Search results for ""Thames Hudson Ltd""

Flemish painter Jan Van Eyck (c. 1390–1441) towered above his contemporaries. With his unprecedented technique, scientific knowledge and unparalleled powers of observation, Van Eyck lifted oil painting to previously unseen heights and helped determine the course of Western art. In 2020 the Museum of Fine Arts Ghent will host the largest ever exhibition of Van Eyck’s work. An Optical Revolution includes artworks by Van Eyck, several pieces from his studio and international masterpieces from the late Middle Ages, which makes the world of Van Eyck more tangible than ever. This tie-in exhibition catalogue unravels some of the myths that surround Van Eyck and his technique while showing his complete oeuvre and his influence in a new perspective. Central to the exhibition are the eight restored exterior panels of the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, a highly exceptional loan from St Bavo’s Cathedral in Ghent. After the exhibition the panels will return to their original place in the cathedral and never again be shown elsewhere. Including essays by leading experts from around the world, this book will be an indispensable resource for Van Eyck fans and scholars alike.

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A long-overdue biography and rediscovery of 20th-century British artist John Nash ‘Andy Friend deftly carries the reader into a much-peopled narrative, opening up many insights into the art world at the same time that he gets inside the personal life of John Nash and his wife Christine Kühlenthal.’ Frances Spalding John Nash was a highly versatile artist who responded to the British landscape with a unique vision that still resonates today. He also created some of the most memorable paintings of the First World War. Over a sixty-year career he produced paintings in oil and watercolour and was also an illustrator, cartoonist, wood-engraver and arguably the finest botanical draughtsman of his era. Unlike his older brother Paul, John received no formal art training, but emerged almost fully fledged into the London art world of 1913. Held in high regard by his contemporaries, Nash was part of a wide network of artist friends, including Walter Sickert, Harold Gilman, Charles Ginner, Mark Gertler, Dora Carrington, Cedric Morris and of course his brother Paul, and he in turn influenced Eric Ravilious and Edward Bawden. John Nash: The Landscape of Love and Solace examines these personal and working relationships, and in particular that with his wife Christine Kuhlenthal. An extraordinary voice in her own right, revealed here for the first time through her letters and journals, Christine’s influence was critical to Nash’s career during a long marriage which also encompassed both partners having many other relationships. Their life story is an extraordinary one, which as this book shows was touched by many hitherto untold events. Drawing on original research and including a foreword by David Dimbleby, this fascinating and long-overdue biography provides a much fuller picture of John Nash and his work than previously and is at the same time an intimate and compelling narrative, embracing love, tragedy and the pursuit of solace.

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A wave of protest is in the air and on the walls! A new generation of politicized artists, designers and communicators the world over are using stencil art as an accessible yet powerful means of giving voice to their ideas. The Stencil Graffiti Handbook sees Tristan Manco back on the streets. Through an incomparable network of street-art contacts, gained through over two decades of immersion in the scene, Manco has scoured the globe to find the most interesting street artists working today – those operating outside of the mainstream market of ‘Urban Art’ and beneath the radar of everyone but the true cognoscenti. Exploring the medium’s applications within grassroots activism as well as the contemporary craft scene, Manco brings this thriving artform to light. Showing both process and results, The Stencil Graffiti Handbook dives into street art’s essential elements – place, space, technique and subject – before taking to the streets to see how, where and why stencil graffiti is king. Also featuring studio visits with artists and practical, step-by-step guidance via artist-led projects, with specially commissioned instructional illustrations by the renowned Colombian collective Instituto Bogotano de Corte, The Stencil Graffiti Handbook is an unmissable education and inspiration for anyone with an open mind and a rebellious spirit.

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This volume, the second catalogue of the Wyvern Collection, celebrates an outstanding group of medieval ivory carvings and small sculpture, the finest assemblage of its kind in private hands. The book has pieces from every period of the Middle Ages, including rare examples from the Early Christian era; spectacular panels from the workshops of tenth-century Constantinople; objects produced by the celebrated carvers active in south Italy in the eleventh and twelfth centuries; and several important pieces from the Romanesque period. At the heart of the collection is an outstanding group of Gothic ivories whose highlights include one of the most important secular medieval ivories discovered in recent years. The collection also features a number of small amber, hardstone, jet, wood and mother-of-pearl carvings. In addition to their virtuoso craftsmanship, many of these objects have illustrious histories as part of famous aristocratic or ecclesiastical collections. This is a precious opportunity to study these miniature masterpieces.

