Search results for ""Thames Hudson""

This Book Thinks You’re a Maths Genius explores seven key areas of maths: geometry, space and volume, statistics, numbers and number patterns, codes and ciphers and the concept of infinity. Each spread centres on an open-ended question that introduces a key mathematical concept and suggests activities that engage the child in a fun and entertaining way. Activities include predicting the trajectory of a Malteser; building loo roll skyscrapers; mind-reading magic tricks; devising your own spy code; and working out the physical correlations between your dad and Usain Bolt. The end of the book includes a section of paper-based crafts including the kit to make a cardboard football and a data log for family quirks.

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Celebrating the centennial of Saul Leiter’s birth, the official retrospective of a revolutionary figure in twentieth-century photography. Saul Leiter photographed and painted nearly every day for over sixty years, amassing an enormous archive, most of which remained unseen during his lifetime. Finding inspiration within a few blocks of his apartment in Lower Manhattan, he was a master at discovering beauty in the most ordinary places. Celebrated today for his evocative colour photographs of New York in the 1950s and 1960s, which were unknown in their day, Leiter also found success as a fashion photographer for Harper’s Bazaar. All the while he was shooting black-and-white street scenes on his daily walks, and nudes and intimate portraits back home, while continuing his painting explorations with abstract watercolours, whimsical sketchbooks and painted photographs. Created in collaboration with the Saul Leiter Foundation, this definitive monograph brings together these diverse yet interconnected bodies of work – including much that was previously unpublished – to reveal the complete artist for the first time.

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Eddie knows her mum would love a Fluffy Squishy Itty Bitty for her birthday. The only problem is that she doesn't know what a Fluffy Squishy Itty Bitty is, or where to find one! Join Eddie as she tours the whole town, trying to track down the perfect present.

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Magnum Dogs is the ultimate collection of canine photography for the discerning dog lover, bringing together a brilliantly diverse and cheering selection that showcases the visual wit and skill of the Magnum team. It features some 180 photographs of dogs from across the world, organized into five thematic chapters – Streetwise, Best in Show, At the Beach, Behind the Scenes and It's a Dog's Life. Canine encounters include immaculately coiffured showdogs captured in wryly observed photography from the likes of Martin Parr and Harry Gruyaert, or intimate glimpses of Hollywood stars alongside their trusted, four-legged confidants, as seen through the lenses of Eve Arnold and Dennis Stock. Whether depicting strays roaming the streets of Colombia or pampered pooches lounging in Parisian apartments, these photos brim with affection, humour and insight into the human as well as canine condition. Packaged in an irresistible gift format, this is the perfect book not just for fans of the very best photography of dogs, but for anyone, around the world, who is a ‘dog person’ at heart. With 180 illustrations in colour

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It Might Be an Apple is a boisterous, philosophical shaggy dog story for young children – and probably a few adults. The story follows a child’s hilarious, wildly inventive train of thought through all the things an apple might be if it is not, in fact, an apple. Distrusting the apple’s convincing appearance, the child’s imagination spirals upwards and outwards into a madcap fantasy world – maybe it’s a star from outer space with tiny aliens on board? Perhaps it wants a cool hairstyle? Does it feel scared, or snore at night? Children can see what all these crazy, funny things might look like. This book is not only huge fun, but it also encourages a questioning, challenging approach to the world around us.

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Your guide to mindful photography, peaceful contemplation and a slow creative practice, including hands-on assignments, enlightening concepts and inspirational stories. In a world where millions of images are shot at every moment of every day and where fast-paced environments exhaust and stifle creativity, The Mindful Photographer proposes an antidote: slowing down. Through twenty concepts as varied as ‘Confidence’, ‘Gratitude’, ‘Playfulness’ and ‘Compassion’, all combined with hands-on assignments, Sophie Howarth invites readers to reflect on their photographic practice and learn to pause, pay attention and become more at one with the world around them. From the canonical to the contemporary, The Mindful Photographer features the works of photographers including Saul Leiter, Rinko Kawauchi, Sally Mann, Edward Weston, Gueorgui Pinkhassov, Teju Cole, Sarker Protick, Tamsin Calidas and many more. Their images are accompanied by quotes, stories and anecdotes to inspire the reader, simultaneously broadening their photographic knowledge and creative perspectives. Putting aside preconceived ideas and the competitive pressures of picture-perfect Instagram posts, the book rewires our relationship to photographic practice as one to be experienced as unconditionally joyful and rewarding. Sophie Howarth’s insightful and soothing texts work as a guide to both a mindful approach to photography, and a photographic approach to meditation. Offered in a highly affordable and pocketable format, this will be the must-have companion for anyone seeking the spiritual benefits of creative practice and a more mindful approach to engaging with their world through photography.

