Search results for ""Thames Hudson Ltd""

The love of place is endemic in English literature, from the work of the earliest poets and hermits to the suburban celebrations of John Betjeman, covering all varieties of the British rural and urban landscape. This book presents an image of Britain as seen by writers of different regions and periods, and also illuminates the way in which their work has changed our visual attitudes, our taste in landscape and our relation to nature.

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Few have left a deeper impression on the world of typography than Jan Tschichold (1902–74), one of the most outstanding and influential designers of the 20th century. Not only was he was a master in his field, but he wrote a number of highly influential books and became instrumental in promoting the modernist design strategy called the New Typography. This substantial volume covers Tschichold’s life and career, placing the designer’s vision firmly in the rich cultural and historical context of his era. Tschichold embraced avant-garde ideas from movements such as the Bauhaus and De Stijl and made them accessible to working designers and printers, stressing clarity in communication, with form and function going hand in hand. The contributing writers discuss the designer’s major influences and the highlights of his varied career, including his seminal poster designs, his groundbreaking work with Penguin Books, and his creation of the classic typeface Sabon. Lavish illustrations – archive photographs, many published here for the first time, as well as copious examples of Tschichold’s work – accompany the text, confirming that Tschichold’s heritage lives on in the digital age, and proving that he is amongst the greatest typographic designers ever.

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A new take on Southeast Asia’s complex history, expertly told through art objects and cultural artefacts dating from the Neolithic Age to the present. Southeast Asia is home to numerous world heritage sites. Through engaging texts and expertly curated objects from the British Museum collection, arranged chronologically and thematically into seven chapters, this volume offers a new approach to one of the most complex and diverse areas of the world. Every object tells a story in a wide-ranging and accessible selection that illuminates the civilizations, societies and local cultures that have defined Southeast Asia over the past 6,000 years. From the emergence of early agricultural communities and stratified societies to the rise of powerful empires and religious developments in Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Christianity, and to the eras of colonial rule and independence, curator and art historian Alexandra Green traces and explores the variety of Southeast Asian cultures. The texts describe the region through a broad range of objects, including sculptures from the historic civilizations of Java, Angkor, Bagan and Sukhothai, as well as ceramics, furniture, religious items, basketry, textiles, popular posters and contemporary art. This book is an informative visual delight for curious minds everywhere.

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The story of the illustrated book from the earliest printed books to the present day, told through the collections of the V&A’s National Art Library. This is the story of the illustrated book, from the earliest printed examples to the present day, told through the collections of the National Art Library at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London – a library that was created to bring together examples of superlative book-making on almost every subject. Gathered here are some of the most influential, compelling and striking examples of the illustrated book, arranged thematically in chapters devoted to subjects such as art, literature, religion, architecture, natural history, fashion, and shopping. Brimming with innovative and beautiful examples, ranging from well-known titles, such as Owen Jones’s Grammar of Ornament and James Audubon’s Birds of America, to other wonderful but less familiar publications, this collection offers a fascinating overview of some of the finest illustrated books ever created – demonstrating their enduring appeal.

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Aubrey Beardsley (1872–1898) was only 25 when he died from tuberculosis, but in his short life he established a reputation as one of the most accomplished – and controversial – illustrators of his day, whose contribution to the visual language of Art Nouveau was profound. Astonishingly, all his work was created in the course of only six years, and is today instantly recognizable for its use of black ink and flowing lines on white paper – and its erotically charged subject matter. Not all his work was lubricious – some of it was political, poking fun at the decadent mores of the time – but much of it was, taking its stylistic inspiration from Japanese shunga and Greek vase painting and its thematic inspiration from mythology, history, poetry and drama. This beautifully designed, accessibly priced gift book offers a wealth of illustrations by Beardsley, and introduces his exquisitely wrought drawings and prints to a new audience. With a text by Jan Marsh and around 110 illustrations from the extensive collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum, this book brings together a carefully curated selection of works from Beardsley’s tragically short but highly productive life.

