Search results for ""Thames Hudson""

Best known for his luscious paintings of pies and ice-cream cones, American artist Wayne Thiebaud (born 1920) has been an avid and prolific draftsman since he began his career in the 1940s as an illustrator and cartoonist. This book of about ninety drawings – compiled with the full cooperation of the artist to accompany a major new exhibition at the Morgan Library & Museum – explores the wide range of Thiebaud’s production on paper, including early sketches, luminous pastels and watercolours, and charcoal drawings made in connection with his teaching. In subjects ranging from deli counters and isolated figures to dramatic views of San Francisco’s plunging streets, Thiebaud’s drawings endow the most banal, everyday scenes with a sense of poetry and nostalgia. Fully illustrated and beautifully designed, with illuminating texts, including an extensive interview with the artist, Wayne Thiebaud: Draftsman is the first major publication devoted to his lifelong engagement with drawing.

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This catalogue of the Wyvern sculpture collection, which is not open to the public, comprises outstanding European sculptures of the medieval period, as well as some Late Antique and Byzantine pieces and related works of the post-medieval era. Objects are made from wood, stone (including alabaster and marble) and terracotta. Also included are medieval works of art in metal, mostly consisting of crucifix figures (corpora), and other functional metalware such as aquamanilia (water vessels for the washing of hands) and candlesticks. This sumptuous publication will interest all those concerned with the material culture of the Middle Ages.

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There are numerous luxury hotels to choose from when planning a romantic getaway, but finding a unique and unforgettable experience in a stunning location is a greater challenge. Mr & Mrs Smith was founded in 2003 by James and Tamara Lohan to discover the world’s finest hotels and travel experiences. Now, with a million members and counting, their global presence has made them leading experts on hotels and destinations, crafting bespoke experiences for their clients. This selection of thirty-five of the sexiest hotel rooms features bedrooms in a wide variety of stunning locations all over the world. From a rustic safari lodge to a luxurious Venetian pallazzo, this essential overview tells the story behind the design and decor of each unique room, the history of the hotel and the essentials for where to go when you visit. Written by Sarah Jappy, and with reviews by trusted tastemakers, such as Lauren Laverne, Raymond Blanc and Stella McCartney, all of the featured rooms are presented alongside tips from those who have visited, with their recommendations for the unique features and experiences on offer for each hotel and within its surrounding area. Illustrated with over 300 colour photographs of the rooms, hotels and locations by art photographer Polly Brown, this is the insider’s guide to everything you need to know, whether you are planning a honeymoon, mini-break or the romantic adventure of a lifetime.

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The livre d’artiste, or ‘artist’s book’, is among the most prized in rare book collections. Henri Matisse (1869–1954) was one of the greatest artists to work in this genre, creating his most important books over a period of eighteen years from 1932 to 1950 – a time of personal upheaval and physical suffering, as well as conflict and occupation for France. Brimming with powerful themes and imagery, these works are crucial to an understanding of Matisse’s oeuvre, yet much of their content has never been seen by a wider audience. In Matisse: The Books, Louise Rogers Lalaurie reintroduces us to Matisse by considering how in each of eight limited-edition volumes, the artist constructs an intriguing dialogue between word and image. She also highlights the books’ profound significance for Matisse as the catalysts for the extraordinary ‘second life’ of his paper cut-outs. In concert with an eclectic selection of poetry, drama and, tantalizingly, Matisse’s own words, the books’ images offer an astonishing portrait of creative resistance and regeneration. Matisse’s books contain some of the artist’s best-known graphic works – the magnificent, belligerent swan from the Poésies de Stéphane Mallarmé, or the vigorous linocut profile from Pasiphaé (1944), reversed in a single, rippling stroke out of a lake of velvety black. In Jazz, the cut-out silhouette of Icarus plummets through the azure, surrounded by yellow starbursts, his heart a mesmerizing dot of red. But while such individual images are well known, their place in an integrated sequence of pictures, decorations and words is not. With deftness and sensitivity, Lalaurie explores the page-by-page interplay of the books, translating key sequences and discussing their distinct themes and creative genesis. Together Matisse’s artist books reveal his deep engagement with questions of beauty and truth; his faith; his perspectives on aging, loss, and inspiration; and his relationship to his critics, the French art establishment and the women in his life. In addition, Matisse: The Books illuminates the artist’s often misunderstood political affinities – in particular, his decision to live in the collaborationist Vichy zone, throughout World War II. Matisse’s wartime books are revealed as a body of work that stands as a deeply personal statement of resistance.