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The Street Photographer’s Manual celebrates the spirit of street photography with inspiring instruction to help you capture the perfect urban moment. Through twenty simple project tutorials on subjects such as ‘Sequences’, ‘Shadows’ and ‘Objects’, as well as illustrated profiles of twenty internationally acclaimed street photographers, including Bruce Gilden, Nils Jorgensen and Trent Parke, author David Gibson gives you a visual tour of the medium – perfect for the aspiring street photographer. This new edition showcases captivating work by emerging artists on the street photography scene, updated advice on Instagram, and a foreword by leading street photographer Matt Stuart.

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‘The Château de Versailles is a real photographic challenge because it is so huge: there is an infinite number of possible points of view and they are never the same, depending on the time of day, the weather or the season… There are always new photos to take, to contemplate, to dream of. It is a demanding place that stimulates creativity and encourages you to look at it again and again’ Thomas Garnier Versailles is one of the most photographed places in the world, but only four people have the privilege of being the Palace’s official photographers. They have uniquely unfettered access to the secrets that lie within, outside and beneath this enormous domain where they spend their days – and sometimes their nights. Now, for the first time, they open their personal albums to offer a wealth of impressions and responses. Two hundred and fifty previously unpublished photographs reveal a plethora of outstanding artworks, the private apartments of Louis XIV, MarieAntoinette and Madame de Pompadour, magnificent galleries, the delightful Orangerie and more, all accompanied by texts that provide a lively introduction to daily life at the Château and its momentous history. This is a monumental volume on a scale that matches the grandeur of the worldrenowned Palace it celebrates.

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When Karl Lagerfeld was named at the helm of the fashion house in 1983, he set out to radically shake up and update its image – not only through bold collections but also, from 1987 onwards, by choosing to shoot the house’s campaigns himself, a move that was unprecedented for a fashion designer. Conceived in collaboration with Karl Lagerfeld and the House of Chanel, this definitive publication opens with an essay by Patrick Mauriès before exploring the campaigns themselves, organized chronologically. A carefully curated selection of images showcases hundreds of spectacular clothes worn by the top fashion models – and personalities – of each era, from Inès de la Fressange, Claudia Schiffer, Kate Moss and Cara Delevingne, to Kirsten Stewart and Lily Rose Depp, captured in glamorous locations, from Coco Chanel’s Paris apartment to the French Riviera or LA. Presented in a high-end, slipcased package, Chanel: the Karl Lagerfeld Campaigns offers an unrivalled overview of the house of Chanel as seen through the eyes – and lens – of Karl Lagerfeld himself.

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Tibetan yoga is the hidden treasure at the heart of the Tibetan Tantric Buddhist tradition: a spiritual and physical practice in pursuit of an expanded experience of the human body and its energetic and cognitive potential. Ian A. Baker progressively introduces the core principles and practices of Tibetan yoga in this pioneering overview. In addition to meditations, visualizations and practices for the breath and body, these include elements rather less familiar to yoga initiates in the West, including sexual yoga; dream yoga or lucid dreaming; and yoga practices enhanced by psychoactive plant or mineral substances. Baker draws on contemporary scientific research and contemplative and humanitarian traditions to enable the reader to understand these practices. The book includes ethnographic photography and works of Himalayan art that have never been published before, as well as illustrations of yogic practice and theory from historical books of instruction.

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The complete, definitive and never-before-published catalogue of Hipgnosis, Vinyl • Album • Cover • Art finally does justice to the work of the most important design collective in music history, which, according to Roddy Bogawa, director of the documentary Taken by Storm (2011), ‘designed half your record collection’. Founded in 1967 by Storm Thorgerson, Aubrey ‘Po’ Powell and Peter Christopherson, Hipgnosis gained legendary status in graphic design, transforming the look of album art forever and winning five Grammy nominations for package design. Their revolutionary cover art moved away from the conventional group shots favoured by record companies of the day, resulting in the ground-breaking, often surreal designs which define the albums of many of the biggest names in the history of popular music: 10cc, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Peter Gabriel, The Police, Genesis, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Paul McCartney, Robert Plant, Syd Barrett, Throbbing Gristle, T. Rex, Wings, Yes and XTC, to name but a few. Arranged chronologically, Vinyl • Album • Cover • Art features stunning reproductions of every single Hipgnosis cover – 372 in total – coupled with detailed information by Po and Storm Thorgerson on the artworks and the compelling stories behind their creation. Additional contributions by Peter Gabriel, Marcus Bradbury, and Pentagram’s Harry Pearce provide engrossing insights into the way these incredible artworks came into being; place the covers in context; and reflect on their enduring impact on album design. A highly accessible stand-alone volume, Vinyl • Album • Cover • Art will also make the perfect pop partner to the groundbreaking Hipgnosis | Portraits (2014) with its rare revelations and behind-the-scenes photography.