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Focusing on 56 selected works from the 1970s to today, Pushing paper examines why drawing has endured as a method of making art, and explores the vital and fundamental nature of drawing through themes such as systems and process, identity, place and space, time and memory, and power and protest. These broad themes allow for original connections to be made between images, which will inspire all practitioners of drawing. Supported by the Bridget Riley Art Foundation, the book showcases work by major contemporary artists from around the world, including Phyllida Barlow, Louise Bourgeois, Judy Chicago, Adel Daoud, Richard Deacon, Tacita Dean, Peter Doig, Tracey Emin, Richard Hamilton, Jacob El Hanani, David Hockney, Ellen Gallagher, Andrzej Jackowski, Anish Kapoor, Anselm Kiefer, Minjung Kim, Marcia Kure, Nja Mahdaoui, Sol LeWitt, Bahman Mohassess, David Nash, Eduardo Paolozzi, Cornelia Parker, Grayson Perry, Gerhard Richter, Bridget Riley, Susan Schwalb, Hamid Sulaiman, Imran Qureshi, Hajra Waheed and Rachel Whiteread, as well as exciting works by lesser-known artists. Aimed at admirers of drawing, and artists and students alike, Pushing paper provides an arresting analysis of the status of drawing in the world of contemporary art.

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From medieval pilgrim badges and Renaissance hat decorations to jewelled brooches and twentieth-century political pins, brooches and badges are often more than practical or decorative dress fasteners; they are expressions of identity. Focusing on the V&A¹s world-famous collection, Brooches & Badges explores the evolution of these intricate and versatile works of art, and the way in which changes in dress have dictated their use.

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A mini-monograph on Samuel Fosso, the renowned Cameroon-born Nigerian photographer. Samuel Fosso (b. 1962) is one of Central Africa’s leading contemporary artists, whose playful and perceptive work investigates Pan-African identity and history through the use of portraiture. Fosso’s path to artistry was found through his initial work as a commercial portrait photographer, utilising his leftover film by capturing self-portraits against well-considered backdrops and incorporating pose, costume and props. Renowned for his ‘autoportraits’ - styling himself and others as characters from popular culture or politics – Samuel Fosso reflects the world around him through a distinct aesthetic that has at times defied Nigerian dictatorial decree. Fosso’s work is now held in the public collections of the Museum of Modern Art and the Tate, and he was the recipient of the Prince Claus Award of The Netherlands, in 2001.

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Man Ray is one of seven new titles being published this spring in Thames & Hudson’s acclaimed ‘Photofile’ series. Each book brings together the best work of the world’s greatest photographers in an attractive format and at an easily affordable price. Handsome and collectable, the books are printed to the highest standards. Each one contains some sixty full-page reproductions printed in superb duotone, together with a critical introduction and a full bibliography.

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A world of beauty and genius is unveiled in over 350 photographs which take you on an epic journey celebrating the finest examples of architecture from over 2,000 years of civilization. Deftly splitting the history of architecture into two parts at AD1500, World Architecture: The Masterworks contains over 80 buildings, over 40 of which are featured in detailed photo essays. Will Pryce’s texts provide an extra dimension of understanding for the contexts, peoples and evolution of architectural history.

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Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa and the buildings he created have become legendary in the region and influential around the world. Few architects achieved his harmonious fusion of local building traditions with modern forms and sensibility Bawa's early works were houses that artfully married vernacular styles and responses to climate and site with a modern architectural vocabulary. Soon his talents were applied on a larger scale, to the Sri Lanka parliament, a number of carefully situated and designed hotels, schools, offices and other public buildings. The summation of his oeuvre is symbolized by his own two residences – a house in Colombo and a residential complex in Lunuganga – whose evolution eloquently reflect Bawa’s career and personality. This ambitious publication is a comprehensive documentation and appreciation of Geoffrey Bawa and his work and includes a rich portfolio of his most important works, including some rarely published projects. An exhaustive reference section includes a complete chronology.

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Lovers of gold, wine and war, the Celts have no voice because they left no written records. Much of what we know of them comes from their enemies, the Romans, who finally crushed them, and from the weapons and ornaments they buried with their dead. From these traces we can now resurrect a sophisticated people who dominated Europe for 500 years. These highly cultured 'barbarians', with their exquisite jewelry and metalwork, were eventually driven to the edges of the known world – yet were destined to shine out once more in the art of Celtic Christianity.