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Michelle Ong established Carnet, her Hong Kong-based boutique jewelry house, over twenty-five years ago, and her unique one-off creations draw on Chinese motifs and her love of European culture and craftsmanship. Her multi-hued jewels crystallize natural forms with invisible mastery. The hovering translucency of dragonfly wings, the succulence of ripe fruits, the whisper-light touch of a feather, the seductive fragility of black lace, meticulously hand-wrought from silver, the velvet petals of an anemone, a voluptuously curled seashell, the evanescence of a floating cloud evoked in a scroll of diamonds: each jewel is a miniature sculptural work of art. Jade, China’s imperial gemstone, is reworked into an Art Deco-style cocktail ring. Her Chinese dragon, a fiercely benign creature, writhes in blackened gold and pavé-set emeralds, breathing a stream of fiery rubies. Ong’s work is now acknowledged among the greatest names in high jewelry, renowned for her sublime designs, idiosyncratic colour combinations and deft craftsmanship. This volume will be required reading by serious collectors and aficionados, and a source of deep delight for all those seeking inspiration from the finest of contemporary jewelry creators.

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Art-writing at its most useful should share the dynamism, fluidity and passions of the objects of its enquiry, argues Marina Warner. In this new anthology of some of her most compelling work, she captures the visual experience of the work of several artists – with a notable focus on the inner lives of women – through an exploration of the range of stories and symbols to which they allude. Metamorphosis features vividly in the imagery, stories and media of the art that Warner has chosen to write about: in connection with animals in the work of Louise Bourgeois, for instance; with the Catholicism of Damien Hirst; and with performance as a medium of memory and resistance in the installations of Joan Jonas. Rather than drawing on connoisseurship, the author’s approach grows principally out of anthropology and mythology. She argues that art and aesthetics increasingly fulfil a magical social function – a principle that runs through these writings to give the collection a quality that is polemical as well as coherent. With an introductory essay and illustrations throughout, Marina Warner investigates how artists noted for their treatment of disturbing, uncanny material have reached beyond the visible, to express interior states. Truly inspiring, her writing unites the imagination of artist, writer and reader, creating a reading experience parallel to the intrinsic pleasure of looking at art.

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A humorous new book from the acclaimed author-illustrator Shinsuke Yoshitake. Everyone has something that makes them feel self-conscious. It might be the smell of your breath, the size of your nose, or the way your shirt sleeves bunch up under your jumper. At the centre of this story is a little boy who has a small but embarrassing problem: every time he pees, a few drops dribble on to his underpants. Curious, he asks other children if they have the same issue. He soon discovers a simple life lesson: everyone is battling some kind of irritation.

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Do you prefer cats or dogs? Chocolate or vanilla ice-cream? The hen or the egg? Mummy... or Daddy ?? These pages are packed with interactive tabs that put children in the driving seat. A pop-up book with flaps to lift, tabs to pull and plenty of surprises

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Once the domain of the domestic, craft has now infiltrated every creative sphere – including food, fashion, fine art and architecture. If this craft renaissance is indicative of a new wave of keen creatives, then The Craft Companion is the ultimate guide to navigating the new craft frontiers. From appliqué and baskets to weaving and zakka, The Craft Companion features over 30 new and old crafting techniques. Each chapter includes a short historical overview of the craft, with design notes and explanations of key techniques helping beginners to get started. Tools and methods are explored through a combination of hand-drawn illustrations and photography. A range of project ideas, including one basic project for each craft and a further Top 5 selection, will kickstart the reader’s creativity, while examples of inspirational work from contemporary artisans display the possibilities of each medium. With over 20 years in the craft and design industries, Ramona Barry and Rebecca Jobson are bona fide craft gurus. Readers will love Ramona and Rebecca’s witty voice and will be inspired to experiment and dip their toes into new crafts.

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An irresistible anthology of photography’s greatest and most famous images. PhotoBox presents a collection of 250 photographs by 200 of the world’s most prominent photographers, ranging from legendary masters to contemporary stars, in a compact paperback format. Photographers include Ansel Adams, Richard Avedon, Yann Arthus-Bertrand, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Elliot Erwitt, Robert Frank, Nan Goldin, David LaChapelle, Annie Leibovitz, Helmut Newton, and many more. Each image is accompanied by an engaging commentary and a brief biography of the photographer. This revised edition features fifty new photographs by an international array of practitioners, including Dayanita Singh, Cristina de Middel, Gregory Halpern, Lua Ribeira and more.

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Tracing the history of the Arabian (or Arab) horse from before the time of King Solomon to the present day, the text by Peter Upton – author, artist and internationally recognized expert on the subject – begins by explaining the myth and legend, the true origins of the breed, and its recorded development up to the time of the Prophet Mohammed. The story continues with the role that the Arab horse has played in Islamic conquest and Arab history, highlighting the importance that Islam has always accorded ‘this most noble of animals’. Woven into this tapestry is the interplay between the Christian and Muslim worlds, illustrated by legendary and factual human anecdotes and peopled by fascinating figures and colourful adventurers, both Arab and Western. With its unrivalled range of illustrations, a comprehensive list of Arab horse organizations, registries and societies, a glossary of Arabic terms and a useful bibliography, here is the definitive book, in both words and pictures, of the noblest breed in all the equine world.

