With vivid memories of his first visit to the Scottish National Gallery in the 1970s and his initial encounter with Hugo van der Goes’ The Trinity Altarpiece, Rembrandt’s A Woman in Bed, Velázquez’s An Old Woman Cooking Eggs and Degas’ Diego Martelli, Robert Storr discusses the shifting balance of museum collections from historically ‘certified’ classics to art whose status and significance remains in active contention and from singular ‘treasures’ to ensembles that speak to the larger scope of an artist’s endeavour. Also available: Unfinished Paintings: Narratives of the Non-Finito Watson Gordon Lecture 2014 ISBN 9781906270919 ‘The Hardest Kind of Archetype’: Reflections on Roy Lichtenstein The Watson Gordon Lecture 2010 ISBN 9781906270384 Picasso’s ‘Toys for Adults’ Cubism as Surrealism: The Watson Gordon Lecture 2008 ISBN 9781906270261 Sound, Silence, and Modernity in Dutch Pictures of Manners The Watson Gordon Lecture 2007 ISBN 9781906270254 Roger Fry’s Journey From the Primitives to the Post-Impressionists: Watson Gordon Lecture 2006 ISBN 9781906270117

Thomas R. Schiff’s vivid panoramic photographs capture the iconic buildings and landscapes of San Francisco and the Bay Area in new and surprising ways. From the Golden Gate Bridge to Coit Tower, they offer a refreshing perspective on familiar places and reveal unexpected treasures in everyday ones. With essays on photography, perception, and architecture by Susan Ehrens, Wendy Lesser, and Tim Culvahouse, and an author interview by Dave Christensen, The Poetics of Distortion: Panoramic Photographs of the San Francisco Bay Area is a mind-bending, eye-opening, very San Franciscan journey.

Each year between 1819 and 1825, John Constable submitted a monumental canvas to the Royal Academy of Arts in London for display in the annual Exhibition. These so-called ‘six-footers’ vividly captured the life of the River Stour in Suffolk, where Constable grew up and where he returned to paint each year. The Leaping Horse, the last of these, is now a major work in the Academy’s collection, and is the subject of this fascinating new book, the latest in the Royal Academy’s studies of its masterworks. The art historian Richard Humphreys explores Constable’s often avant-garde working methods, as well as his struggle to gain full acceptance within the art establishment of the early nineteenth century. With reproductions of the artist’s full-scale preliminary sketches as well as brand new photography of the painting itself, this book is the ideal companion for art lovers who seek a deeper appreciation of Constable’s iconic depictions of the English countryside.

The Image Archive of the main library at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH-Bibliothek) is home to a vast collection of photographs. It includes material collected by professors and other staff at the ETH, images created and collected by institutes and chairs within the ETH, but also the entire archives of companies or other institutions, such as Switzerland s legendary former national airline Swissair (1931 – 2001), or private collections bequeathed to ETH-Bibliothek. The aim of the new book series Pictorial Worlds. Photographs from the ETH-Bibliothek’s Image Archive is to build a bridge between analytical treatment of historical image sources and the interest in individual photographs for any possible reason. One of the collections held at the Image Archive has been put together by Swiss entrepreneur Adolf Feller (1879 – 1931) and his daughter Elisabeth (1910 – 1973). Unique in size, scope and period covered, it comprises 54,000 postcards from 1889 – 1980. It documents comprehensively what can be called the ‘Golden Age’ of picture postcards before World War I, with its enormous diversity of motifs, radical changes of style in design and of the era when postcards had their heyday as a communication medium. The collection’s main focus is on images of individual sites, places and landscapes in 140 countries. Around 15,000 motifs are from Switzerland. The period best represented in the collection is from 1893 – 1930. The World in Pocket-size Format is a documentation of this magnificent collection. The book is also an illustrated history of this means of communication that has had its time of utmost importance in human relationships. Text in English and German.

Living Buildings celebrates the 60th Anniversary of Donald Insall Associates, the Practice founded by distinguished British architect Donald Insall, a leading exponent in the field of Architectural Conservation. Probably best known for the restoration of Windsor Castle after a devastating fire in 1992, the team’s dedicated work has ensured the longevity of many of Britain’s national treasures. This book presents a detailed examination of a painstaking approach to architectural conservation, comprehensively illustrated by case-studies, drawings, plans and in-depth descriptions. It is designed for a wide readership among all those who love and care for old buildings and appreciate good new design in sensitive areas.