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A limited-run, special publication created to showcase the work of 10 young photography talents from top US art school SCAD, to be published in the year of T&H's 75th anniversary. Class of 2024 is a unique and deeply individual look into the future of photography, showcasing the work of ten students or recent graduates from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), USA. Introduced in their own words, and illuminated by essays from established writers, curators and editors, their photographs cross genres from portraits to landscape, fashion commissions to private projects, collages to film stills and offer up ten very different yet equally compelling and imaginative ways of looking at the world today, in all its complexity. Wilfully subjective and guided only by the strength of the creativity within its pages, this book, published to mark the 75th anniversary of publishing house Thames & Hudson, aims to capture a moment in time, support new talent and inspire lovers

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Engaging encounters, personal anecdotes and jargon-free critical insights into some of the liveliest creative minds in modern art, by an international art world insider. Praised by theArt Newspaperas the best art writer of his generation', Michael Peppiatt has encountered many European modern artists over more than fifty years. This selection of some of his best biographical writing covers a wide spectrum of modern art, from Van Gogh and Pierre Bonnard, to personal conversations with painter Sonia Delaunay, artist Dora Maar, who was Picasso's lover in the 1930s and 1940s, and Francis Bacon, perhaps the most famous of the many artists with whom Peppiatt has formed personal friendships. Michael Peppiatt's lively, engaging writing takes us into the company of many notable art-world personalities, such as the Catalan painter Antoni Tàpies, whom he visits in his studio, and moments of disillusion, such as his meeting with the self-mythologizing artist Balthus. Art criticism blends w

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A sumptuous treasury of Dior scarves. Plain and elaborate, commonplace and precious, fashionable and timeless, masculine and feminine: Dior's silk scarves form a unique visual repertoire and cover a gamut of palettes, themes and styles. The epitome of Parisian chic, they express the poetic imagination of the creative directors who have shaped the destiny of the house, from Christian Dior to Maria Grazia Chiuri. Unveiling the history and artistry of Dior's scarves from the first designs to today, this sumptuous book celebrates their incredible variety and beauty as never before. At its heart is an atlas of over 400 scarves, organized by theme and printed on a delicate paper that replicates the texture of the scarves themselves. Dior's creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri, who has overseen the creation of this volume, contributes a foreword. The atlas is supplemented by exclusive visual essays from renowned photographers Brigitte Niedermair and Pol Baril, as well as texts by dis

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An accessible, design-savvy collector's guide to the world of unusual, rare and dazzlingly retro watches. Retro Watches is a popular, accessible collector's guide for anyone who wants to make a statement with the watch they wear, but who wants to choose a timepiece that is very different from the classic' and very mainstream watches by the major Swiss brands. It brings together the most intriguing, visually striking and out-there' watch designs from little-known but influential watch brands, along with overlooked but brilliant pieces from the major players. One hundred watch models are featured, specially photographed for the book and accompanied by accessible, informative texts discussing the watch's design, its intriguing features, and its rarity and value. The book also dives into the cultural and fashion history of watch design and the many innovations from the 60s, 70s and 80s.

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New in the Art Essentials series, an introductory guide to the art of looking at and engaging with photography. Everything counts in a good photograph, even down to the smallest details. This introductory guide is structured to help you develop new and more in-depth ways of looking at images, whether as a viewer or practitioner or just out snapping with your smartphone. Looking at Photographs outlines key approaches to help us understand why a photograph captures our attention and moves us. Across seven chapters, visual culture expert Laurent Jullier discusses themes and concepts that are essential to understanding the medium, including: photography as a reflection of reality; manipulation and defamiliarization; focus, perspective and space; time and the moment; identity, portraits and selfies; the power of images. With examples drawn from across the world and throughout the history of photography, from Louis Daguerre to Julia Margaret Cameron, László Moholy-Nagy, Dorothea

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A revised and updated edition of Sir John Summerson's classic book. Derived from the principles of Greek and Roman architecture in antiquity, the classical style has long dominated the history of western architecture from the Renaissance to the present. Sir John Summerson’s timeless text, as relevant today as it was when first published, distils the visual language of architecture into its core classical elements, and illustrates that building throughout the ages express an awareness of the ‘grammar’ of style and its rules even if they vary, break or poetically contradict them. From the original edifices of Greece and Rome to the recapitulations and innovations of the Renaissance; the explosive rhetoric of the Baroque to the grave statements of Neo-classicism; and finally, the exuberant eclecticism of the Victorians and Edwardians to the 'stripped Neo-classicism' of some of the moderns; Summerson explains how every period has employed classical language to make their statement. With a new introduction by academic and architectural historian Alan Powers, this introduction continues to be one of the defining texts on the subject and is essential reading for all students of architecture.