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Changing Rooms design duo Russell and Jordan present their interiors bible of tips and techniques for restoring design confidence. Making interior design choices can be daunting in a world flooded with trend-setting Instagram posts and Pinterest boards. Russell and Jordan specialize in designing homes for clients who know what they love but struggle to know where to start. Their fresh approach is nothing short of a design revolution, enabling readers to free their homes by creating interiors that express their personality and address their needs. This essential companion will equip readers with new ways to see their interiors and give them the confidence to create a home that helps them to live better. In eight chapters, Russell and Jordan cover everything from how to handle original features, use colour, pattern and texture, choose materials and curate objects. Focusing on people and how we use our spaces, this book also covers finding one’s style, cohabiting and design compromises, exploring one’s creativity and rediscovering the fun in interior design. Box-outs and tips throughout offer practical guidance on where to start, as well as a range of examples from the designers’ own work and that of key designers around the world.

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For centuries humanity has engaged in a virtual exploration of space through astronomical observation, aided by astounding scientific and technological advances. In more than sixty years since the launch of Sputnik 1 in 1957, more than 6,000 functioning satellites have been launched into Earth’s orbit and beyond – some to the farthest reaches of the Solar System – and more than 540 people have travelled into space. Unprecedented in its chronological and geographical scope, this book charts the history of space exploration from the first gunpowder rockets through the Moon landings, and into a future of space tourism. Numerous sidebars focus on the key individuals and inventions that brought us closer to the farthest reaches of the universe. Filled with astonishing images from the Smithsonian, NASA archives and other international collections, this is the first in-depth, fully illustrated survey of this universal human journey.

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Since the release of his first monograph, Vincent Van Duysen has consolidated his reputation for buildings of exceptional spatial mastery and highly refined detailing, and built a growing international following. This beautiful companion volume presents thirty of the Belgian architect’s most recent works produced over the past decade, much of which has been exquisitely captured by renowned photographers Hélène Binet and François Halard. The buildings featured from this latest period include an array of elegant residences in Europe, New York, Paris and The Hamptons, as well as larger-scale commercial and public projects. Product and furniture designs, microcosms of the architect’s rigorous attention to detail, are also featured, including yacht interiors and objets décoratifs. With a foreword by close friend and Academy Award-winning actor Julianne Moore, the broader context of Van Duysen’s contribution to contemporary architecture is provided by architect Nicola di Battista and architecture critic Marc Dubois. An illustrated chronology provides a complete overview of the architect’s recent projects. Van Duysen has established a reputation as one of the world’s most refined and artful architects. This major new publication will further cement his uncompromising commitment to creating timeless places and spaces.

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Paula Rego is an artist of astonishing power with a unique and unforgettable aesthetic. Taking its cues from the artist, this fascinating study invites us to reflect on the complexities of storytelling on which Rego’s work draws, emphasizing both the stories the pictures tell, and how it is that they are told. Deryn Rees-Jones sets interpretations of the pictures in the context of Rego’s personal and artistic development across sixty years. We see how Rego’s art intersects with the work of both the literary and the visual, and come to understand her rich and textured layering of reference: her use of the Old Masters; fiction, fairy tales and poems; the folk traditions of Rego’s native Portugal; and her wider engagement with politics, feminism and more. The result is a highly original work that addresses urgent and topical questions of gender, subject and object, self and other.

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Houses – not skyscrapers, museums or schools – remained Frank Lloyd Wright’s favourite building type from the beginning to the end of his seventy-year career as an architect.When he started his practice near the close of the 19th century, he saw a house as the embodiment of democracy and individual freedom.Your home had more capacity to spread well-being, he said, than any cathedral or palace.To him it was the centre of all family life. As 50 Favourite Houses by Frank Lloyd Wright shows, his ideal home took on an amazing variety of forms. From Wright’s 300 house designs that were eventually built, this book visits fifty that have become world-wide favourites. Here, from the young architect’s first period, is his own home and studio in Oak Park, Illinois, an architectural laboratory for him over two decades.Wright next ushered in the 20th century with his Prairie House, whose sheltering roofs and horizontal lines linked them to the earth; classics such as the Willits, Dana Thomas and Robie Houses. In the 1920s came revolutionary design in California built of textured concrete, followed in the 1930s by the internationally renowned Fallingwater and Taliesin West. Each of the examples featured grew from Wright’s never-changing principles that a house should be built with nature, use materials and colours, be designed from within, have the consistency of a finely woven fabric, achieve harmony through unity, and be a work of art – not just a house.

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An accessible introduction to a writer whose work is of timeless significance and whose unconventional life is a continuous source of fascination. In 1907, when she was twenty-five and not yet a published novelist, Virginia Stephen had everything still to prove. She felt herself to be at a crossroads: ‘I shall be miserable, or happy; a wordy sentimental creature, or a writer of such English as shall one day burn the pages.’ Today her prose is still blazing; perhaps it burns brighter than ever. This is the story of how a determined young woman with a notebook became one of the greatest writers of all time. It is a story that sparkles with wit and friendship, language and love, wicked jokes and passionate appreciation of ordinary things. Hers was a life lived with intensity from moment to moment, courageous and defiant of convention, and shaped into the lasting patterns of art. Considering each of Woolf’s novels in context, this gripping account shows why, eighty years after her death, Virginia Woolf continues to haunt and inspire us.