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The most captivating and intriguing 19th-century murders from around the world are re-examined in this disquieting volume, which takes readers on a perilous journey around the world’s most benighted regions. In each area, murders are charted with increasing specificity: beginning with city- or region-wide overviews, drilling down to street-level diagrams and zooming-in to detailed floor plans. All the elements of each crime are meticulously replotted on archival maps, from the prior movements of both killer and victim to the eventual location of the body. The murders revisited range from the ‘French Ripper’ Joseph Vacher, who roamed the French countryside brutally murdering and mutilating over twenty shepherds and shepherdesses, to H.H. Holmes, who built a hotel in Chicago to entrap, murder and dispose of its many guests. Crime expert Dr Drew Gray illuminates the details of each case, recounting both the horrifying particulars of the crimes themselves and the ingenious detective work that led to the eventual capture of the murderers. He highlights the development of police methods and technology: from the introduction of the police whistle to the standardization of the mugshot and from the invention of fingerprinting to the use of radio telegraphy to capture criminals. Disturbing crime-scene photographs by pioneers of policework, such as Alphonse Bertillon, and contemporary illustrations from the sensationalist magazines of the day, including the Illustrated Police News and the Petit Journal, complete the macabre picture.

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In this path-breaking new history, Maja and Reuben Fowkes introduce outstanding artworks and major figures from across central and eastern Europe to reveal the movements, theories and styles that have shaped artistic practice since 1950. They emphasize the particularly rich and varied art scenes of Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Yugoslavia, extending their gaze at intervals to East Germany, Romania, the Baltic states and the rest of the Balkans. While politics in the region have been marked by unstable geography and dramatic transitions, artists have forged a path of persistent experiment and innovation. This generously illustrated overview explores the richness of their singular contribution to recent art history. Tracing art-historical changes from the short-lived unison of the socialist realist period to the incredible diversity of art in the post-communist era, the authors examine the repercussions of political events on artistic life – notably the uprisings in Hungary and Czechoslovakia, the Solidarity movement in Poland, and the collapse of the communist bloc. But their primary interest is in the experimental art of the neo-avant-garde that resisted official agendas and engaged with global currents such as performance art, video, multimedia and net art.

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A concise history of Paris and the great events and personalities, from prehistory to the present, that have shaped its unique cultural legacy. Once described as that metropolis of dress and debauchery' by the Scottish poet David Mallet, then as now Paris had a reputation for a peculiar joie de vivre, from style to sex, cookery to couture, captivating minds and imaginations across the Continent and beyond. In Paris: A Short History, Jeremy Black explores the unique cultural circumstances that made Paris the vibrant capital it is today. Black explores how Paris has been shaped through the centuries from the first century BCE, when the city was founded by the Parisii. From a small Gallic capital conquered by the Romans, Paris transformed into a flourishing medieval city full of spectacular palaces and cathedrals, including Sainte-Chapelle and Notre-Dame de Paris. During the illustrious reigns of Louis XIV and XV Paris became one of the most beautiful and cosmopolitan capitals in

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The vivid colours of Morocco as seen by master of colour photography Harry Gruyaert. When Harry Gruyaert first visited Morocco in 1972, it was love at first sight. On every return visit, he has tried to relive that initial feeling of enchantment, the splendid harmony between form and colour, people and nature. From the High Atlas mountains to the desert, from rural areas to the bustling streets of Marrakech and Essaouira, Gruyaert’s photographs take us on a dreamlike cinematic journey through a reality that is nonetheless highly physical, its textures shaped by light and shadow. Each image has its own power and all of them reflect the importance of family, community and faith to the people of Morocco, as well as Gruyaert’s own innate curiosity and desire to understand different realities.

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A celebration of Ukraine’s rich cultural heritage, drawing on over 100 of the country’s most important works of art and architectural monuments from prehistory to the present. Showcasing more than one hundred objects and buildings — from Byzantine icons and wooden churches to gold-domed cathedrals, folk art, and avant-garde masterpieces — Treasures of Ukraine chronicles the rich arts and heritage of a country currently facing destruction and devastation. The significance of the pieces is explained by renowned artists, curators, and critics, revealing the nation’s complex history and its impact on the present. From the development of ancient cultures like Trypillia and Scythia to early states such as Kyivan Rus and the Cossack Hetmanate, to the dawn of Modernism and the striking contemporary paintings and political artworks being produced today, Treasures of Ukraine reminds us that art and monuments represent powerful sources of collective memory and identity. All proceeds will be donated to PEN Ukraine, to help Ukrainian authors in need and support museums in Ukraine.

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Celebrated illustrator Marion Deuchars is on a mission. Sharing a host of inspiring projects and ideas, this book shows people of all ages and artistic abilities how a little creativity every day can make a big difference. Live the life of a true creative! With over 100 projects and ideas, Marion invites you to release your artistic potential. Spill some ink. Draw with a stick. Have a go at hand lettering, or painting with a mop! The ideas in this book are all about having fun and realising it's never too late to discoveror rediscoveryour artistic side. Projects like hand printing, marbling, cyanotype, and rubber stamping will absorb you for an enjoyable afternoon; others like street photography, beach sculpture, and dog doodling can be done in the moment. Get painting, printing, drawing, making and imagining and discover how little moments of creativity can bring great joy.