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The most ambitious and comprehensive book on women’s vintage fashion ever published, featuring over 1,000 garments dating from the 1920s to the 1980s. This is not just another history of fashion: it is a survey of how fashion past continues to inspire fashion present. It features over 1,000 stand-out pieces, together with over 300 contextual illustrations, dating from the 1920s to the 1980s, including many icons of vintage fashion, from Marilyn Monroe’s bra to the Ossie Clark dress made so famous by David Hockney’s painting. Each garment is explored from the viewpoint of the contemporary fashionista looking to build a vintage wardrobe. The book is organized into three main sections. 'Decades' explores the shapes and fabrics that define the look of each period. 'Elements' explores the individual components of a vintage look, everything from hat to shoes. 'Hallmarks' explores fashion’s perennial themes, from florals to the ever-popular Little Black Dress. Finally, a reference section includes invaluable practical advice for fans and collectors of vintage.

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Discover the lives of the ancient Romans, pieced together from inscriptions, discarded letters, biographies and myth over two thousand years of history. The Roman empire witnessed a huge diversity of human experience over its history. At its pinnacle, it exerted its rule across Europe, Africa and the Middle East, from Britannia to the Black Sea. In this collection of 100 lives, Philip Matyszak and Joanne Berry give voice not only to famed rulers and generals whose names and deeds have been enshrined in classical texts but also to the ordinary citizens – centurions, scholars, Christian martyrs and civil servants – who made up the fabric of Roman society. The biographies of these individuals, whose stories range from the happy and uneventful to the tragic and dramatic, are pieced together from ancient art, artefacts and myths. Matyszak and Berry illuminate the sometimes surprising exploits of Rome’s women, such as Amazonia, a sword-swinging gladiator, and Metila, a priestess of the cult of Cymbele. Romans of every class and creed are represented, from Faustulus, a shepherd said to have adopted the infant Romulus and Remus, to the poet Virgil, whose words still echo down the ages. Each of these lives forms part of a larger picture, together making up a rich mosaic that gives us a glimpse of what it meant to be a Roman.

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A lavishly illustrated look at the sources behind the paintings of Francis Bacon. Francis Bacon famously found inspiration in photographs, film-stills and mass-media imagery. In this new, updated edition of In Camera, Martin Harrison reveals how these sources informed some of Bacon’s most important paintings and triggered decisive turning points in the artist’s stylistic development. Key influences, including the masters Velázquez, Poussin and Rodin, the photographer Eadweard Muybridge and the film director Sergei Eisenstein, are given close consideration. Bacon’s work is examined in relation to the precedents set by other artists working in the tradition of making use of mechanical reproductions, including Pablo Picasso and Walter Sickert, and in the context of his contemporaries Lucian Freud, Mark Rothko, Graham Sutherland and Patrick Heron. With the aid of over 270 illustrations, including valuable source images and documents, In Camera is a bravura accomplishment of original research, addressing important questions about Bacon’s painting practice and shedding fresh light on his life and work.

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In a brand-new approach, this book presents photography in all its principal forms of experience, to portray the unique characteristics of this accessible and universally appealing medium. Arranged chronologically, legendary photographs are discussed alongside photobooks that represent a significant contribution towards photography, as well as important exhibitions that marked a shift in outlook, values and approach. In art history, particular works are usually cited as examples of specific styles; here photographs are given as indicative of art movements, which often developed precisely because of these examples. Among the works included are many that have had a profound impact across the globe, so circumventing or at least weakening the usual European-American emphasis. This guide is an inclusive and diverse account of the contributions of photographers from around the world from the birth of photography to the present day. Featuring stunning reproductions throughout with short essays and key references on each work by the widely respected photography academic and specialist David Bate, this title is set to become one of the definitive references on the subject and will appeal not only to readers seeking an introduction, but also to those more familiar with the medium.With 110 illustrations in colour

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A collection of intimate and revelatory first-hand accounts of pandemics through the ages. Humanity has always been struck by pestilence and pandemics, from the plagues of ancient Egypt to the pox that ravaged Europe in the Middle Ages, to Covid-19. People living through the crises have always recorded what they saw, what they felt, and what they did. Some presented sober facts laced with anecdote, while others produced emotional outpourings; moralists speculated on the origins of the horror, poets distilled the suffering. Doctors described how they were able to advance their understanding of disease and scientists how to cure it, while survivors and the families of victims gave the inside story of the nightmare that develops when a long-feared disease enters your home or your body. There was a time when to read accounts of the Plague in Wittenburg by Martin Luther or the Great Plague of 1665 by Samuel Pepys – scenes of anguish and woe, empty streets, quarantined houses, closed businesses, overflowing graveyards, heroic doctors and nurses, quack remedies and charlatans – was to enter a disturbing and unfamiliar world. Today, to read the same words is to be hit by a jolt of recognition and understanding. As well as causing a huge loss of life, the Covid pandemic has taught us a great deal about ourselves and the way we live, illuminating tensions at the heart of society. This collection of intimate and revelatory first-hand accounts of pandemics through the ages bears witness to despair, rage, the blackest of humour, heartbreak and hope. These voices hold up a mirror to our own experiences of, and responses to, the crisis today.