Switzerland is well-known for its host of remarkable collections of 18th century European porcelain. Exemplary representatives include renowned collectors such as Dr Albert Kocher and Dr Marcel Nyffeler. A number of these magnificent collections can be found today – as a result of endowments or gifts – in Switzerland’s renowned institutions. Today, the ‘white gold’ from Saxony still fascinates Swiss connoisseurs: this publication is dedicated to their passion for collecting and for exceptional treasures, and is enriched with articles by renowned art historians and porcelain experts. An impressive overview of the gems from the most sumptuous Meissen porcelain of the early period.

Greenwich is the one London district whose name resonates around the world. As ‘the place where time began‘, everyone has heard of it, so naturally everyone wants to come here when they visit the capital.

With a memorable and picturesque Thames-side location, its maritime history means that there‘s more to see here per square foot than any other outer London neighbourhood, and this new guide tells you how to do it.

111 Places not only tracks down the most interesting nuggets among Greenwich’s mainstream sights, from the Cutty Sark to the Meridian Line, it also lifts the lid on the area’s lesser-known attractions – from haunted Jacobean houses and mudlarking in Deptford Creek to classic pie and mash shops and famous riverside pubs. It explores beyond the confines of Greenwich town centre, turning up treasures like Henry VIII’s favourite residence, Eltham Palace – now an Art Deco gem – and nearby engineering feats like the Thames Barrier.

You could come to London and spend half your time in Greenwich, and we wouldn’t blame you if you did. This book tells you how to make the most of London‘s maritime borough.

Newcastle is England’s most northerly city and shares a long history with Gateshead, its neighbour on the south side of the River Tyne. The two, city and town respectively, are a heady mix of the old and new; both were industrial powerhouses during the 19th Century that have successfully embraced recent change, reinventing themselves as vibrant places of entertainment and culture. With this book in hand, journey over and under the Tyne to discover treasures such as the steam turbine ship Turbinia, a sleekly streamlined example of north-eastern mechanical know-how; wander across the wide-open space of the Town Moor, where President Jimmy Carter has the right to graze cattle; take in Saltwell Towers, an eccentric castle in the leafy surroundings of Saltwell Park; then top it all off with a pint in a pub where the ghost of Charles I may well make an appearance. Written by a Geordie, this book will help you explore the quirkier side of both Newcastle and Gateshead, and discover their hidden gems.

Glorious works of art as well as documents of bygone eras, painted illuminated manuscripts supply perhaps the greatest and by far the best-preserved evidence of daily life during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. This Tiny Folio draws on one of the greatest collections in the world to illustrate the angels, demons, and everyday denizens of the medieval world.

The splendid decoration of these ancient structures – in particular, their wall paintings – is presented as never before, thanks to an extensive photographic campaign carried out especially for this book. With these superb illustrations complementing an authoritative text, Herculaneum is sure to be welcomed by all students and enthusiasts of archaeology.

There’s more to the South of France than sun, beaches, palm trees and the azure blue sea. For over a hundred years, it has been the favourite destination of many artists, who find themselves drawn to the superb light and the pleasant climate. The South of France for Art Lovers will show you what the area between Collioure and Menton has to offer in terms of surprising and remarkable art and cultural treasures. Journalist and art connoisseur Eric Rinckhout (Knack Magazine a.o.) selected more than 350 exceptional places: from the chapel decorated by Louise Bourgeois to the studio of Matisse and the apartment of Nabokov, from Eileen Gray’s modernist Villa E-1027 to architect Frank Gehry’s most recent design, from the oldest cinema in the world to street art in Marseille. Discover the best and most unique spots in inspiring lists such as contemporary sculpture gardens on wine estates, in the footsteps of painters and writers, chansonniers and rock stars, sleeping inside art, gardens that are artistic gems and much more.

More than 60 million people visit New York City each year. Every single traveller experiences the city in a unique way. There is no such thing as one New York. Streets of New York is a New York photo book that celebrates the Big Apple’s tremendous diversity by bringing together over 40 contemporary photographers and their multiple perspectives on this unique metropolis.

Often drawing on a strong social media presence, each photographer offers her or his personal take on New York’s unparalleled vibrancy, impact, and allure, creating both a rich collection of city photography and street style, and a visual catalogue of New York travel inspirations. Photographs of world-renowned New York landmarks and attractions like the Empire State Building, Brooklyn Bridge, and World Trade Center Transportation Hub are interspersed with pictures of New York’s hidden treasures, tucked-away Manhattan charms, and lesser known, but equally interesting New York City districts — all captured with a present-day attention to detail and a wide-eyed love for the City that Never Sleeps.