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Ronnie Wood is one of the foremost rock guitarists in the world, but his artistic talents extend beyond music. Throughout his stellar musical career from The Birds to the Faces and the Rolling Stones, Ronnie has never lost his passion for painting, drawing and sculpture. Exuding the same irrepressible energy as Ronnie himself, Ronnie Wood: Artist is the first ever comprehensive collection of his paintings and other artworks, created to mark the occasion of his seventieth birthday. The bright, bold volume brings together the fruits of a lifetime in the arts, brimming with six decades of memorable and diverse work, from his art college portfolio (he studied alongside Pete Townshend) to the intimate work of his personal life today. Inside, a generous selection of his Stones work, including rare watercolours of Mick, Keith and Charlie backstage, meets acrylics of contemporaries Rod Stewart, Jeff Beck and Keith Moon. Portraits of formative jazz innovators Count Basie, Miles Davis and Billie Holiday sit alongside blues heroes Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters and Big Bill Broonzy. Paintings of Hollywood’s elite – Paul Newman, James Dean and Marilyn Monroe – juxtapose real-time fashion sketches of Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell and deft pastel compositions from his residency at the Royal Ballet. The artist himself provides the captions and insights into the thought and motivation behind each piece. With an introduction by Emmanuel Guigon (director of the Museu Picasso, Barcelona, where Ronnie will be beginning a residency in 2018) and an afterword by none other than Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood: Artist exists where fine art and rock ’n’ roll collide. This extensive and eclectic collection offers unique insights into the entire world of Ronnie Wood, and, with close to 400 works, is a fitting testament to the artistic range and ambition of rock ’n’ roll’s most successful artist

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Magnum Magnum showcases the best of Magnum Photos, celebrating the vision, imagination and brilliance of its photographers – from the acknowledged 20th-century greats to the modern masters and rising stars of our time. Since its founding in 1947 by Robert Capa, Henri Cartier-Bresson, George Rodger and David ‘Chim’ Seymour, Magnum Photos - the legendary co-operative - has powerfully chronicled the peoples, cultures, events and issues of the time. Now, following its 75th anniversary, Magnum Photos and Thames & Hudson join forces to publish an updated and expanded edition of the original hit publication Magnum Magnum (2007), which was previously presented in three formats and sold over 200,000 copies worldwide. Organized by photographer, Magnum Magnum is built upon a founding concept that made Magnum such a unique creative environment; a collaborative process where each of the four founders picture edited the other’s photographs. This book evokes the same creative spirit, with each photographer selecting and critiquing six key works by another of the agency’s 87 photographers along with a commentary explaining the rationale behind their choices. This new edition adds the 25 photographers who have joined Magnum in the last 15 years. With more than 150 new photographs and over 700 pages, this book is the definition of an updated classic.

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Handkerchief, pochette, fazelleto, pañuelo, mouchoir de poche, tenugui, hankachi or hank. They all mean one thing. A small innocent square of fabric. Place one in a jacket pocket however, and it transforms into a pocket square. A gentleman’s boldest accessory, it adds the final flourish and character to any wardrobe and is a stylish alternative to the tie when a gentleman needs to look sharp. When, where and how should a gentleman wear the perfect pocket square? The guide features 22 pocket square folds, for linen, cotton and silk, from the simple and elegant ‘Presidential’ to the complex and flamboyant ‘Bouquet’ fold. As well as brief written descriptions and advice on when to wear each style, each fold is also accompanied by easy-to-follow diagrams and bold colour illustrations of how to wear one’s pocket square with style. Names synonymous with elegant and distinctive style from every decade – Cary Grant, Oscar Wilde, the Duke of Windsor, Fred Astaire, JFK and Yves Saint Laurent – provide style inspiration. The Pocket Square is the essential gift for the fashion-conscious gentleman wishing to experiment with the endless possibilties of this precious piece of fabric and turn it into the ultimate signature of their style.

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Even now, the great cathedrals of the Middle Ages overwhelm us by their imagination, technical daring and sheer scale. How could such structures be built when cities had only a few thousand inhabitants and only the most primitive machinery was available? Who initiated them? Who designed them? Who paid for them?Through the documentary records that remain (many of which are quoted at length), and drawings and details from contemporary art, we are led into the extraordinary world of the medieval master mason.