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What is contemporary art? What makes it ‘contemporary’? What is it for? And why is it so expensive? The contemporary art world can be a baffling place, but Kyung An and Jessica Cerasi are on hand to bring you up to speed. From museums and the art market to biennales and the next big thing, Who’s Afraid of Contemporary Art? offers concise and pointed insights into today’s art scene, decoding ‘artspeak’, explaining what curators do, demystifying conceptual art, exploring emerging art markets and much, much more. The authors’ playful explanations draw on key artworks, artists and events from around the globe, including Felix Gonzalez-Torres’s ‘Candy Spills’, extreme Chinese performances, Damien Hirst and Kanye West. Packed with behind-the-scenes information and completely free of ‘artspeak’, Who’s Afraid of Contemporary Art? is the perfect gallery companion and the go-to guide for when the next big thing leaves you stumped.

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Available for the first time in an updated, compact paperback format, this book offers a stunning photographic survey of Ireland over the last seven decades, from the 1950s to the present day. Organized decade by decade, the images show the lingering influence of rural life in the 1950s; the hidden story of ordinary Irish men and women, living in a divided society during the troubled years of the sectarian conflict; the South’s huge economic growth at the end of 1990s, baptised the ‘Celtic Tiger’, and Ireland’s perpetual quest for identity, from the 1950s to the present day. Each decade is commented on by a notable contemporary Irish literary figure: Anthony Cronin, Nuala O’Faolain, Eamonn McCann, Fintan O’Toole, Colm Tóibín and Anne Enright invite the reader to dive into the social and political context of each period, providing a textual backdrop to the photographers’ work.

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Manifesting in a broad range of media, from massive land and environmental works and extensive sculpture parks to giant public murals, ‘destination art’ demands to be found and met in its own space and on its own terms. Some works require a committed pilgrimage to find – in deserts, forests, and quarries, on farmland and in mountains, in ghost towns and nature reserves. Others might be hidden gems in urban environments. What unites them in every instance is an artistic symbiosis between the installation and its setting. Through the eyes of renowned art historian Amy Dempsey, the magic of public art comes alive – and while the art is undoubtedly important, the journey there is often equally so. Perfect both for armchair adventurers and keen globetrotters, Destination Art offers a clear way in to a vast subject. From the vibrant Rainbow Village in Taiwan and the Rock Garden of Chandigarh, to Antony Gormley’s Inside Australia at Lake Ballard, Dempsey expertly guides readers through the most exciting and significant destination artworks in the world. Each featured installation is accompanied by a short essay, stunning photographs and useful information on key works and where to find them.With 104 illustrations in colour

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The idea of heaven on earth haunts the human imagination. The day will come, say believers, when the pain and confusion of mortal life will give way to a transfigured community. Such a vision of the world seems indelible. Even politics, some reckon, has not escaped from the realm of the sacred: its dreams of the future still borrow their imagery from the prophets. In Heaven on Earth, T.J. Clark sets out to investigate the very different ways painting has given form to the dream of God’s kingdom come. He goes back to the late Middle Ages and Renaissance – to Giotto in Padua, Bruegel facing the horrors of religious war, Poussin painting the Sacraments, Veronese unfolding the human comedy. Was it to painting’s advantage, is Clark’s question, that in an age of enforced orthodoxy (threats of hellfire, burnings at the stake) artists could reflect on the powers and limitations of religion without putting their thoughts into words? At the heart of the book stands Bruegel’s ironic but tender picture of The Land of Cockaigne, and also Veronese’s inscrutable Allegory of Love. The story ends with Picasso’s Fall of Icarus, made for UNESCO in 1958, which already seems to signal – perhaps to prescribe – an age when all futures are dead.

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How did our universe come to exist? Why do stars shine? Is there life beyond the Earth? For millennia, humans have looked to the celestial sphere to explain the cosmos, first recording the movements of the Moon 25,000 years ago. Since the Enlightenment and the dawn of the space age, scientists have been unravelling cosmic mysteries, and raising astonishing new questions for future generations to answer. Today we live in an age of unprecedented astronomical revelation, from the discovery of water on Marsto the detection of gravitational waves and the first photograph of a black hole. World-renowned astronomer Paul Murdin explains the science behind these discoveries, along with the passions, struggles and quirks of fate that made them some of the most intriguing dramas of their times, demonstrating how human ingenuity and technological innovation have expanded our knowledge of the Universe beyond anything our ancestors – even as recently as a generation ago – could ever have imagined.