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Alexander McQueen has grasped the public’s imagination like few other fashion designers before him, with exhibitions dedicated to his work continuing to attract record visitor numbers. Almost 500,000 people visited the V&A’s 2015 ‘Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty’ exhibition, making it the most popular in the museum’s history. Opening with a brief essay on the designer’s work, Alexander McQueen: Unseen unfolds chronologically. Each collection is introduced by a concise text by Claire Wilcox, one of the foremost experts on the McQueen’s work, revisiting the designer’s most iconic creations across his entire career and revealing previously unseen behind- the-scenes moments that capture models, hairdressers, stylists, make-up artists and Alexander McQueen himself at their most candid and creative. Robert Fairer’s stunning and high-energy photographs, all previously unpublished, capture the glamour, grit and spirit that made McQueen’s flamboyant shows unique. A treasure-trove of inspiration, they make this publication a must-have reference for fashion and photography lovers alike.

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This book presents full step-by-step instructions for the making of early 17th-century men’s clothes and accessories in a technically accurate, visually exciting and easy-to-follow format. Twelve garments – all historical pieces from the Victoria and Albert Museum’s collections – are featured: a suit, three doublets and a cloak, as well as a felt hat, an embroidered nightcap and a plain nightcap liner, a pasteboard picadil, a sword girdle and hangers, a pair of mittens and a linen stocking. They have been analysed so that every aspect of the pattern is exact. Scale patterns and precise construction diagrams are accompanied by colour photography of the whole garment as well as an abundance of informative details and X-ray photographs that reveal the hidden structure of each piece, showing the precise number of layers and the types of stitches used inside. The methods and techniques of historical tailoring and plain sewing are shown in detail. The authors have some of the best historical tailoring skills in the world and have worked with world-renowned institutions such as the Globe Theatre in London, creating award-winning costumes for film, stage and television. This book is a unique resource for costume and fashion designers, fashion historians and students.

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‘There is no marriage, yet, for human beings and animals ... I never thought I would fall in love like this with a cat’ – Karl Lagerfeld Choupette is the constant feline companion of designer Karl Lagerfeld, creative director at Chanel. She has her own iPad, eats next to Lagerfeld at the table from Goyard china, and has inspired couture collections. Choupette occasionally delivers words of wisdom to her devotees via Twitter, but here for the first time is her complete guide to the art of living. It is full of observations and precious advice from Choupette’s vet, Madame Horn, and her housekeeper and maid, Madame Françoise, who keeps her daily diary. The book is divided into themed chapters on diet, beauty, healthcare, fashion tips, secret loves and pet hates. This is guaranteed to be this season’s most talked-about cat book, the perfect chic gift for cat lovers, the fashion-conscious and the style-aware.

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Following the critical and commercial success of Pattern and Ornament in the Arts of India, Henry Wilson has turned for this companion volume to a single theme. But what a theme: the variety of floral motifs in the exquisitely wrought details of India’s architectural wonders is boundless, and one can only marvel at the way in which the basic elements of wood, stone and plaster have been transformed into masterworks of decorative art. From the illustrious Mughal Empire during its greatest period of monument-building and artistic creativity to the time of British rule, which brought with it an unprecedented period of peace that allowed great wealth to be concentrated on the arts, the richness of India’s architecture is overwhelming. Henry Wilson’s fine photographs reveals the skill, patience and pictorial imagination of the many thousands of craftsmen who have turned to floral motifs and rendered them with precision and life-enriching creativity. Juxtaposed with the photographs are Wilson’s own graphic transpositions of the designs – a wealth of detailed drawings, all created by hand but with a stencil-like clarity that helps us understand the original historical patterns. The result is an invaluable sourcebook that will appeal not only to those interested in one of the world’s oldest civilizations and greatest cultures, but also to anyone seeking inspiration for their own graphic creations.

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Lavishly illustrated and exquisitely deisgned, this book opens with a stunning series of images of style icons – historic and modern – wearing their favoured emerald jewelry. As befits a prized gemstone that is twenty times rarer than diamond, here we see together, for the first time, pieces worn by celebrities ranging from filmstars to royalty, all alongside classic images of emeralds from art, advertising and fashion, celebrated in a text by Franca Sozzani, editor of Vogue Italia . The second part of this major volume showcases more than forty of the world’s most significant and famous pieces of emerald jewelry, including many previously unseen designs from private and royal collections. Historic creations that are up to 5,500 years old are represented alongside all the modern jewelry houses. The third and final part of Emerald tells the story of the emerald trade from mine to market, illustrated with specially commissioned photography taken across four continents.

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The essential purpose of a staircase is utilitarian: to facilitate ascent and descent. Yet the design of even the simplest stair is complex, requiring great knowledge, skill and ingenuity. This volume showcases the astonishing diversity of staircases over the centuries, from the stepped pyramids of the Maya to the exquisitely proportioned stairs of the Renaissance, to the elaborate balustraded confections of the Baroque period, to the virtuosic, computer-aided designs of today. A superb range of photographs, many specially taken for this publication, illustrates clear and accessible written surveys by specialist architectural historians. From Renaissance masterpieces, the sweeping curves of Art Nouveau, the functional beauty of the Bauhaus, to high-tech contemporary dream creations, the staircase is a powerful emblem of technological and artistic achievement. Architectural tours de force all, often charged with religious, mystical and hierarchical meaning, these staircases are inherently dynamic, as is every page of this fascinating and beautifully illustrated book.