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A new edition of this classic survey on the life and work of Spanish surrealist, Joan Miró, by his close friend, historian and fellow artist Roland Penrose. Among the great 20th-century masters, the surrealist painter Joan Miró stands out for the atmosphere of wit and spontaneity that pervades his work. Miró’s art went through many phases, and its major features – his signs and symbols, his series of anguished peintures sauvages in the 1930s, his lyrical, poetic gouaches, his monumental sculptures and ceramics, his unprecedented use of poetic titles, and his attachment to nature and to the night – are discussed here by Roland Penrose, a friend of the artist for almost five decades. A brief epilogue by Eduardo de Benito, London correspondent of the Spanish art periodical Lápiz, illustrates the developments of Miró’s last years. This new revised edition, now illustrated in colour throughout, includes a foreword by Antony Penrose, outlining the relationship between his father and the artist, as well as updates to the Bibliography.

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A striking and thought-provoking collaboration between IDLES frontman Joe Talbot and artist Magda Archer, containing all the lyrics from IDLES' first album Brutalism alongside provocative artwork by Archer. Toxic masculinity. Class divisions. Mental health. Bristol-formed band IDLES started recording their first album, Brutalism, in 2015. In the two years that followed, frontman Joe Talbot's mother passed away, resulting in a turbulent state of grief that would come to shape the verbally blazon and emotionally raw album that then appeared in 2017. In the seven years since the release of Brutalism, Talbot's words, in the context of the band's music, have grown to represent a liberated show of vulnerability and an aggressive response to the societal masculine' ideal of silencing and withholding emotion. IDLES' first ever book marks a new and exciting form of creative collaboration for the band. Breathing a different kind of life into Talbot's fiery lyricism with expressive typog

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'When times are hard, fantasy and escapism are crucial' Alexander McQueen Having grown up in London’s East End, Alexander McQueen left school at 15 to become a tailor’s apprentice on Mayfair’s Savile Row. At 22, he joined the prestigious MA course at Central Saint Martins and, after presenting his 1992 graduate collection (bought on the spot by influential fashion stylist Isabella Blow), went on to change the course of fashion. McQueen was defiant in his opinions on creativity (‘Give me time and I’ll give you a revolution’), women (‘I design clothes because I don’t want women to look all innocent and naïve … I want people to be afraid of the women I dress’) and craft (‘You’ve got to know the rules to break them. That’s what I’m here for, to demolish the rules but to keep the tradition’). He drew much of his inspiration from the natural world (‘I have always loved the mechanics of nature and to a greater or lesser extent my work is always informed by that’) and consistently challenged perceptions of beauty (‘People find my things sometimes aggressive. But I don’t see it as aggressive. I see it as romantic, dealing with a dark side of personality’). This attractive book in an accessible format is the perfect gift for fans of fashion and Alexander McQueen, capturing the wit and spirit of a true visionary.

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A charming and imaginative story in the bestselling 'If I had a...' series, which imagines life with a crocodile as a pet. There's more to a crocodile than its scaly skin and scary teeth they stay cool under pressure (in part because they can't sweat) and on a rainy day, they love nothing more than a fast game of Snap! This latest addition to the 'If I Had a...' series is packed with humour and rollicking rhymes that young children readily catch on to. Its bold, graphic illustrations are stylish and packed with quirky details for children to spot. The book winds down to a satisfying end where the little girl drifts off to sleep, making it perfect for bedtime routines.

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LA NY is a dazzling visual tale of two cities, Los Angeles and New York, photographed from the air, shooting straight down at a 90 degree angle to emphasize the particular patterns of place and how the urban grid adapts to local topography – and, indeed, how the topography is itself adapted to human purposes. These two most distinct and distinguished cities are revealed in astonishing detail, as Milstein explores residential and commercial neighbourhoods, parks and recreation spots, as well as industrial districts and the infrastructure of transportation. Iconic buildings and landmarks appear, but also the compelling geometries of suburban housing developments, apartment complexes, commercial hubs, entertainment and financial centres, as well as airports and shipping terminals. His work combines architecture, science and art. Using high resolution cameras mounted to a stabilizing gyro, Milstein leans out of helicopters over Los Angeles where he grew up and over New York where he now lives, looking for shapes and patterns of culture from above, continually awed by the difference between the aerial view and the view on the ground. His topologist’s interest emphasizes the abstraction of pattern and reveals aspects of urban design and planning of both cities. In addition to the urban topography, certain events and activities have also been captured, such as the Macy’s Day Parade and outings at the beach.

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A beautifully illustrated ode to reading, and in particular to reading aloud. Morris is a cat with a clever plan. Instead of chasing mice, he’s going to make them come to him. And how will he do that? By reading them STORIES. But little does Morris realise that his brilliant scheme won’t work out quite the way he expects...

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The latest instalment in the bestselling If I had... series imagines life with a kangaroo as a pet. With rollicking rhymes and bold illustrations, this charming bedtime story follows a little girl's flight of fancy as she imagines the advantages and disadvantages of having a kangaroo as a pet. Being an ace on the basketball court is a breeze, but hold on to your stomach during the school run - it's pretty bumpy being bounced around in a pouch!