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Bohemian style is characterized by free-flowing fabrics, bright colours and a multitude of clashing patterns. Heavily inspired by the 1960s and 1970s free-spirited way of life, it is one of the most versatile styles of decoration. Sometimes rule-breaking and always personal, it could be best described as a an effort to live in complete harmony with your surroundings. Forget about famous designers and carefully planned decorating schemes – boho is a style often built up over time and is the antithesis of trend-following. This handbook shows how to create a tailor-made Bohemian home. Working through the house one room at a time, it highlights classic items of furniture and signature accessories, from chandeliers and kilims to plants and lanterns. In-depth case studies demonstrate the essential elements and provide inspiration, while colour combinations are explored to help personalize this iconic style for the home. Anyone who hankers after the Bohemian look and is eager to bring it to their own home will find this book a valuable resource.

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In a world in which many photographers seek to avoid definition, Roger Ballen’s photographs define themselves in their defiance of classification and genre: his world stands out as one of a kind. The black-and-white images featured in Asylum of the Birds were created exclusively within the confines of a house in a Johannesburg suburb, the location of which remains a guarded secret. The inhabitants of the house, both human and animal – including, most notably, the ever-present birds – are the cast of Ballen’s world, performers amidst the theatrical interiors that they create and he orchestrates. The resulting images exist in a space between painting, drawing, installation and photography. They are timeless, psychologically powerful and masterfully composed.

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Women – as warriors, workers, mothers, sensual women,even absent women – haunt 19th- and 20th-century Western painting: their representation is one of its most common subjects. Representing Women brings together Linda Nochlin’s most important writings on the subject, as she considers work by Miller, Delacroix, Courbet, Degas, Seurat, Cassatt and Kollwitz, among many others. In her riveting, partly autobiographical, extended introduction, Nochlin documents her own pioneering approach to art history; throughout the seven essays in this book, she argues for the honest virtues of an art history that rejects methodological assumptions, and for art historians who investigate the work before their eyes while focusing on its subject matter, informed by a sensitivity to its feminist spirit.

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One of the most compelling and controversial figures in history, Akhenaten has captured the imagination like no other Egyptian pharaoh. Known today as a heretic, Akhenaten sought to impose upon Egypt and its people the worship of a single god – the sun – and in so doing changed the country in every way. In this immensely readable re-evaluation, Nicholas Reeves takes issue with the existing view of Akhenaten, presenting an entirely new perspective on the turbulent events of his seventeen-year reign. Reeves argues that, far from being the idealistic founder of a new faith, Akhenaten cynically used religion for purely political ends in a calculated attempt to reassert the authority of the king. Backed up by abundant archaeological and documentary evidence, Reeves’s closely written narrative also provides many new insights into questions that have baffled scholars for generations – the puzzle of the body in Tomb 55 in the Valley of the Kings; the fate of Nefertiti, Akhenaten’s beautiful wife, and the identity of the mysterious successor, Smenkhkare; and the theory that Tutankhamun, Akhenaten’s son and true heir, was murdered.

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In 1814, Hokusai’s sketches were published in a handbook of over 4,000 images: Hokusai Manga. It surpassed expectations as a student reference book, and became a bestseller. Here, in an elegant, three-volume package, an expansive selection of these works are revealed, presenting all of the themes, motifs and drawing techniques found in his art. The caricatures, satirical drawings, multi-panel illustrations and narrative depictions found in the book can clearly be seen as the basis for manga as it is understood today. One volume explores The Life and Manners of the Day (studying habits and objects of the everyday, from architectural features to wrestling moves and facial expressions); the second The Whole Earth Catalogue (largely concerned with nature, from animals to rock faces and fish); and the third presents the Fanciful, Mythical and Supernatural (with images narrating myths and displaying fantastical creatures).

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The Big Idea shortlisted for series design in the British Design and Production AwardsModern medicine is exceptionally powerful, and has achieved unprecedented successes. But it comes at a price; individuals suffer from medicine’s failures, and the economic costs of medicine are now stratospheric. Have we got the balance wrong? Is Medicine Still Good For Us? sets out the facts about our medical establishments in a clear, engaging style, interrogating the ethics of modern practices and the impact they have on all our lives.