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An easy way to get into this popular craft, with instructions, templates and contemporary projects that will soon get you going. The traditional craft of embroidery has gained a new excitement as a new generation of stitchers bring contemporary style to subjects like houseplants and modern interiors. This smart little book, written with beginners in mind, perfectly captures that aesthetic and gives you the skills you need to succeed. Embroidery covers the materials you need to get going, simple introductions to the key stitches, and ten contemporary projects that evolve in complexity. Each project has a template to be copied, enabling the reader to get started straight away and achieve great results in a short time. Brand-new step-by-step photography makes the whole process easy: and after only a couple of happy days with your needle and thread, you'll find that you're making designs to be proud of. Sew Botanical's Etsy store, where Alisha and Roisin's kits are available, carries hundreds of rave reviews for their designs, and has an average rating higher than 4.8*

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From the creator of Home Alone comes this delightful celebration of a day spent by the sea, complete with salty air, run-ins with sea life, and making forever friends. Frido is back and this time he's at the seaside. While his owner takes a nap in the shade, Frido sets off to explore. There are sandcastles to dig, waves to surf, beach games to disrupt and the arrival of an ice-cream truck. But can Frido find his way back to their sun umbrella before his owner wakes up?

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Welcome to England’s Ministry of Letters, the place where all the words in the world — in books, magazines, newspapers, road signs, posters, and more—start their lives, and from which the letters coordinate their critical missions to help children learn the alphabet. This book tells the story of Charlie Foxtrot, who starts school and finds mastering the alphabet confusing. The members of the Ministry’s Special Alphabet Service set off on a mission to Scotland to help Charlie and to open his mind to the power of letters and words. The charming artwork, reminiscent of classic children’s book illustrations from the 1950s and 1960s, combines with the witty text to bring the characters of the alphabet to life.

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An overview of the lost peoples and cultures who flourished and fought for survival alongside the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. Beyond the Greeks, Romans and Hebrews of the Classical and Biblical eras, a rich diversity of peoples helped lay the foundations of the modern world. Philip Matyszak brings to life these cultures and individuals that made up the busy, brawling multicultural mass of humanity that emerged from the ancient Middle East and spread across the Mediterranean and Europe. He explores the origins of forty forgotten peoples, their great triumphs and defeats, and considers the legacy they have left to us today, whether it be in fine art or everyday language. This carefully researched and illuminating history is the perfect introduction for the modern reader, packed with surprising facts and fascinating stories, detailed maps and beautiful illustrations of artefacts and sites of interest. Forgotten Peoples of the Ancient World offers a new understanding of these important civilizations that have been obscured by the passage of time.

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The significance of Hannah Ryggen (1894–1970) as one of the most important figures in the history of Scandinavian art has only recently been recognized internationally. Beloved and renowned for her original contributions to modernist tapestry, Ryggen made radical political statements against Fascism and Nazism before and during the Second World War. Using primary sources, Ryggen expert Marit Paasche brings us a much fuller knowledge of the artist, weaving her life and work into a story that illuminates not only the artist herself, but also 20th-century art history in general. Hannah Ryggen’s visually spellbinding tapestries, made on a homemade handloom in her small farm on the remote Norwegian coast, depict a wealth of subjects: Mussolini’s Abyssinian campaign, her husband’s internment in a Nazi camp in occupied Norway, the post-war growth of nuclear power, and media coverage of the Vietnam War. At once hard-hitting and humorous, her works combine personal candour, social and political engagement and visual majesty. Paasche explores both the artist’s bold subject matter and particular balance of abstraction and figuration within the context of her life and beliefs. Including a comprehensive selection of works, this book provides an enthralling account of a remarkable, and unjustly overlooked, artist.

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GamesMaster: The Oral History charts the highs and lows of Channel 4’s iconic and anarchic UK videogames entertainment show. First broadcast in 1992 amid a brash youth television takeover, the ambitious and sometimes chaotic production of GamesMaster is as much a story of the 1990s, set against a backdrop of videogame console wars, Britpop and a curious new thing called the World Wide Web. This definitive retrospective is guided by show host Dominik Diamond and features over 40 contributors, including production crew, celebrity guests and the games-playing members of the public who became either playground heroes or defeated outcasts vying for the iconic Golden Joystick prize.

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A major new survey that offers fresh insights on Pablo Picasso's artworks, written by a leading authority on the master. Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) was one of the greatest artists of the 20th century. This important new monograph, released to coincide with the fiftieth anniversary of the artist's death, presents Picasso's unparalleled achievements in all media: painting, sculpture, drawing and prints. Art historian and curator Pepe Karmel offers fresh analysis of this great master for a 21st-century audience, considering Picasso's work through the lens of art rather than biography. He demonstrates how Picasso's style, evolving over the course of seven decades, introduced visual languages and narratives that transformed modern art. Arranged chronologically by themes and movements, Looking at Picasso is profusely illustrated with renowned paintings, such as the provocative Les Demoiselles d'Avignon and his monumental Guernica, protesting the horror of war; these are accompanied by numerous lesser-known works, including Picasso's daring sculptures and his animated reinterpretation of Velazquez's 17th-century masterpiece Las Meninas. Numerous exhibitions planned for 2023 will bring Picasso to the forefront. This engaging book will appeal to museum-goers curious to learn more about Picasso's career and anyone interested in modern art.

