, which provide the scholar and admirer of Cézanne’s work with much fascinating visual information, including biographical portraits, landscape motifs and objects found in Cézanne’s studio. Fifty-eight magnificent colour reproductions of the largest paintings also appear in this volume, which concludes with important indices of owners, exhibitions and works; an extensive bibliography; and a concordance of Venturi and Rewald numbers. The mass of information and insight provided by catalogue raisonné makes it an essential reference for scholars, curators, collectors and librarians.

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Ivory is a wonderful material: tactile, beautiful, workable into many different forms and the strongest in the animal kingdom. Unfortunately for the elephant, it has been highly prized from the Palaeolithic to the present day, in part by virtue of its rarity and the difficulty of acquiring it. During the early first millennium bc – the ‘Age of Ivory’ – literally thousands of carved ivories found their way to the Assyrian capital city of Kalhu, or modern Nimrud, in northern Iraq. The majority were not made there, in the heart of ancient Assyria, but arrived as gift, tribute or booty gathered by the Assyrian kings from the small neighbouring states of the ancient Middle Eastern world. The ivories were first unearthed in the mid-19th century by renowned Victorian traveller and adventurer Austen Henry Layard, but it was not until the mid-20th century that the extent of the treasure was realized by Max Mallowan, the archaeologist husband of Agatha Christie. Thousands of extraordinary ivories have since been excavated from the ruins of the ancient city’s extravagant palaces, temples and forts. In recent years, many have been destroyed or remain at risk following the invasion of Iraq and the sacking of the Iraq Museum, as well as in the ongoing conflict and destruction of cultural heritage in the region. As a result, the ivories preserved in these pages form a unique and unparalleled record of the otherwise lost art of the Middle East.

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For more than 4,000 years the pyramids of Giza have stood like giant question marks that have intrigued and endlessly fascinated people. Who exactly built them? When? Why? And how did they create these colossal structures? But the pyramids are not a complete mystery – the stones, the hieroglyphs, the landscape and even the layers of sand and debris hold stories for us to read. Mark Lehner and Zahi Hawass, with over four decades of involvement with Giza, provide their unique and personal insight into the site, bringing together all the information and evidence to create a record unparalleled in its detail and scope. The celebrated Great Pyramid of Khufu, or Cheops, is the only one of the seven wonders of the ancient world still standing, but there is much more to Giza. We may think of the pyramids as rising from the desert, isolated and enigmatic, yet they were surrounded by temples, tombs, vast cemeteries and even teeming towns of the living. All are described in detail here and brought back to life, with hundreds of illustrations including detailed photographs of the monuments, excavations and objects, as well as plans, reconstructions and the latest images from remote-controlled cameras and laser scans. Through the ages, Giza and the pyramids have inspired the most extraordinary speculations and wild theories, but here, finally, in this prestigious publication, is the full story as told by the evidence on the ground, by the leading authorities on the site.

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Following his account of Irish origins as evidenced by archaeology, genetics and linguistics, J. P. Mallory returns to the subject to interrogate what he calls the ‘Irish Dreamtime’: the native Irish retelling of their own origins, as related by medieval manuscripts. He attempts to explore the reality of this version of the earliest history of Ireland, which places apparently ‘mythological’ events on a concrete timeline of invasions, colonizations and royal reigns that extends even further back in time than the history of Classical Greece. Can the accounts of this ‘Dreamtime’ really inform us of the way of life in Iron Age Ireland? By comparing the world depicted in the earliest Irish literary tradition with the archaeological evidence available on the ground, Mallory explores Ireland’s rich mythological tradition and tests its claims to represent reality.

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Beneath the waters of Abukir Bay, at the edge of the Nile Delta, lie the submerged remains of the ancient Egyptian cities Canopus and Thonis-Heracleion, which sank over 1,000 years ago but were dramatically rediscovered in the 20th century and brought to the surface by marine archaeologists in the 1990s. These pioneering underwater excavations continue today, and have yielded a wealth of ancient artefacts, to be exhibited in Britain for the first time in 2016. Through these spectacular finds, this book tells the story of how two iconic ancient civilizations, Egypt and Greece, interacted in the late first millennium bc. From the foundation of Naukratis and Thonis-Heracleion as trading posts to the conquest of Alexander the Great, through the ensuing centuries of Ptolemaic rule to the ultimate dominance of the Roman Empire on the world stage, Greeks and Egyptians lived alongside one another in these lively cities, sharing their politics, religious ideas, languages, scripts and customs. Greek kings adopted the regalia of the pharaoh; ordinary Greek citizens worshipped in Hellenic sanctuaries next to Egyptian temples; and their ancient gods and mythologies became ever more closely intertwined. This book showcases a spectacular collection of artefacts, coupled with a retelling of the history by world-renowned experts in the subject (including the sites’ long-term excavator), bringing the reader face-to-face with this vibrant ancient society. Accompanies the most sensational exhibition of ancient Egyptian and Greek discoveries to be held in the UK for decades, opening at the British Museum.