Text in English, German and French.

London: the capital city of the United Kingdom and the political, economic, and cultural heart of the country. Along with Paris, Tokyo, and New York, London is considered one of the alpha capitals of the world: a pulsing, vibrant mega-metropolis which attracts millions of tourists and travellers each year with its history, museums, theatre, art, fine dining, rich traditions, and multicultural flair.

Streets of London is a contemporary take on the classic city photo book. To capture all the diversity that characterises London, this volume features more than 40 contemporary photographers with equally varied perspectives and styles. From the world-renowned London landmarks and tourist attractions like Tower Bridge, the Thames, and St. Paul’s Cathedral to lesser-known London boroughs and neighbourhoods, each photographer offers a personal view of the British metropolis, allowing for a fresh photo tribute to a historic city, as well as visual inspirations for Londoners, old and new.

Text in English, German and French.

This volume is a continuation of the first instalment of the editorial project Canova | In Four Tempos, ISBN 9788874399215, born in co-edition with the Pallavicino Foundation in Genoa with the goal of collecting in a refined publication the photographic research of Luigi Spina focused on the plaster models by Antonio Canova almost entirely preserved at the plaster cast gallery in Possagno.  

This project accompanying the four-year Canovian celebrations (2019–2022) is structured in four publications, each focused on a specific nucleus of plaster models. Its aim is to give new dignity to Antonio Canova’s creative process while highlighting the fundamental role of the bronze nails (repères) that made the metamorphoses from plaster model to marble sculpture possible. 

The first volume is devoted to the dialogue of Myth and Faith, illustrated by Spina with photographs of Cupid and Psyche, Paolina Borghese Bonaparte, Venus and Mars, the Lying Magdalen, Peace, and the Lamentation of Christ, while this, the second volume, revolves mainly around Myth. The sculptures on which the visual narrative focuses are: Dancer with Finger on Chin, Dedalus and Icarus, Theseus Defeats the Centaur, Naiad, Pius VII Praying, Venus and Adonis, and Sleeping Nymph. 

Small China presents Chinese miniatures from 5,000 BCE up to the 15th century. The pocketsize representations of supernatural beings, people, animals, or everyday objects are virtually uncharted in East Asian crafts — even in China, these objects in jade, bronze, ivory, and porcelain are little known. Koos de Jong explores their arcane meanings and traces their production and the market for such treasures, which, contrary to official secular and religious art, include those devoted to taboo subjects such as erotica or humour. The miniatures had many different functions, from insignia, fetishes and devotional objects to burial gifts or toys. They could express good wishes or even serve as bribes. A rare glimpse into the everyday life of ordinary people and into Chinese handicrafts from thousands of years ago!

This handsome volume of works from the renowned collection of the National Museum of Women in the Arts – the best-known museum in the world dedicated to recognising the achievements of women artists – is a fascinating record of women’s diverse accomplishments from the Renaissance to the first decade of the 21st century. Prior to the establishment of the National Museum of Women in the Arts, the work of great women artists had been ignored, forgotten, or denied; they had been largely left out of museums and histories of art.

Founded in 1987 by Wilhelmina Cole Holladay in Washington, D.C., the National Museum of Women in the Arts boasts a growing membership that is among the top ten in the world. The museum’s multifaceted treasures include paintings, sculpture, photographs, prints, and crafts produced over the past five centuries by an international array of women artists.

Included here, in full colour, are works by Lavinia Fontana, Judith Leyster, Elisabeth-Louise Vigée-Lebrun, Hester Bateman, Rosa Bonheur, Berthe Morisot, Mary Cassatt, Camille Claudel, Berenice Abbott, Maria Montoya Martinez, Frida Kahlo, Georgia O’Keeffe, Lee Krasner, and many more.

Sheila Fruman, fascinated by the textiles and handmade carpets she saw when she travelled overland in 1969 from Turkey to India, tells the stories of nine intrepid adventurers who have combed the streets and bazaars of Central and South Asia finding, researching, collecting and selling antique Kashmir shawls, embroidered Uzbek textiles and robes, Anatolian kilims, Turkmen carpets and many other textile treasures to interested Westerners. 

These stories capture the post-World War II era’s free spirit that briefly coincided with economic prosperity and open borders. With over 200 colour illustrations, the book shows how the indigenous designs and motifs popularised in the US and Europe by these textile travellers can now be found in anything from haute couture to high-end interior design to mass-marketed bedding, tableware and clothing.