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A surreal story by Estonia's leading children's book creator about the importance of bedtime stories.

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The magnificent wonders of China, ancient and modern, revealed by an international team of leading scholars from Asia and the West. China is the oldest continuous civilization on earth and holds a unique global place in the 21st century, this book's uniquely wide focus shows what makes it such a special country, with topics stretching from the natural wonders including mountains and rivers to the Silk Road, the technological innovations of printing and the compass and the modern vibrant cities of today as well as famous monuments such as the Forbidden City in Beijing and the Great Wall. In this new and updated edition, a team of leading scholars from Asia and the West provide an unmatched account of this vast country. Beyond the quality of the individual entries, The Seventy Wonders of China provides an unmatched account of Chinese history and culture as well as an essential contribution to understanding and appreciating this vast country.

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A mesmerizing, continent-spanning survey of the most dynamic scenes in contemporary African photography, and an introduction to the creative figures who are making it happen. Africa State of Mind gathers together the work of an emergent generation of photographers from across Africa, including both the Maghreb and sub-Saharan Africa. It is both a summation of new photographic practice from the last decade and an exploration of how contemporary photographers from the continent are exploring ideas of ‘Africanness’ to reveal Africa to be a psychological space as much as a physical territory – a state of mind as much as a geographical place. Dispensing with the western colonial view of Africa in purely geographic or topographic terms, Ekow Eshun presents Africa State of Mind in four thematic parts: Hybrid Cities; Inner Landscapes; Zones of Freedom; and Myth and Memory. Each theme, introduced by a text by Eshun, presents selections of work by a new wave of African photographers who are looking both outward and inward: capturing life among the sprawling cities and multitudinous conurbations of the continent, turning the legacy of the continent’s history into the source of resonant new myths and dreamscapes and exploring questions of gender, sexuality and identity. Each of the photographers seeks to capture the experience of what it means, and how it feels, to live in Africa today.

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Why did the Romans never try to conquer Ireland? Why did the King of Spain give his name to an Irish county? And how did brandy change the course of Irish history? Turtle Bunbury explores unexpected corners of the past to offer an informative and entertaining glimpse into 36 lesser-known tales from Irish history, from the eruption of a massive volcano in County Armagh sixty million years ago to more recent events that have made Ireland the vibrant place it is today. In his inimitable sparkly style, Bunbury explores the people and events from high to low that played major roles in Ireland’s fascinating past but have since been overlooked. These alternative annals include tales of spymasters and scientists, battlefields and brothels, tailors and traitors. Ireland’s Forgotten Past paints a surprising, witty and engaging new portrait of an Ireland you thought you knew.With 37 illustrations

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The music of ‘Motown’ needs no introduction. Berry Gordy’s record label became a style unto itself, producing hit after suave, sassy and sophisticated hit, and shaped the careers of so many of the greatest musicians of all time. The label produced more US number-one hits than the Beatles, Elvis Presley, the Rolling Stones and the Beach Boys combined. Now, and with fresh new insights and an incredible visual narrative, the official, visual history of this momentous contribution to music and American culture is told in full. This book delves deep into the success stories of Motown’s powerhouse creative team, including the Holland-Dozier-Holland triumvirate, and unpicks backstories of the Motown musicians envied by many, and covered by the rest. The roster includes Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross & the Supremes, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, the Jackson 5, The Temptations and Martha Reeves & The Vandellas. Motown: The Sound of Young America is dense with information and materials gathered from the personal accounts and archives of many of the key players. It is a spectacular labour of love befitting an incredible story.

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All Roads Lead to Rome, as the famous saying goes. The sites and events throughout the ancient world provided Romans with a rich tapestry to weave the stories of their past. Rome itself was a melting pot of peoples from across the Mediterranean and beyond, each bringing their myths and legends of heroes and heroines, gods and goddesses. Whether for aristocrats dressing up for banquet, or bloodthirsty audiences in the amphitheatres thrilled to watch condemned criminals forced to enact the roles of mythological creatures, Roman myths formed the backdrop to the rituals and customs of everyday life. Offering a fresh approach to Roman mythology, each site begins with a brief, evocative description of the location and landscape, followed by its associated myths and stories, as well as any rituals performed there in antiquity. Drawing on the great works of Dionysius of Halicarnassus and Plutarch, Ovid, Horace and Virgil, and with maps, illustrations and a gazetteer giving practical information about the sites today, this is a fresh look at a subject of great fascination.