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Creativity isn’t an occupation, it’s a preoccupation. It is at the very core of what makes us human. It’s also a fundamental challenge that everyone faces in the modern world, be they in business, in education or a struggling artist or musician. Being creative and innovative and communicating our ideas effectively and persuading others is vital. Who could be better able to demystify and set out some useful, generous advice on how to improve, sustain and nurture creativity than one of the world’s greatest advertising creatives and founder of an advertising agency renowned worldwide for its excellence? In this book, John Hegarty takes 50 provocations and themes that lie at the heart of creative thinking. These range from those with complex depths that lie beyond deceptively simple titles such as ‘Idea’, ‘Ego’, ‘Money’ and ‘Technology’, to others that look at the complexities of modern life, such as dealing with cynics in the workplace, or the best way of getting angry. Hegarty’s message is always crystal clear and promotes the benefits of simplifying, thinking boldly and being undaunted by challenges. With this book, when a challenge confronts them, readers will find that one of the great minds in advertising is there to guide them.

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The late 19th and early 20th centuries were a time of elegance and extravagance for Russia’s ruling tsars and the wealthy families with whom they were linked by marriage, and nowhere are these tastes more apparent than in the imperial jewels. Stefano Papi uncovers the fascinating stories behind the jewels and the people who wore them. The revised edition has 48 more pages than the first and includes some 50 additional images of jewels as well as contextual photographs.

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This major new work comprises more than 1,000 images that highlight the beauty, subtlety, simplicity or complexity of textiles created around the world. The juxtaposition of historical and contemporary examples highlights the skill and imagination of textile designers throughout history, as well as the remarkable range of achievements. Thematic illustrated sections present in-depth knowledge and sweeping insights into the role textiles have played throughout all human civilization, and illuminate the ways in which structure or surface decoration or embellishment enhance this most tactile of arts. With a definitive text by Mary Schoeser, drawing together knowledge gathered over a liftime of immersion in the textile arts, no other book in the vast literature on the subject has so comprehensively celebrated the spectacular and enduring appeal of textiles.

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An essential reference for anyone working with ceramics, from weekend crafters and students to practising ceramicists seeking a one-stop reference on techniques and processes, this workshop reference covers both traditional and contemporary practices, collecting the breadth and range of ceramic techniques into one definitive volume for amateur and specialist alike. A directory of materials, tools, machinery and furniture describes everything you need to set up an effective workshop. It includes an extensive guide to forming techniques, from pinch, coil, slab and wheel to mold-making, slip casting and extrusion, detailed sections on slip decoration, embossing and glazing, glaze recipes and applications. These techniques are explored thematically to facilitate the process of discovery that takes place in the workshop, supported by detailed descriptions and step-by-step photography. At the back of the book there is a comprehensive guide to firing and kilns, along with charts and tables for quick reference. All techniques are examined closely for relevance to practice and quality of finish. The practical processes of running a workshop are discussed alongside the more complex techniques of making unique work. Examples of how to set up a studio, good workshop practices, tool making, and recycling of materials act as a foundation to creating a strong workshop environment to carry out your work.

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‘Pietre dure’ are mosaic designs made from semi-precious stones. This richly illustrated, large format book brilliantly captures the beauty and craftsmanship of this ancient technique of ‘painting in stone’, looking at decorative stonework techniques from prehistory to the present day, but focusing in particular on the period from its rebirth in 16th-century Rome to the developments of the 19th century.

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The Hermès scarf is one of the greatest fashion icons of all time.Worn by royalty and celebrities, coveted and admired, and now avidly collected, this deceptively simple square of silk is much more than just an accessory: it is the stuff of legend. Now for the first time the heritage and influence of House of Hermès is fully explored, from the first scarf’s debut in 1937 right up to the present day.

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7 Reece Mews, South Kensington, was Francis Bacon’s home and studio for over thirty years. After he died in 1992, access was granted to award-winning photographer Perry Ogden to work undisturbed for days on end to produce this riveting record of the house and its contents. He captured every part of the small building’s hidden interior: the rickety wooden staircase; the kitchen with its ‘gallery’ of Bacon works in reproduction; the bedsitting room with its bookcases piled high. In the studio itself, thirty years of inspired artistic endeavour had accumulated unchecked: the slashed, discarded canvases scattered across the floor; the brushes, rags and tins encrusted with layer upon layer of paint; the surfaces used as impromptu palettes; the last unfinished self-portrait on the easel. For some, Bacon’s studio was an heroic statement, a work of art in its own right, constructed to distil and give form to his aesthetic intentions. In this astonishing book we are invited to take an intimate and privileged look around his private space, and to gain unrivalled insights into how, why and what he painted.