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Explore the dynamic world of 1960s Pop Art through Lucy Lippard's insightful analysis in this new addition to the Pocket Perspectives series. Pop Art epitomized the free spirit of the 1960s, blending carnival-like qualities with bold colours and monumental scale, but based on a tough, no-nonsense, no-refinement standard appropriate to its time. Renowned art critic and curator Lucy Lippard's classic, contemporaneous study enriches our understanding of this groundbreaking art movement. Across three chapters, the author first outlines the phenomenon of Pop Art, its antecedents and related styles ranging from folk art, Surrealism and Dada as well as the work of key artists such as Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns. She then focuses on Pop Art in New York, discussing key iconic figures including Claes Oldenburg, Jim Dine, Roy Lichtenstein, James Rosenquist, Andy Warhol and Tom Wesselmann, who appropriated advertising, comics, and the conventions of commercial art and its specific

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An appealing picture book of cats depicted by John Craxton, one of the major figures of modern British painting, with an introduction and commentary by Andrew Lambirth, who knew Craxton well. By concentrating on a single subject very dear to John Craxton's heart cats this book offers a much more accessible introduction to this popular artist (championed by David Attenborough and Andrew Marr among many others) than the recently published biography and monograph. Craxton's significance as the early artist companion of Lucian Freud, his time in Greece and his collaborations with Patrick Leigh Fermor have generated growing interest in his art. For John Craxton, cats were an index of moods and states of mind, and a splendidly apposite vehicle for his visual and verbal wit. Craxton loved cats and lived with them, on and off, for most of his life. The cat image came readily to mind and hand, whether he was planning a taverna scene in Crete, or doodling during a telephone conversatio

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Showcasing more than sixty pieces from the Pierre Bergé-Yves Saint Laurent Foundation and the Museum of Lace and Fashion collections, Sheer highlights the designer’s mastery over transparent fabrics. Through archival drawings and photographs, and newly shot sheer silhouettes designed by Yves Saint Laurent from the collections of the Musée Yves Saint Laurent Paris and the Museum for Lace and Fashion, Calais, Sheer: The Diaphanous Creations of Yves Saint Laurent highlights the couturier’s pioneering work in lace and other sheer fabrics, uncovering how he was able to overturn codes of unveiling the body to present a new, powerful and sensual feminine figure. The book shows how he worked to ‘reveal’ the body of the woman wearing his clothes with both elegance and audacity: the Nude Dress of 1968, for example, made entirely of transparent chiffon, provided ‘modesty’ in the form of ostrich feathers. Original outfits, sketches, collection boards and fabric swatches give an intimate window into the designs, while photographs of models and clients such as Catherine Deneuve and Naomi Campbell bring to life the designer’s creations in a way that still shocks even now. Sheer is an essential read for fashion fans, and a fascinating and unique look at the work of one of the great designers.

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A refreshed edition of the plain-speaking yet inspirational architecture primer that encourages the reader to take a broader look at the world around us and how we might shape it. Architecture is a discipline that requires constant collaboration with the wider world, but too often architectural teaching and indeed building designs don't reflect this important fact. The Architecture Concept Book encourages the reader to look and think again, to draw inspiration widely and to consider the context in which the building will sit before putting pen to paper, or cursor to screen. Building on the success of the first edition, James Tait has updated his original text with introductions to each section that inspire further creative thinking and understanding. With 18 new pages and 5,000 extra words of text, this revised edition is the perfect way in to the ideas and fundamentals that govern an often impenetrable industry for anyone interested in our built environment.

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Renowned art historian and pioneering feminist Linda Nochlin explores how, from the late 18th century, fragmented, mutilated and fetishized representations of the human body came to constitute a distinctively modern view of the world. Surprising, questioning, challenging, enriching: the Pocket Perspectives series celebrates writers and thinkers who have helped shape the conversation across the arts. Mixing classic and contemporary texts, reissues and abridgements, these are bite-sized, fully illustrated reads in an attractive, affordable and highly collectable package.

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Supported by an exhibition at Les Rencontres d'Arles in 2024, to be followed by an international tour, this is the first retrospective of one of China's most important photographic artists. Mo Yi is a photographic artist with a career spanning nearly forty years, from the 1980s to today. This retrospective contextualizes his work within the evolution of contemporary art following reform and opening in China in the aftermath of the Cultural Revolution. Working in a documentary tradition, but building on and reinterpreting the meaning of documentary, Mo Yi's practice is exemplified by experimentation. Regularly creating work in distinct series, he has continually tested ways of extending the boundaries of the medium and his own personal expression. This publication, supported by his first exhibition outside of China, surveys Mo Yi's experimentation in photographic production and performance over the course of his career. Organized into five chronological chapters that mark the mi

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A new take on the history of art from da Vinci to Warhol as reinterpreted and ultimately reinforced by the international phenomenon that is Banksy Few would dispute that Banksy is the most famous urban artist in the world today. That he is also one of the most perceptive art historians of our age might come as a surprise to many. But the myriad memorable works he has created over the past thirty years constitute an audacious commentary on the history of image-making a captivating critique waiting to be pieced together. Armed with little more than stencils, spray paint and an anonymizing cloak of after-hours darkness, Banksy has forged an alluring identity for himself as an incorrigible prankster who doesn't embrace tradition but shreds it. What actually illuminates Banksy's audacious murals, impromptu urban sculptures and vandalized paintings, however, is a profound understanding of the story of art. Banksy recasts masterpieces as powerful comments on contemporary

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