The dealers and collectors who have spent their lives seeking these complex pieces of the past have intriguing stories to tell and collections of some of the finest textiles of their kind in the world. Taken together, their stories are an enlightening guide to understanding how we connect to the past, and how textiles connect the world.

Just as its nickname, ‘cream city’, has nothing to do with beer or dairy, the city of Milwaukee itself is fraught with surprises. While it is undoubtedly the jovial land of beer and cheese (and brats, bowling and The Brewers, for that matter) the city is also a centre for world-class art, architecture, culture and innovation, and has been since the 1800s.

Discover Milwaukee’s most unexpected treasures – visit a 15th century French chapel, or a 425 million-year-old tropical reef. Throw a turkey at the nation’s oldest sanctioned bowling alley. Watch an art museum flap its wings, or tour the city’s only urban cheese factory to find out why cheese curds squeak.

Milwaukee, a city both stunning and charming, also possesses a dry, self-deprecating wit and goofy cleverness. Visit 111 amazing places that reveal this unique character, one that keeps Milwaukee’s locals local, and beckons visitors back again and again.

“Nineties Spirit is comprehensive, compelling and at times emotional. It’s a must-have for any fan of music.” — Amateur Photographer
“As a time capsule of the music industry in the 1990s… Nineties Spirit is comprehensive, compelling and at times emotional. It’s a must-have for any fan of music.” —  Amateur Photography

“If photographs could sing, Paul Bergen’s would be chart toppers.” — SquareMile

David Bowie and Bruce Springsteen, Nirvana and Oasis, Pete Doherty and Phil Collins, Prince and Motörhead — the internationally acclaimed and renowned music photographer Paul Bergen has seen all the stars of the 1990s through his lens, both on stage and backstage.

His photo archives are among the world’s largest in the music industry. In Nineties Spirit, he is now sharing these treasures with a large audience for the very first time.

The artists themselves also get a chance to have their say. In short passages, interviews, and commentaries, the authors bring the iconic decade alive again. They make Nineties Spirit a one-of-a-kind chronicle of the times that captures an entire generation’s attitude toward life.

Time is a great mystery. A changeable element, which expands or vanishes, but that appears concrete as it is marked by the passing of seconds, minutes, hours, days, and years. The path toward the capture of minutes and seconds coincided with the phases of scientific evolution that allowed man to manufacture watches that are increasingly reliable, but that are also in tune with changes in customs, social needs, and aesthetic canons.

This book covers the art of watch manufactory as well as 60 great models, covering both their technical evolution and style trends. In each chapter in-depth studies will guide the reader to the history of the most important manufacturers, the personalities linked to the models treated, technical innovations, styles of the period, or records achieved by the wristwatches: from the watch that helped Charles Lindbergh during the first transatlantic solo flight, to the one worn by Sir Edmund Hillary on the top of Mount Everest, the most iconic models will be discussed in detail.

“It’s not just about spectacular natural landscapes, but above all about inspiring stories behind the residents of the “Shacks”. The book is ideal for travel lovers, adventurers and for all those who want to escape from everyday life for a moment.” — Meter Magazine

“Escape to another place and a less complicated time in South Australia.” — Inside Out Australia

What could be more romantic than watching the sun rise and set over the sea, the mountains or the endless desert from a stylish little getaway shack with the ones you love? In this beautifully illustrated book, design journalist, book author and lifestyle editor Susan Redman not only inspires readers with the many decorating ideas on show, collated from the most gorgeous getaway homes across Europe, the Americas and Australasia, she also delves deeply to reveal the personal stories of creative couples and individuals who have built, styled or restored their special hideaways. From rustic retreats and dreamy beach houses to retro getaways and bespoke architectural havens, the diverse range of love shacks featured here offer design inspiration for your home away from home. Providing readers with an authentic perspective, the ‘shack’ owners share design visions and decorating tips on how they, and you, can awaken one’s inner stylist by combing the natural environment, local markets and vintage fairs to source love shack treasures. Along with stunning photographs, the pages also feature interesting notes on the wild and natural setting of each love shack — so you, too, can immerse yourself in the gorgeous surrounds of each home and find out how the people who live there connect with nature in their sanctuary. This compelling book gives a unique insight into the desire to escape the urban jungle for a holiday home of one’s own making in a remote or wild location, while exploring the role of design and creative vision in the process. It is perfect for anyone with a similar dream.