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A bumper edition of John Peacock’s renowned costume drawings, charting the development of women’s and men’s clothing from the 1920s onwards. This beautifully illustrated, easy-reference volume features over 2,100 meticulous illustrations that record in fascinating detail the ways in which fashion has changed year by year, decade by decade, from the boyish silhouette of the 1920s right through to the structured ‘power dressing’ of the 1980s. Day wear, evening dress, sports and leisure wear, accessories, underwear and wedding wear are all portrayed, accompanied by complete descriptions of colour, cut, necklines, lapels, sleeves, pockets, fastening, buttons and belts. The reference section includes a chart that summarizes the evolution of fashion and garment-shapes through the decades, as well as biographies of the outstanding designers of each era. The Complete Fashion Sourcebook will be indispensable to all fashion enthusiasts, historians and collectors, and will be an invaluable sourcebook for any designer or student working in the performing arts.

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Christopher Dresser (1834–1904) is one of the most influential British designers of all time and he is widely regarded as Britain’s first independent industrial designer. His works still look remarkably modern more than a century later. Like his contemporary William Morris, Dresser advocated for an ‘honesty of materials’, but unlike Morris he fully embraced industrial techniques, designing for the growing consumer market. Dresser’s fascination with the arts of Japan and his advocacy of Owen Jones’s principle that ornament should be geometrical in form resulted in a range of designs that look surprisingly minimal for their time. Affordable, well-designed, functional and commercially successful, the objects that Dresser designed – wallpapers, textiles, carpets, ceramics, furniture and, most famously, metalwork – were industrially produced by manufacturers across the UK, the US and continental Europe. This compact, beautifully produced book on the work of Christopher Dresser begins with a brief introduction to his life and work before presenting 75 of his most important pieces, each accompanied by a narrative-style caption. It will appeal to anyone interested in modern design.With 117 illustrations in colour

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Jewels and Jewellery surveys splendid early medieval pieces and superb examples of Renaissance, Arts and Crafts, Art Nouveau and 21st-century jewellery. Exquisitely detailed photography reveals both rare and precious stones as well as the elaborate techniques of the jeweller’s craft such as chasing, enamelling and cameo. Claire Phillips considers the history of Western jewellery in three parts, first exploring the materials used by jewellers, then turning to the development of styles in jewellery from the Middle Ages to today, before exploring the ways in which jewellery has been hallmarked, distributed and worn over recent centuries. The book concludes with a glossary, bibliography and list of key designers. Showcasing pieces by Cartier, Tiffany and Liberty, this beautiful volume is the ultimate guide to the history of Western jewellery.

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An introduction to the work of the celebrated fashion photographer. An experimenter and innovator, Erwin Blumenfeld (1897–1969) produced an extensive body of work including portraits and nudes, celebrity portraiture and advertising campaigns – but it is his fashion photography for which he is best known. Having fled Paris during World War II, Blumenfeld forged a stellar path in New York, where he worked for Harper’s Bazaar, American Vogue, Helena Rubinstein, L'Oréal and Elizabeth Arden. Discover Blumenfeld’s masterful work through sixty full-page reproductions in this title in the Photofile series. The curator Emmanuelle de l’Ecotais contributes an introduction.

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Salgado’s images of the Sahel famine and his colossal project ‘Workers’ would be enough to make his reputation and justify all the awards he has received. But there is more.A native of Brazil, trained as an economist, Sebastião Salgado has shown a constant faith in mankind, a solidarity that never wavers or flinches in the face of pain, an ability to analyse extreme situations, a fierce drive to affirm what he truly is, a humanist photographer.

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No photographer is more closely associated with a city than Brassaï (1899–1984) is with Paris. From the moment he moved there in 1924, he devoted his life and art to immortalizing his adopted city – capturing the street life by day, the cafés and the Seine by night. A friend of Picasso and Henry Miller, Brassaï knew and photographed the leading figures of his day – Giacometti, Sartre, Dalí, Matisse and Mann among them. His most famous portraits and cityscapes, collected in this volume, form a unique vision of life in pre- and post-war Europe.