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Virgin by Design is the official publication volume celebrating 50 years of daring innovation and creativity at Virgin, presenting the stories, the people and the work that went into the building and shaping of a much-loved and globally respected brand. More than a retrospective, it gets to the heart of the values that make the Virgin brand so unique, communicating how those values resonate with people today – and will continue to do so in the future. Based on in-depth research and interviews with all the key people who have played a part in Virgin’s companies past and present, Virgin by Design is organized into ten chapters – each with fully illustrated case studies – that provide a sense of how hard work and brilliant ideas have resonated with audiences worldwide. Spanning the full 50-year period from Virgin’s beginnings as a record store to its bold future in space tourism with Virgin Galactic, it also embraces Virgin’s broad diversity in terms of its global presence as a brand, its mission and purpose to change business for good, and in its offerings across multiple sectors, including travel, banking, health and fitness, communications and entertainment. Virgin by Design is packed with the wit, verve, spirit of adventure and ‘how it was done’ insights that will make it a must-have publication.

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The third title in the laugh-out-loud series of picture books starring Bad Apple, a truly terrible piece of fruit. It’s Granny Smith’s birthday party and all the apples are invited. There’s face painting, a piñata, a pile of presents and one of Snake’s finest cakes... Bad Apple can’t wait to spoil the fun! But it looks like this party pooper’s luck might have run out. Pineapple has had enough of Apple’s bad behaviour and is ready to teach him a lesson. In the third instalment of Huw Lewis Jones’s hilarious series of picture books, a truly terrible piece of fruit is once more wreaking havoc far beyond the rim of the fruit bowl. Illustrated in a deadpan, painterly style by Ben Sanders, Party Pooper will entertain the entire family.

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A man named René floats through the world of his dreams and imagination, fulfilling his desire to become a painter – of apples and hats, apple hats, apple-these and apple-thats. In his paintings, leaves are lips, baguettes are noses, the right side is never up, and the upside is never down. Inspired by the artwork of René Magritte, these whimsical, subversive illustrations mix everyday objects and words together in ways that are guaranteed to make children laugh and think.

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Steve Bloom is an internationally bestselling wildlife photographer and the author of Thames & Hudson's bestselling publication, Elephant!. Here, eighty of his stunning photographs and an entertaining text by David Henry Wilson capture every aspect of this wonderful creature's life and world. Why do elephants flap their ears? How much do they eat? Why do they roll in mud? This book answers these questions and many more, including intriguing facts about elephants' trunks, tusks and tails, their families and friends, what they get up to from dawn to dusk, and the special relationship between elephants and humans and elephants and other animals.

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From the Golden Age of Haute Couture in the 1900s to the lifestyle brands of the 1990s, this book looks, decade-by-decade, at the high fashion of the 20th century. Each chapter examines the significant stylistic changes that occurred in the decade in question, and places these in their cultural and political context. The book is illustrated throughout with photographs and drawings of the clothes and the people who wore them. Alongside the individual chapters, three designers that made their mark on fashion are discussed, as well as three key looks per decade. Many of the designers are household names; some are lesser known. But all these individuals, whether through their designs or their business practices, are exemplars of their age.

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Austrian Expressionist Egon Schiele produced a prolific body of work before his early death at the age of twenty-eight in the flu epidemic of 1918. As well as a few hundred oil paintings, he created nearly 3,000 drawings and watercolours. Limited access to these fragile works and dispersion among several collections have made a comprehensive survey of his work a rarity. This volume assembles this master draughtsman's works on paper, providing a unique opportunity to study his rapid artistic development over the course of his brief twelve years of activity. Jane Kallir, the author of Schiele’s catalogue raisonné, introduces each year of the artist’s output, discussing his step-by-step progression from child prodigy to master of the human form and expression.

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The Mediterranean has been the meeting-place of the cultures of Europe, Asia and Africa, the battleground of races and nations and the focus of three great religions, Christianity, Judaism and Islam. David Abulafia, doyen of Mediterranean scholars, has brought together a team of leading specialists from many countries to tell this enthralling and complex story as a connected narrative: from the physical setting, the prehistoric traders and the struggle between Phoenicians, Greeks and Etruscans ending in Roman victory, to the post-Roman nations, the Christian and Islamic powers, domination by England and France, and finally the twentieth century, divided between war and mass tourism. This study covers all of recorded history, incorporating recent research and tools ranging from linguistics to underwater archaeology, accompanied by spectacular illustrations. Here is the only complete and up-to-date overview of one of the great themes of world history.With 28 illustrations

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This book is a comprehensive library of dress styles to be used as a reference for the fashion designer, fashion student and anyone interested in the fashion industry. The book is a springboard for ideas. Designer-educators Tracy Fitzgerald and Alison Taylor document all aspects of the dress, offering a lexicon of design inspiration. Illustrated with a superb catalogue of visual imagery, the book provides a common fashion language of terminology and is supported by a glossary of terms, and cross-references for further research. Creating an overview of how the dress evolved and its impact on the fashion industry, the authors pay homage to the experimental, the beautiful, and the innovative, showing how a dress can encapsulate a designer’s vision and can often act as the key piece within a collection.