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Asian empires led the world economically, scientifically and culturally for hundreds of years, and posed a constant challenge to the countries of Europe. How and why did those empires gain such power, and lose it? What legacies did they leave? This book brings together a team of distinguished historians to survey seven great Asian empires that rose and fell between 800 ce and the mid-20th century: the Mongol Empire, Ming Dynasty of China, Khmer Empire, Ottoman Empire, Safavid Empire of Persia, Mughal Empire of India and the Meiji Restoration in Japan. Compellingly written, The Great Empires of Asia shows how those seven empires played a key role in forming today’s global civilization – and how, with the renewed ascendancy of Asia, their legacies will help shape the continent’s future.

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Throughout history, intrepid men and women have related their experiences and perceptions of the world’s great cities to bring them alive to those at home. The thirty-eight cities covered in this entertaining anthology of travellers’ tales are spread over six continents, ranging from Beijing to Berlin, Cairo to Chicago, Lhasa to London, St Petersburg to Sydney and Rio to Rome. This volume features commentators across the millennia, including the great travellers of ancient times, such as Strabo and Pausanias; those who undertook extensive journeys in the medieval world, not least Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta; courageous women such as Isabella Bird and Freya Stark; and enterprising writers and journalists including Mark Twain and Norman Lewis. We see the world’s great cities through the eyes of traders, explorers, soldiers, diplomats, pilgrims and tourists; the experiences of emperors and monarchs sit alongside those of revolutionaries and artists, but also those of ordinary people who found themselves in remarkable situations, like the medieval Chinese abbot who was shown round the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris by the King of France himself. Some of the writers seek to provide a straightforward, accurate description of all they have seen, while others concentrate on their subjective experiences of the city and encounters with the inhabitants. Introduced and contextualized by bestselling historian Peter Furtado, each account provides both a vivid portrait of a distant place and time and an insight into those who journeyed there. The result is a book that delves into the splendours and stories that exist beyond conventional guidebooks and websites.

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It is the year 1415, the epic battle of Agincourt has just been fought, and never has it been a more glorious time to be a knight. But as any warrior will tell you, the path to chivalry is not an easy ride. This entertaining manual will tell you all you need to know about the ups and downs of knightly life in the Middle Ages, from how to look your best on the battlefield to the going rates for ransoming a duke, as well as the best places to go on crusade and how to deal with the amorous attentions of courtly ladies. Expertly researched and written by a leading medieval historian, Knight is packed with fascinating detail, amusing anecdotes and quotes from those who were there at the time, truly bringing the medieval world to life.

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A selection of key essays by one of the most influential voices in art history, including seven previously unpublished pieces. This illustrated, edited collection of essays brings together for the first time some of the pioneering art historian Linda Nochlin’s most important writings on modernism and modernity from across her six-decade career. Before the publication of her seminal tract on feminism in art, ‘Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?’, Nochlin had already firmly established herself as a major practitioner of a politically sophisticated and class-conscious social art history, with her writings on modernism being transformative to the discipline. Nochlin embraced Charles Baudelaire’s conviction that modernity meant to be of one’s time - and that the role of an art historian was to understand the art of the past not only in its own historical context, but according to the urgencies of the contemporary world. From academic debates about the nude in the 18th century to the work of Robert Gober in the 21st, whatever she turned her analytic eye to was very much conceived as the art of the now - the art we need to look at to navigate the complexities and contradictions of the present.

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Contemporary African art has grown out of the diverse histories and cultural heritage of the African continent and its diaspora. It is not characterized by any particular style, technique or theme, but by a bricolage-like attitude towards art-making, incorporating and building upon the structures from which older, precolonial and colonial genres were made. In this revised and updated edition of Contemporary African Art, Sidney Littlefield Kasfir examines the major themes, developments and accomplishments in African art of the 20th and 21st centuries. Organized thematically, the book includes new chapters on the history of African photography and the growth of the global art market, alongside significant discussions of patronage and mediation, artistic training and national and diaspora identities.

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With its bold colours, flashy imagery and ironic spirit, Pop Art trespasses the traditional boundaries separating high from low culture. Flavia Frigeri introduces us to a movement that focuses on everyday objects, from its beginnings in the post-war consumerism of America and Britain to its fascinating rise on a global scale in the 1960s. The work of well-known artists, such as Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Richard Hamilton and Peter Blake, is set in dialogue with that of Japanese Ushio Shinohara, Venezuelan Marisol and Argentinian Marta Minujín, among others. Organized around key themes common to all Pop Art, including advertising, politics, the domestic realm, consumer goods, art history, celebrity culture, war and the space race, this is an essential introduction to the movement that transformed the ‘popular’ into art. A reference section includes a useful timeline, glossary of Pop terms and suggestions for further reading.