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Bill Brandt 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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Marwa al Sabouni was a little-known architect, living in battle-ravaged Homs, unable to practice her profession as the buildings and the lives around her and across Syria were reduced to rubble. Rather than flee her country, like so many of her compatriots, she remained, committed to the belief that the multilayered and multifaceted society she grew up in was worth rebuilding. She turned her fierce intelligence to chronicling how her city and country were undone through decades of architectural mismanagement and mistakes. The result was The Battle for Home. Published in 2016, the book and her story attracted the attention of international news media and received critical acclaim around the world. She became a TED fellow; some suggested she be nominated for architecture’s highest honour, the Pritzker Prize. Until the book was published, al Sabouni had rarely travelled outside of her native country, but The Battle for Home gained her invitations to speak to audiences, institutes and experts across the world. Her travels, combined with her deep understanding of the Middle Eastern heritage and values, provided al Sabouni with insights into a wide range of cities, which informed her views on how cities best work, how they might fail, and what can be done to enrich and harmonize the lives of all their inhabitants. This is a rich journey, drawing together several narratives: her personal observations of some of the world’s most fascinating cities, from Detroit to Helsinki, from Bristol to Amsterdam; the lessons that Western societies might learn from Islamic culture; and philosophical reflections, drawing on a range of thinkers, on how our personal and communal spaces can provide the basic foundations for happiness. Through this rich tapestry of personal experience, unblinking perspective, and unsettling insight, al Sabouni offers the reader real-world solutions – and hope – for how the conditions for enduring peace might be created in an increasingly polarizing world.With 24 illustrations

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It was around Kengo Kuma’s tenth birthday that he came into contact with Kenzō Tange’s fishlike Yoyogi National Gymnasium, completed for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, and determined that he would become an architect. In the intervening five or so decades, he has become one of the world’s most fascinating and influential architects. Kuma is known throughout the world for his formally daring and materially expressive buildings, recognized for his inventive use of traditional materials, and his use of innovative materials in vernacular forms. He is perhaps less known for his work inside his native Japan, where he works actively towards the preservation of ancient building techniques and craft. A keen curiosity for all forms of building and a wealth of knowledge about the world acquired through expansive travels make Kuma a unique commentator on Tokyo’s dynamic architecture. Through twenty-five stories, this intimate little publication paints a picture of how a building inspired a boy to become an architect, how Japan’s national heritage helped form his thinking, and how his professional experience has made him one of the most successful architects of his generation. This book contains something for everyone: design acumen, insights into Japanese culture, a tour of Tokyo and the heartfelt commitment to producing buildings that have meaning and longevity.With 41 illustrations, 21 in colour

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A Chronology of Architecture presents a fresh perspective on the medium by taking a purely chronological approach to its history, tracing the complex links between structural innovations, social changes, and artistic interventions. Organized around a central timeline that charts the development of architecture from the earliest structures to the present-day skyscrapers and global cities, it features key buildings, together with commentaries and contextual information about the social, political and cultural events of the period in which they were built. Special feature spreads highlight important movements, construction methods and key practitioners. Covering a wide selection of genres, styles and architects, it is invaluable as a comprehensive guide to architecture in all its different forms.

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Established on the global stage by the international success and influence of architects such as Peter Zumthor and Herzog & de Meuron, today’s generation of architects in Switzerland draws on the country’s distinctive landscape of alpine peaks, crystalline lakes and efficient cities, and fuses traditional Swiss materials with new high-tech tools and innovative construction methods. New Swiss Architecture documents fifty of the most important buildings of the last decade through architectural photographs that highlight their exceptional detail, attention to context and material experimentation. Because of their isolated locations, many of these buildings are little known, despite having been designed by leading architects, including Christ & Gantenbein, Gigon/Guyer, Valerio Olgiati, Charles Pictet, Richter Dahl Rocha and Diener & Diener. The book is presented in two sections: the first comprises a photographic portfolio of projects organized into themes: Alpine, Infrastructural, Recreational, Rural, Suburban, Urban. The second section describes each of the featured buildings through drawings, plans and concise texts.

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Here is a lively, vibrantly illustrated social and cultural history of the Aboriginal Australians, from their origins to the present day. The book explores the spiritual beliefs and Dreamings of the Indigenous people, their complex social structures and relationship with the land, and their struggle to survive the trials of colonization and forced assimilation. It also looks in depth at their massive cultural renaissance over the past four decades, with comprehensive coverage of the way in which Aboriginal art and literature have become flagships for Australian culture.

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Egon Schiele lived in Vienna during its last years as capital of the declining Habsburg Empire. Rejected by his family and hounded by society for his interest in young girls, he expressed through his art a deep and bewildering loneliness and an obsession with sexuality, death and decay. Schiele died at the age of twenty-eight, yet he left behind him a body of work that sustains a huge public reputation – and myth. This profusely illustrated book delves into both the controversial sexual themes and neglected aspects of Schiele’s art, notably his formal experiments and his later expressionist portraits and allegorical paintings – works that reveal much about the importance of his short career.

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Colour is all around us; we take it for granted as a naturally occurring aspect of all things. Yet colours are also manufactured, and the science of pigments, hues and dyes has an ancient and fascinating history. What were the colours of Ancient Egypt? What did its artists use to paint their magnificent frescoes? Where do indigo and ochre come from? Why is purple the colour of royalty? What are pastels? How many colours are there? Why do we dye our food? Who invented ink? What are white and black made of? What is the symbolism of yellow? From the 40,000-years-old painted caves at Lascaux to the medieval cloth trade that enriched Europe, to the synthetic chemistry of today, the history of colour making has a central place in our lives. This book surveys the history of dyes and pigments, the invention of new colours and the industries that were fuelled by them.