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A new work from Judy Chicago, fifty years in the making: Judy Chicago: Revelations is the work she thought would never see the light of day. Her captivating narrative combatting the erasure of women from history unites seamlessly with illustrations first made in the 1970s and new work in a striking, contemporary design. Revelations is the work that Judy Chicago believed would never be published: a radical retelling of human history in the form of an illuminated manuscript, recovering stories of women that society sought to erase. Begun alongside her iconic installation The Dinner Party in the mid-1970s, and drawing on her intensive research into goddess worship and women's history, Revelations is foundational to Chicago's decades-long practice. It is at once a vibrant narrative and a work of art, fifty years in the making. Publication coincides with an exhibition at the Serpentine, London, from 22 May to 1 September, Judy Chicago's first solo presentation in a major London insti

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A thrilling deep dive into the creation of the revered PlayStation RPG. Comprising over thirty interwoven voices, this beautifully produced book offers unprecedented insight into the craft and ambition behind the revered PlayStation RPG. An extended adaptation of Matt Leone’s celebrated 27,000 word history, published online by Polygon in January 2017, this physical version has been designed by Rachel Dalton and features sixteen specially commissioned illustrations by sparrows, eight new standalone interviews, and a foreword by series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi.

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A journey for the senses across five continents, A Perfume Atlas traces the origins of the precious essences that create Louis Vuitton's exclusive perfumes. Louis Vuitton: A Perfume Atlas offers a rare look at the time-honoured crafts of the perfumer, with specially commissioned illustrations, photographs and texts revealing the stories of the precious natural elements that form the basis of the house's unique perfumes. With exclusive, first-hand access to Louis Vuitton's master perfumer Jacques Cavallier-Belletrud, A Perfume Atlas explores how the flowers are cultivated, the growing seasons and techniques used to harvest the blossoms, and how essential oils are extracted, distilled and composed to create new and complex fragrances. From Chinese magnolia and osmanthus to India's tuberose and jasmine, each seed pod, berry, woody stem, fruit, leaf and flower opens a world that evokes the thrill of far-off places and names, trade routes, sea journeys and the rhythms of the seaso

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Monocle’s latest book is a celebration of the Nordic region, with some surprises, quirks and – maybe – a sauna or two along the way. Monocle’s journalists, editors and photographers have returned time and again to all corners of northern Europe for insights, inspiration and ideas for living better.This book isn’t about hammering the overhyped hygge trend or fussing over foamy food. Much the opposite – it’s about a shared but distinct set of values that have helped varied nations excel in quiet diplomacy, thoughtful design and reasoned debate. Monocle looks beyond the clichés and uncovers the folks, firms and stories that help the region rank highly for everything in everything from art and architecture to eating well. Far from lumping these different nations together, the Monocle team will highlight the people, places and products that show the Nordics in all their nuances: lessons we can all learn from makers in Norway’s high north or retailers reaching higher in Reykjavík; the firms building bridges in Denmark or selling Swedish soft power abroad. The world can learn a lot from our knowing northern neighbours – and The Monocle Book of the Nordics is the ideal place to start.

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Pascaline (a bat) DOES NOT WANT to go to school. It doesn't matter who else is going! She knows exactly what she doesn't want. 'Never, Not Ever!', she shrieks loudly on the first day. So loudly, in fact, that something amazing happens - and it changes everything. Charming and laugh-out-loud funny, this irresistible first-day of school saga is sure to be a repeat read.

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It’s Franklin’s birthday! While his surprise birthday party is being set up, Luna takes Franklin book shopping. They find a padlocked book of fairy tales, which the bookseller tells them is full of dangerous magic. Luna’s tortoise, Neil, can’t help picking the lock… but when he peers inside, the book swallows him whole. Franklin and Luna dive into the book to rescue Neil. They tumble into cobwebbed forests and meet dusty fairy-tale characters who have been trapped inside the pages for hundreds of years… This follow-on from the highly sucessful Franklin’s Flying Bookshop and Franklin and Luna go to the Moon offers a witty and vivid reimagining of well-loved fairy tale characters, bringing the magic of classic fairy tales into the 21st century through exquisite illustrations and a rhythmic, literary text.

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Out to Sea follows the journey of a young girl named Lara who is so sad after the death of her grandmother that she is carried out to sea on a flood of her own tears. When it seems like sadness has overwhelmed her entirely, she discovers a pearl at the bottom of the ocean that triggers memories of the many happy times Lara shared with her grandmother. With the pearl safely at her side, Lara realises that she is not alone and finds the strength to pick up her oars and row herself back home. Illustrated in Helen Kellock’s inimitable style of pencil, gouache and watercolour artworks, Out to Sea expresses the experience of anxiety and grief with unprecedented sensitivity. Unlike other books for children about loss or grief that usher their readers towards a conclusion, Out to Sea shows readers how they might ride the wave of emotions without losing perspective.