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Looking at pictures can be a delightful, exciting or moving experience, but some pictures – and these are often the most rewarding – require some explanation before they can be fully understood. Delving into the origins, designs and themes of over 100 pictures from different periods and places, this book illuminates the art of looking at – and talking about – pictures. Woodford shows how you can read a picture by examining the formal and stylistic devices used by an artist, and explores popular themes and subject matters, and the relationship of pictures to the societies that produced them. The book is supplemented by a glossary of key terms, ranging from art movements and technical terms to religious and classical terminology, to give readers all the information they need at their fingertips.

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This stylish publication celebrates the impact Scandinavian culture has had internationally on art, design, fashion, food and interiors, and seeks out those creatives and tastemakers who are currently making their mark on the world stage. Following an introduction by the author providing an overview of hygge (and its antithesis, uhygge) and its place in the Nordic mindset, the book is divided into five themed chapters featuring interviews with designers, artisans, restaurateurs and bloggers, who share their insider knowledge on the hippest Scandinavian products, brands, trends and locations. Finally, a third section presents the best sources and locations of where to fully experience the hygge phenomenon.

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Curated by Ryan Doyle and Mark Edwards, who work together under the name of DR.ME, Cut That Out focuses on the compositions of 50 leading designers and studios from 15 different countries for whom collage has been the key to creating vibrant, effective work – among them Hort, Paul Sahre and atelier bingo. As well as the diverse, cutting-edge work featured throughout, each profile includes a Q&A with the artist that serves to both put the work in context and highlight the visual differences between each designer by exploring their varying methods and attitudes towards to Cut That Out is a rich seam of inspiration to be mimed by all students and graphic designers who wish to explore the creative possibilities of collage in their work.

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Make your Mark is divided into three: 'Draw', 'Paint', 'Make'. It celebrates and discusses the work of forty-five urban artists, extraordinarily diverse but united by one basic principle: their work is completely fresh, original and the epitome of creativity - the perfect antidote to the jaded imagery that fills our streets and our media. The names - 44 Flavours from Germany, Bault from France, Morcky from Italy, Ricardo Cavolo from Spain, Zio Ziegler from the USA, Fuco Ueda from Japan, Raymond Lemstra from the Netherlands, Joao Ruas from Brazil and many others - will be unfamiliar to most; the talent they display, indisputable, courageous, always distinctive, is a joy.

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Myths in every culture explain our origins, the earth’s creation, gods and monsters, demons, the afterlife and the underworld. This compelling account, newly available in paperback, gathers together themes and stories from every culture, showing how myths share many common patterns, and how the human imagination is expressed in all its diversity. It asks the question: what do myths tell us about the human condition? Compiled by Christopher Dell, the bestselling author of books on monsters and on masterpieces of world art, Mythology is packed with authoritative text and an inspired selection of images, chosen from unusual and hidden sources while also including some of the best-known representations of myths from around the world.

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This ambitious volume, newly available in paperback, explores the rich history of the book, one of the most efficient, influential and enduring technologies ever invented. For more than 2,500 years, the book, in a wide range of forms, has been used to document, to educate and to entertain. The eminent authority Martyn Lyons charts its worldwide evolution through the centuries, from the cuneiform tablets of ancient Sumer through the development of moveable type and the emergence of the modern information revolution. Among the carefully selected illustrations are Maya codices, Egyptian papyrus scrolls, medieval illuminated manuscripts, masterpieces of early printing from Gutenberg and Aldus Manutius, atlases from the great age of travel and exploration, primers and children’s books, dime novels and Japanese manga, and works of fiction ranging from Don Quixote to Level 26 , the world’s first ‘digi-novel’, and beyond.

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This authoritative survey of Viking history and culture, now available in paperback, tells the complete story of the Vikings from their origins in Scandinavia during the first millennium ad, through the incredible period of raiding, trading and settling known as the Viking Age, to their last surviving settlements in 15th-century Greenland. Drawing on the very latest discoveries and augmenting textual evidence with fine archaeological detail, this sweeping narrative, written by a leading authority, creates a vivid picture of the Vikings at home and abroad in an era that laid many of the foundations of the modern world.

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