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How does a sign represent something other than itself? How do we understand the meaning of a written symbol? Can clothes be a sign? Can sounds? Signs and symbols represent ideas and objects and, over time, these marks and gestures have multiplied into a complex network of images. This handy pocket-book combines scholarship, documentary evidence and fantastic illustrations to provide the story of how we have interacted with signs and symbols across the ages.

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A landmark study of ancient Greek and Roman cults, from the nocturnal mysteries at Eleusis to the cults of Dionysus and Mithras. Mystery cults are one of the most intriguing areas of Greek and Roman religion. In the nocturnal mysteries at Eleusis, participants dramatically re-enacted the story of Demeter's loss and recovery of her daughter Persephone; in Bacchic cult, bands of women ran wild in the Greek countryside to honour Dionysus; in the mysteries of Mithras, men came to understand the nature of the universe and their place within it through frightening initiation ceremonies and astrological teachings. These cults were an important part of life in the ancient Mediterranean world, but their actual practices were shrouded in secrecy, and much of what they were about has remained unclear until now. This is the first book to describe and explain all the major mystery cults of the ancient world, cult by cult, reconstructing the rituals and exploring their origins. It makes plentiful use of artistic and archaeological evidence, as well as ancient literature and epigraphy. Greek painted pottery, Roman frescoes, inscribed gold tablets from Greek and South Italian tombs and the excavated sites of ancient religious sanctuaries all contribute to our understanding of ancient mystery cults. Making use of the most recent work on these cults, the book is also informed by crucial current work on the anthropology and cognitive science of religion. Not only is this clearly written book a significant contribution to the study of these cults, but it is also accessible to a general readership. More than any other book on ancient religion, it allows the reader to understand what it was like to participate in these life-transforming religious events.

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A pioneering look at early Scotland that transforms prehistory into gripping narrative history. The story of the land that became Scotland is one of dramatic geological events and impressive human endeavour. Alistair Moffat’s gripping narrative ranges from the great thaw at the end of the Ice Age – which was instrumental in shaping Scotland’s magnificent landscape – through the megalith builders, the Celts and the Picts, to the ascension of King Constantine II. Moffat deploys his knowledge with wit and deftness, interweaving the story with numerous special features on topics as diverse as cave drawings of dancing girls, natural birth control, the myth of Atlantis and the Zoroastrian Towers of Silence – all of them valuable, sometimes quirky, additions to the whole picture. Rounding out the account is a selection of carefully chosen colour photographs that give a strong sense of the Scottish landscape and monuments. Erudite and entertaining, Before Scotland transforms our understanding of a neglected period. A story of dramatic geological events and impressive human endeavour, it is essential reading for anyone interested in the land that became Scotland.

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The lives of 40 men and women behind some of the world’s most exciting gardens. Throughout history great gardeners have risen from all walks of life. Some have been aristocratic amateur gardeners, others professional designers with an international practice. Some have come to garden-making from sister arts such as sculpture or painting; others have been hands-on nurserymen or botanists. What they all have in common is the ability to take an idea and develop it in a new manner relevant to their times. The book contains four sections. ‘Gardens of Ideas’ moves from the politically allusive gardens of 18th-century England made by men such as William Kent, to Charles Jencks’s Scottish garden inspired by 21st-century cosmography. ‘Gardens of Straight Lines’ explores the lives of the great formalist gardeners, from Le Nôtre at Versailles to the rational English minimalism of contemporary designer Christopher Bradley-Hole. ‘Gardens of Curves’ begins with that great exponent of the English landscape garden, ‘Capability’ Brown, and leads to the extraordinary Brazilian designer Roberto Burle Marx. Finally, ‘Gardens of Plantsmanship’ moves from the father of naturalistic planting, William Robinson, to the sweeping prairies of New York’s favourite Dutch designer, Piet Oudolf.

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A comprehensive introduction to the styles and techniques of portrait photography. Through simple projects on subjects such as 'Making Self-Portraits' and 'Capturing Personal Moments' as well as captivating profiles of twenty internationally acclaimed photographers, Cian Oba-Smith and Max Ferguson give you a visual tour of the medium. Perfect for the aspiring portrait photographer, this manual includes: • Projects with which to experiment and develop your technique • Inspirational profiles of leading photographers from around the world • A complete overview of the most exciting, continually evolving form of photography