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Here is the story of Ice Age beasts as told from the unique perspective of Maisie the woolly mammoth. Maisie’s Ice Age ‘who’s who’ reveals the defining characteristics of some of the most memorable creatures from prehistoric times. Maisie’s memoir includes tales about Stella the sabre-toothed tiger, the golden girl of the Ice Age, whose megawatt smile contained 25 cm canines; the villain we all love to hate, Trevor the Titanoboa, a 13 m mega-snake who could swallow a crocodile whole; and the slightly more camera-shy Gavin the Giant Ape, who is rumoured to have inspired the myth of the Yeti! Featuring the quirky illustrations of Rob Hodgson, Maisie Mammoth’s Memoirs stands apart from other prehistoric beast titles with its characterful creatures and humorous approach to palaeontology based on some of the latest scientific research – look out for tips on how to defrost a woolly mammoth! It is the second in a series that brings animals from the distant past alive for young children.

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‘I LOVE it. It is so touching and original and delightful. Katie’s illustrations are a perfect match for the text, too’ Jacqueline Wilson Franklin the dragon loves stories and loves reading stories to people too, but everyone is too scared to even look at him. One day he meets a girl named Luna who, far from being scared, is fascinated to meet Franklin, having recently read all about dragons in one of her books. They instantly become friends and talk non-stop about what they’ve read: books about roller skating, King Arthur, spiders and how to do kung fu. Together, they hatch a plan to share their love of books with others by opening a bookshop – a flying bookshop, that is – right on Franklin’s back!

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Following on from the hugely successful The Big Book of the Blue comes this nonfiction sticker activity book that brings the marine world alive in a creative way. Taking fascinating facts as its starting point, the activities in the book invite children to draw, colour and play games with all manner of ocean wildlife, inspiring children’s interest in nature as they play. Sid the Sardine accompanies readers throughout the book, explaining the 20+ activities and games as he swims along. Yuval Zommer’s rich illustrations characterize some of the quirkiest sea-creatures and make fantastic stickers for children to use in their drawings and to complete games and puzzles with.

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For more than three millennia the cultures of Mesoamerica flourished, building the first cities of the Western Hemisphere and developing writing systems that could rival those of the Eastern Hemisphere in their creativity and efficiency. The Nahuatl-speaking Aztecs reigned over one of the greatest imperial civilizations the Americas had ever seen, and up until now their intricate and visually stunning hieroglyphs have been overlooked in the story of writing. In this innovative volume Gordon Whittaker provides the reader with everything they need to know to appreciate and understand Aztec hieroglyphs: a step-by-step, illustrated guide of how to read Aztec glyphs; an explanation of the special features of this writing system in comparison to others from around the globe; the story of how this enigmatic language has been deciphered; a tour through Aztec history as recorded in hieroglyphic codices; and demonstrations of how the writing system was adapted to transliterate Spanish words during the Conquest.With 300 illustrations

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This comprehensive and ambitious workshop reference book for jewelers brings together a vast range of skills, techniques and technical data in one volume, providing an essential one-stop look-it-up resource for both students and professionals. The focus is on detailed explanation – with clear step-bystep photography used extensively – which means that while this book contains the expert techniques aimed squarely at professional jewelers, it is also accessible to students of any level seeking an authoritative and comprehensive bible of their craft.

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Edvard Munch (1863–1944) is best known today as a painter, but his reputation was in fact established through his prints, which were central to his creative process. His printmaking was experimental and innovative, and he continually revisited the subjects of his paintings in striking prints, in which he evoked a wide range of emotion and mood through the use of varied techniques. Munch’s early life in the industrial town of Kristiania (renamed Oslo in 1925) was marked by sickness and poverty. His first works centred on the expression of deep emotional experiences, specifically the deaths of his mother and teenage sister when he was growing up, as well as passionate yet unhappy love affairs of which his deeply religious father disapproved. Encouraged by his encounters with a Bohemian society of artists, writers and poets, he developed a visual landscape that was a radical deviation from the slick society portraits and grand Scandinavian landscapes then so much in vogue. His efforts attracted considerable attention and much criticism, and he practised with little financial success as a painter for ten years before he started to gain his reputation as a profoundly innovative printmaker. Written by a team of acknowledged experts, and with an interview by writer Karl Ove Knausgaard, this book will shed new light on the production of some of Munch’s most remarkable works.

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This illustrated introduction offers a fresh approach to the history of the Islamic world from its origins to the present day. Told in six chapters, arranged both chronologically and thematically, and richly enhanced with outstanding images, it provides an illuminating insight into the material culture produced from West Africa to Southeast Asia through art and artefacts, people and places. From pre-Islamic works that provided a foundation for the arts of Islam to masterpieces produced under the great empires and objects that continue to be made today, this expansive survey traces the development of civilizations at the forefront of philosophical and scientific ideas, artistic and literary developments, and technological innovations, exploring a wealth of cultural treasures along the way. Texts are accompanied by a wide variety of objects, including architectural decoration, ceramics, jewellery, metalwork, calligraphy, textiles, musical instruments, coins, illustrated manuscripts, and modern and contemporary art, all of which shed new light on the Islamic world both past and present. This book will inspire and inform anyone interested in one of the most influential and diverse cultures of the world.