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A Times Best Art Book of 2022Reproductions of the young Lucian Freud’s letters alongside insightful context and commentary reveal the foundations of the artist’s personality and creative practice. The young Lucian Freud was described by his friend Stephen Spender as ‘totally alive, like something not entirely human, a leprechaun, a changeling child, or, if there is a male opposite, a witch.’ All that magnetism and brilliance is displayed in the letters assembled here. Ranging from schoolboy messages to his parents, through letters and carefully-chosen, often embellished postcards to friends, lovers and confidants, to correspondence with patrons and associates. They are peppered with wit, affection and irreverence. Alongside rarely seen photographs and Freud’s extraordinary works, each chapter charts Freud’s evolving art alongside intimate accounts of his life. We trace Freud’s early friendships with Stephen Spender, John Craxton, his wild days at art school in East Anglia, and a stint as a merchant seaman. Among the highlights are Freud’s accounts of his first trip to Paris in 1946 and encounters with Picasso, Alexander Calder and Giacometti (who, he thought, looked like Harpo Marx). Equally revealing are letters to and from his first love, Lorna Wishart and second wife, Caroline Blackwood. Among his friends and confidantes were Sonia Orwell and Ann Fleming: remarkable, hitherto unknown letters to both of whom are included. To Ann Fleming he wrote a richly-comic, six-page description of a high society fancy dress ball which took place at Biarritz in 1953. He also went to stay with Ann and her husband Ian in their house in Jamaica, Goldeneye. From there, he sent a stream of letters, plus a telegram to his colleagues at the Slade School of Fine Art (where he was supposed to be teaching): “PLEASE SEND TEN SHEETS GREY GREEN INGRES PAPER”. The volume ends in early 1954 with his inclusion at the age of 31, as one of the artists representing Britain at the Venice Biennale - the high point of his early career. Co-authored by David Dawson and Martin Gayford, this is the first published collection of Freud’s correspondence, many brought to light for the first time. Reproduced in facsimile alongside reproductions of Freud’s artwork, the letters are linked by a narrative that weaves them into the story of his life and relationships through his formative first three decades. Collectively, they provide a powerful insight into his early life and art.

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The culmination of several years of research by games writer Matt Leone, Like a Hurricane gathers together over 60 voices, spread across continents, disciplines and companies, speaking candidly on the vision, fearlessness, and bold ambition that made Street Fighter II a household name. A collaboration between Read-Only Memory and Polygon, Like a Hurricane is an extended and enhanced print adaptation of Matt Leone’s series of in-depth oral histories, published online in serial form by Polygon. This physical version has been extended and enhanced for print, featuring over 50 specially commissioned illustrations and extra research content. Featuring: Takashi ‘Piston’ Nishiyama, Hiroshi ‘Finish’ Matsumoto, Noritaka ‘Poo’ Funamizu, Yoko ‘Shimo-P’ Shimomura, and more than 50 others, including dozens of former Capcom employees, former Gamest magazine editor Zenji Ishii, combo video pioneer Tomotaka ‘TZW’ Suzuki, U.S. Street Fighter box artist Mick McGinty, Incredible Technologies CEO Elaine Hodgson, and former Capcom USA CEO Bill Gardner.

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A loving photographic celebration of the energy-drink-fuelled, furniture-rearranging, multiplayer gaming trend and its nocturnal participants. Before high-speed internet connections and online servers, playing a multiplayer PC game meant hauling your bulky monitors and towers to a friend’s place, convention centre or church basement for a LAN (local area network) party. These sweaty, junk-food-enriched glory days represented the origins of real community spirit in computer gaming’s early days. Many LAN party attendees were early adopters of new tech, so digital cameras abounded at these events. The photos produced by these devices were often low-resolution, blurry and badly lit. In their imperfections and limitations, they represent the messy, ad-hoc approach to computing typical of the LAN party – network cables snaking across recreation centre floors, a monitor perched on a kitchen counter, burned CD copies of games labelled in marker pen. In addition to documenting the nostalgic era of LAN parties, the photographs in this book are unique artefacts of a peculiar cultural and technological moment, when gaming was tipping over from niche hobby to mainstream obsession. This is the first full-size photobook on this beloved subculture, one that existed before the internet took shape and we started carrying it around with us in our pockets.