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A major study of Ukrainian art from 1900 to the mid-1930s – with loans from major museums in Ukraine, elsewhere in Europe, the United States (including MoMA) and Israel. How does artistic life flourish during revolution and conflict? Ukraine in the early 1900s endured unimaginable political upheaval, yet this became a period of true renaissance in Ukrainian art, literature, theatre and cinema. In the Eye of the Storm: Modernism in Ukraine, 1900–1930s presents the ground-breaking art produced in Ukraine in the early 20th century, focusing on the three key cultural centres of Kyiv, Kharkiv and Odesa. Against a complicated socio-political backdrop of collapsing empires, World War I, the revolutions of 1917 with the ensuing Ukrainian War of Independence, and the eventual creation of Soviet Ukraine, several strands of distinctly Ukrainian art emerged. While émigrés such as Sonia Delaunay and Alexander Archipenko found fame outside their homeland, the followers of Mykhailo Boichuk focused on Byzantine revivalism, and the artists of the Kultur Lige sought to promote the development of contemporary Yiddish culture. The first avant-garde exhibitions in Ukraine featured the radical art of Davyd Burliuk and Alexandra Exter, and the dynamic canvases of the Kyiv-based Cubo-Futurist Oleksandr Bohomazov. In Kharkiv, Vasyl Yermilov championed the industrial art of Constructivism, while Vadym Meller, Anatol Petrytskyi, Oleksandr Khvostenko-Khvostov and Borys Kosarev revolutionized theatre design. The attempt to build a national identity in Ukraine resulted in a polyphony of styles and artistic developments across a full range of media – from oil paintings, sketches and sculpture to collages, cinema posters and theatre designs. Twelve internationally renowned scholars, including curators from the National Art Museum of Ukraine, bring to life this astonishing period of creativity in Ukraine and all the movements it encompassed.

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A new collection of Saul Leiter's work, much of it published here for the first time. Saul Leiter remained relatively unsung until he was rediscovered by curators and critics in his early 80s, and his work has been drastically re-evaluated over the last two decades. Leiter’s painterly images evoked the flow and rhythm of life on the mid-century streets of New York in luminous colour, at a time when his contemporaries were shooting in black and white. His complex and impressionistic photographs are as much about evoking an atmosphere as nailing the decisive moment. In recent years, Leiter has been in the spotlight more and more with a series of exhibitions and publications. His studio in New York's East Village, where he had lived since 1952 until his death in 2013, is now the home of the Saul Leiter Foundation. The foundation has begun a full-scale survey and organization of his more than 80,000 works, with the aim of compiling the ‘complete’ archive. This volume contains works discovered through this process, valuable documents that reveal the secrets of Saul Leiter's creation, unpublished works, popular colour works and black-and-white works that have not been published so far, as well as works that trace the memories of those closest to him taken in private. As Saul Leiter said, ‘Photographs are often treated as capturing important moments, but they are really small fragments and memories of the world that never ends.’ This is Forever Saul Leiter.

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Great paintings cannot be fully understood in a single encounter; there is always more to be derived from them. Art lovers may revisit and reconsider the masterpieces throughout their lives, but a deeper understanding can only be gained by analysing the painting in detail, be it the placement of the subject, the lighting, the style of brushstrokes or the themes. Art in Detail examines 100 iconic paintings from the Western canon and spotlights the finer points a quick glance will almost certainly fail to reveal. These include subtle internal details, such as hidden symbols and artistic tricks employed by the painter to achieve particular effects. In addition, Susie Hodge writes intelligently about external influences on the artist – everything from the socioeconomic context in which he or she flourished, to smaller local difficulties, such as the level of air pollution at the time the painting was created. And she treats each of her subjects not only, to quote Matthew Arnold, ‘as in itself it really is’, but also as part of a tradition that links the oldest painting to the most recent, as artists pass a metaphorical baton down through the ages.With 700 illustrations

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Photography: The Whole Story is a celebration of the most beautiful, meaningful and inspiring photographs that have arisen from this very modern medium. It begins with a succinct overview of photography, placing it in the context of the social and cultural developments that have taken place globally since its arrival. Organized chronologically, the book then traces the rapid evolution of photographic style, period by period and movement by movement. Illustrated, in-depth essays cover every photographic genre, from the early portraits and tableaux to the digitally manipulated montages, split-second sports images, and conceptual photographs of today. The ideas and works of key photographers are assessed to reveal what motivated them, who influenced whom, and what each was striving to achieve. Detailed cultural and individual artist timelines clarify historical context.With over 1000 illustrations

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Did you know that: • A giraffe can lick its own ears clean? • You can weigh your head by putting it in a bucket of water? • Astronauts urinate into a vacuum cleaner? What the encyclopaedia was to the 20th century, this book is to the 21st. Twelve elegantly designed chapters brim with 321 fascinating – and often surprising – facts, enabling people to dazzle their friends and family with their encyclopaedic knowledge of sports, science, plants and insects, famous people and space. The facts are all grouped together by topic, so readers can dip in and pick and choose the topics that they find most interesting. This well-structured collection of smart things you need to know will be fun for all the family.

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