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How far can we expand the concept of ‘urban nature’? How would it make us feel? And how is it going to transform our cities – and, eventually, ourselves? Garden City captures the growing global movement among contemporary architects for biodesigning buildings less as skin and bodies – structure and façade – and more as living entities, capable of being ecologically autonomous, horticulturally productive and ultimately pleasing to our day-to-day lifestyles. It presents more than 100 (mostly completed) projects, a life-affirming range of buildings and design ideas that can be applied to new buildings and those needing rehabilitation. From office buildings that incorporate urban farms and exchange the CO2 produced by humans for food and oxygen produced by plants, to lightweight systems for growing gardens on vertical surfaces; from ‘tree houses’ the size of city blocks to civic buildings that are ‘plugged into’ existing water-management systems – there are rich and often unexpected ideas for every inquiring designer. The future of our urban architecture is biologically alert, naturally self-sustaining and alive. Garden City is this future’s first manifesto.

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We find ourselves square in the middle of one of the greatest periods in music packaging. Events such as Record Store Day have pushed collectible packaging back to the cultural forefront; millennials have started buying physical records; and hip clothing outlets devote massive amounts of space to record players and racks of LPs. The designers collected here are at the forefront of this movement. Some have been working in the music industry for decades, while others are fresh on the scene. They all share a desire to elevate the simple record cover and the wrapping that surrounds these products into something more, something special, something unique, something memorable. Lifelong music fans, they pour every ounce of creative energy into coming up with solutions worthy of the music inside. They also need to be inventive in how they accomplish this. Coming up with a great concept in a sketch during a meeting and actually seeing it to fruition and sitting on a shelf in a record store are two different things. As Paula Scher details in her interview, today’s designers are faced with a very different task than the record sleeve designers of the past. Outside of the mega stars, budgets are more or less non-existent, yet the pressure to deliver something jaw-dropping and mind-blowing remains. Packed with innovative artworks by one-of-a-kind designers, this is the definitive guide to album cover design in the 21st century.

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The definitive history of the Young British Artists movement, featuring extensive interviews with its key players.

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Bioluminescent algae, symbiotic aquariums, self-healing concrete, clavicle wind instruments and structures made from living trees – biology applied outside the lab has never been so intriguing, or so beautiful. Bio Design examines the thrilling advances in the field, showcasing some seventy projects (concepts, prototypes and completed designs) that cover a range of fields – from architecture and industrial design to fashion and medicine. The revised and expanded edition features twelve new projects (replacing ten existing projects): Hy-Fi (by David Benjamin); One Central Park, Sydney (Jean Nouvel); Guard from Above (Sjoerd Hoogendoorn); Cell-laden Hydrogels for Biocatalysis (Alshakim Nelson); Zoa (Modern Meadow); Amino Labs (Julie Legault); Algae and Mycelium Projects (Eric Klarenbeek); Interwoven and Harvest (Diane Scherer); Concrete Honey (John Becker); Bistro In Vitro (Koert van Mensvoort); Circumventive Organs (Agi Haines); Quantworm Mine (Liv Bargman and Nina Cutler). It also includes a new ‘how-to’ section at the end (Tips for Collaboration/FAQs/Further Resources), as well as a fully revised introduction.

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The political leaders, writers, artists and philosophers of ancient Greece turned a small group of city states into a pan-Mediterranean civilization, whose legacy can be found everywhere today. But who were these people, what do we know of their lives and how did they interact with one another? In this original new approach to telling the Greek story, David Stuttard weaves together the lives of fifty movers and shakers of the Greek world into a continuous, chronologically organized narrative, from the early tyrant rulers Peisistratus and Polycrates, through the stirrings of democracy under Cleisthenes to the rise of Macedon under Philip II and Alexander the Great and the eventual decline of the Greek world as Rome rose.With 29 illustrations, 25 in colour

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This entertaining and fact-packed guide provides all the information you’ll need to travel back in time to Elizabethan London – a booming city of courtiers, cutthroats, merchants, beggars, lawyers, dramatists, apprentices and adventurers. Find out the best way to the capital and where to stay. Saunter over London Bridge, with its hundreds of shops and houses. Glimpse Her Majesty at Whitehall, Europe’s largest palace. Watch the finest plays and players at the Rose Theatre, and marvel at the bustle of business in the Royal Exchange. Go down to Greenwich to stand on the deck of the Golden Hind, the ship that Sir Francis Drake sailed around the world. This intriguingly addictive guide provides all you need to know to sightsee, shop and meet the famous in the capital of a nation stirring to greatness.

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