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Twenty collectors open their homes to reveal the weird and wonderful world of natural objects. From the cabinets of curiosity of the 19th century to today’s interest in foraged decorations, obsessive and eclectic collectors of natural objects have long filled their homes with their finds - everything from fossils and feathers to seeds and dried flowers. This book offers a glimpse inside twenty homes of the most interesting and creative collectors, revealing the stories behind their collections and how they celebrate their love of nature in their everyday spaces. This new generation of naturalists are using their collections to craft creative careers and decorate their homes with their finds. From a German manor filled with antique taxidermy to the Paris apartment of a sculptor working with feathers and an Italian beachside retreat that showcases foraged shells and pebbles, this book provides a wealth of inspiration for celebrating the beauty of the world around us more sustainably. Practical tips on everything from curating a shelf of objects or using them to decorate walls and surfaces offer plenty of ideas the reader can apply in their own homes. With our ever-increasing interest in finding new ways to reconnect with nature, this will be inspirational reading for all those who want to bring the outdoors in.

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'A spectacular treasury of treats. Page after page of utter joy: I can’t tear my eyes away' - Derren BrownIn The Spectacle of Illusion, professional magician-turned experimental psychologist Dr. Matthew L. Tompkins investigates the arts of deception as practised and popularised by mesmerists, magicians and psychics since the early 18th century. Organised thematically within a broadly chronological trajectory, this compelling book explores how illusions perpetuated by magicians and fraudulent mystics can not only deceive our senses but also teach us about the inner workings of our minds. Indeed, modern scientists are increasingly turning to magic tricks to develop new techniques to examine human perception, memory and belief. Beginning by discussing mesmerism and spiritualism, the book moves on to consider how professional magicians such as John Nevil Maskelyne and Harry Houdini engaged with these movements – particularly how they set out to challenge and debunk paranormal claims. It also relates the interactions between magicians, mystics and scientists over the past 200 years, and reveals how the researchers who attempted to investigate magical and paranormal phenomena were themselves deceived, and what this can teach us about deception. Highly illustrated throughout with entertaining and bizarre drawings, double-exposure spirit photographs and photographs of spoon-bending from hitherto inaccessible and un-mined archives, including the Wellcome Collection, the Harry Price Library, the Society for Physical Research, and last but not least, the Magic Circle’s closely guarded collection, the book also features newly commissioned photography of planchettes, rapping boards, tilting tables, ectoplasm, automata and illusion boxes. Concluding with a modern-day analysis of the science of magic and illusion, analysing surprisingly weird phenomena such as ideomotor action, sleep paralysis, choice blindness and the psychology of misdirection, this unnerving volume highlights how unreliable our minds can be, and how complicit they can be in the perpetuation of illusions.

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A new atlas of imaginary islands conjured up by an international gathering of illustrators, including work by Coralie Bickford-Smith, Bill Bragg, Marion Deuchars, Chris Riddell, Maisie Paradise Shearring, Hervé Tullet, Aušra Kiudulaite and more.Islomania is a recognized affliction. But what is it about islands that is so alluring, and why do so many people find these self-contained worlds completely irresistible? Utopia and Atlantis were islands, and islands have captured the imaginations of writers and artists for centuries. Venetian sailors were the first to make collections of them by drawing maps of those they visited in their isolari – literally the ‘island books’. Then in 1719 Daniel Defoe published his tale of a castaway on a desert island, Robinson Crusoe, one of the first great novels in the history of literature and an instant bestseller. Defoe’s tale combined the real and the imagined and transformed them into a compelling creative landscape, establishing a whole literary genre and unleashing the power of an island for storytelling. To celebrate the tercentenary of Robinson Crusoe’s publication, a truly international range of leading illustrators imagine they too have been washed up on their own remote island. In a specially created map they visualize what it looks like, what it’s called and what can be found on its mythical shores. In a panoply of astonishingly creative and often surprising responses, we are invited to explore a curious and fabulous archipelago of islands of invention that will beguile illustrators, cartographers and dreamers alike.

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A compelling visual anthology of one of photography's most popular subjects, reframing our understanding of why we photograph animals and why photographing them matters to us and the planet. A visual overview of the history and future of animal photography, Why We Photograph Animals encourages us to think and rethink the way we have looked at - and used - animals and to consider our future relationships with non-human species. Multi-stranded, this book features the work of more than 100 photographers supported by thematic essays that provide historical context; interviews with and contributions by leading contemporary photographers that explore their influences, methods and motivations; and dazzling visual collections that present the very best animal photography from its inception to the present day. The result is a book that will engage those with an interest in wildlife photography and the natural world, but also those with a concern for the future of the planet. Huw Lewis

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The definition of a supergraphic has changed over the last twenty years. Once, only a large decorative design on a wall or building was a supergraphic. Today it encompasses architectural delineation wayfinding and identifying signage, illustrative murals, and branding elements. A supergraphic can take the form of an enormous logo on the side of a building, a wall of multi-colored squares, or an oversized restroom symbol. Digital technology now allows for interaction and screen-based media on a large scale. The audience can now truly communicate with an architectural space in a unique and personal manner. The difference between a large overwrought design on the wall and a successful supergraphic is typically based on two points: a strong concept, and interaction with the architecture, light and space. Many people can paint stripes on a wall. But a designer can use the entire volume, sense place, context and changing environment to create a story with words, colour and shapes. This book includes examples of the best supergraphics internationally. These are evidence of the sense of delight when a beautifully crafted graphic solution and smart concept are married to remarkable architecture.

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The thirteen tricks and moves that all skaters need, stylishly presented. The beginner skateboarder will learn about their board and how to maintain it, a little about skatepark etiquette and safety, and all the basic moves necessary to get off to a confident start. The book then takes the thirteen key tricks that every skateboarder wants to learn and breaks them down into clear step-by-step instructions, with specially commissioned illustrations making them easy to follow and a pleasure to look at. With Jack's expert guidance you'll master the basic skills, and soon be popping doing ollies, kickflips, board slides, shuv-its and more.

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Discover Monocle’s favourite places to stay, eat, shop and visit across Spain. Hot on the heels of Portugal: The Monocle Handbook, Monocle’s latest title turns its focus to sunny Spain in the next of its country-specific books. This practical guide will steer you from the streets of Seville to the mountains of Mallorca, introducing Monocle’s favourite places to stay, eat, shop and visit across the country. Discover the sleekest beachside boltholes in the Costa Brava, the family-run restaurants plating up the tastiest tapas in Andalucía and the buzziest bars in Barcelona before getting your cultural fix in Valencia, Bilbao or Madrid. You’ll meet the Spaniards making waves in the fashion industry, visit the artisans turning out beautiful contemporary designs and hear from the chefs shaking up the country’s food scene. And of course you’ll find out the finest stretches of sand on which to lay down your towel. For those looking to put down roots in Spain, the book also profiles the cities, towns and neighbourhoods worth investing in, the architects and designers to commission and even some interior design inspiration for your apartment or holiday home. So, whether you are putting together an itinerary for a sun-soaked weekend or planning to stay a little longer, Spain: The Monocle Handbook makes the perfect companion.

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'Rendering' is the reproduction or representation of an architect's design in the form of a drawing of the building as it will appear, complete with accessory details such as trees, traffic and people. It is also much used in preparing drawings for engineers, designers and manufacturers, and in advertising and industry generally. Rendering with Pen and Ink is the classic guide to rendering techniques and methods - the standard work in its field. Its authoritative text and illustrations make it indispensable for students and staff in art colleges and universities everywhere.

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A beautifully illustrated guide to caring for your dog. Meet Lena and her rescue dog Jo! This is the true story of how Lena and Jo became best friends, told through Lena’s own beautiful illustrations. It’s also a guidebook, packed with useful tips about caring for a dog of your own. Learn how to choose a dog, how to train them, feed them and groom them, and pick up lots of fascinating facts about why dogs behave the way they do. Whatever the size and shape of your canine companion, this is essential reading for anyone who wants to be a dog’s best friend.

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As read by David Schwimmer on CBeebies Bedtime Story, now available as a board book. In this charming trip of the imagination, a little girl delights in experiencing life at a slower pace as she shares her day with a sleepy sloth who moves so slowly, moss grows in his fur! This sloth may be sleepy but it’s a champion on the jungle gym, thanks to its super gripping skills. And climbing trees has never been so easy! But the little girl’s hairdresser is less than impressed to find not just moss but also moths in its fur – and by the time our sleepy sloth has finished its morning walk, the day is almost done. Through rollicking rhymes and bold, graphic illustrations, If I had a sleepy sloth imagines the positives and negatives of having a sloth for a pet and provides a welcome alternative to the fast pace of modern life by creating the time for readers to simply b-r-e-a-t-h-e.

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WINNER of the 2018 4-11 Picture Book Awards (Fiction 4-7 category)One of the New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Books of 2017All I want to do on a rainy day like today is play my game, but my mum says it’s a waste of time. The game drives my mum mad. She takes it away. I take it back. I wish Dad had come with us on this rainy, grey weekend. Without my game, nothing is fun. On the other hand, maybe I’m wrong about that…

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Introductory spreads explain that bugs live nearly everywhere on Earth and give tips on how to become a young bug spotter. The book is divided into key groups of bugs, including beetles, moths, butterflies, bees, snails, crickets, grasshoppers, worms and spiders, all illustrated with scenic compositions. Some spreads approach the world of bugs thematically, such as bugs that come out at night, baby creepy-crawlies and life cycles, how bugs hide and show off and how some bugs love to live in your home. The text is chatty, funny and full of amazing facts.

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A testament to the art of colour composition, this book – art directed by Wong himself and produced to the highest printing standard – brings together a complete and refined body of images that are evocative, timeless and completely transporting. Rounding out the volume's special treatment is the first publication use of the 45/90 font, designed by Henrik Kubel, of London-based A2-TYPE. The book also features a section that reveals the creative and technical process of Wong’s method, from identifying the right scene to making a good composition, from capturing the essence of a moment to enhancing colour values and deepening an image’s impact – insights that will be invaluable to admirers and photography enthusiasts alike.

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