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.
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!
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.
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.
From the 2nd century CE to the 19th century, the people of the fertile estuary of the great Mekong River created treasures of sacred art, architecture and accomplished feats of water engineering that are coming to light in Vietnam’s vigorous new archaeological research programmes. The large stilted wooden houses of Oc Eo, the early Venice of the maritime routes of the East in the earliest centuries of the first millennium, drew in ships with precious cargoes from Rome, India and China to trade while waiting for the change of the monsoon wind to continue their voyages.
Chinese annals record that the early polity they called ‘Funan’ ruled 1,000 km of coastline along the shipping route. Among the earliest Mekong Delta Buddhist icons are a breathtakingly elegant 2.7m tall Buddha carved in hardwood that has survived more than 1000 years in the delta mud and a 29cm bronze Buddha that arrived on a trading ship from the 6th century Chinese Northern Qi dynasty. Very early Vishnu statues wear high, floral mitres and clasp war conch-trumpets on their left hip, and Shiva’s face stares out from stone lingas.
The Ho Chi Minh Museum collection conserves diverse masterpieces of the art from Vietnam, from the prehistoric Dong Son drums of the Red River Delta in the north to the vibrant Hindu and Buddhist statuary of the former kingdoms of Champa in Central Vietnam. In addition, there is an immense array of art and imperial furnishings of the last Vietnamese dynasty, the Nguyen, which was founded in the Mekong Delta at the beginning of the 19th century. There are refined inlaid wooden cabinets, sets of the finest blue and white ceramics and embroidered silken court costumes worn by the royal family, as well as huge wooden and ceramic Buddha statues which played crucial social and political roles in establishing the dynasty and quelling its foes.
Fully revised and updated edition, now in full colour and with two new chapters: Brunoy and Parc Saint Cloud.
The spectacular medieval castle where Henry V died, Napoleon’s private château, dancing in fifties guinguette cafés, a Victorian gunpowder factory – these are just some of the unexpected delights discovered by Annabel Simms just half an hour from Paris.
Following the format of her small classic, An Hour from Paris, and written with the same delight in the little-known treasures of the Île de France, the revised edition of Half an Hour from Paris now presents twelve new destinations easy to reach from central Paris, each with a carefully planned walk, ample meanderings through the cultural, historical and social milieu, comprehensive practical information and clear, detailed maps.
Antonio Canova (1757-1822), is considered the greatest Neoclassical sculptor of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. This book, the third in the series Canova: Four Tempos, features a collection of sublime black and white photographs of Canova’s plaster models taken by photographer Luigi Spina. The full-size plaster models that preceded the production of his marble sculptures played an important part in Canova’s creative process. Included here are his masterpieces The Three Graces and Sleeping Nymph, and the only work Canova made for an overseas patron, George Washington depicted as a Roman potentate. The text is by the well-known Italian art historian Vittorio Sgarbi.
Also available: Canova: Four Tempos, Vol. 1, ISBN 9788874399215, and Canova: Four Tempos Vol. 2 9788874399598
Most people go to Napa and Sonoma in Northern California for the wine, and rightly so. The trove of 111 unexpected treasures in this guidebook, however, vastly broadens the possibilities for exploring and experiencing this region in a whole new way. The area is filled with natural wonders, from giant redwood forests and rolling hills, to cliffs and beaches, and even a secret spot to see 20,000 migrating grey whales. Discover the history of Native people who lived here for millennia. Walk in the footsteps of titans of literature, film, and design. Linger in museums featuring fine art, culinary history, and a hubcap collection. You’ll find a sense of whimsy here, too, as you hunt for fairy doors or stroll through a pygmy forest. Visit restaurants, gardens, music venues, gravesites of people who made an impact here, and more places you never imagined existed – and, yes, a few truly unique wineries too.
“An informed and detailed assessment by someone with a deep understanding of art” – Martin Gayford, The Sunday Telegraph
“It has sufficient breadth of content and clarity of purpose to have wide appeal among the uninitiated, and yet would not be out of place on the shelves of the most knowledgeable art pundit” – Frances Spalding, Art Quarterly
This pocket guide to the art of the Western world, covers all the essential places to visit and sets the major works in the collections in their historical and social context. Helen Langdon takes us not only to the best-loved museums around the world but also to a vast selection of minor but equally fascinating galleries, churches, villas and houses, where she draws our attention to outstanding paintings and sculptures.
Introductory essays to the art of each country, together with extensive indexes and glossaries, and over 200 colour illustrations that range from some of the world’s greatest works of art to unfamiliar treasures, make this a pocket compendium of Western art that will be as useful to the student as the traveller.
“This beautiful book reminds me that I was one of many whom Leo Lionni took by the hand, leading me into the world of writing and illustrating picture books.” — Micha Archer, author and illustrator of Wonder Walkers, Daniel Finds a Poem, and the forthcoming What’s New, Daniel?
“He had amazing breadth and depth, all on display in this volume.” — Paula Scher, graphic designer and partner, Pentagram
“Throughout Leo Leonni’s varied and eclectic work one can see his wit as well as his mid-century design sensibility; formal and geometric, but softened by his warmth and playfulness…” — Marc Rosenthal, New York Times bestselling illustrator
“This first survey of Lionni’s legacy comes out in conjunction with a retrospective of his work at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Mass… Lionni had a rare ability to change shades — and retain his signature vibrancy — while moving, seemingly effortlessly, from one realm to another.” — New York Times
The first survey of Leo Lionni’s protean career as a graphic designer, children’s book creator, and fine artist.
Between Worlds: The Art and Design of Leo Lionni opens at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, MA, on 18 November 2023. Leo Lionni (1910–1999) was a key figure of postwar visual culture, who believed that a smart, pithy design language could unite people across generations and cultural boundaries. He first achieved success in the field of graphic design, serving as the influential art director of Fortune magazine from 1948 to 1960 and personally executing such innovative designs as the catalogue for the Museum of Modern Art’s seminal photo exhibition The Family of Man. Then, in the 1960s, he embarked on an equally groundbreaking career in picture books, using torn-paper collages to illustrate modern animal fables such as Frederick and Swimmy, which are still beloved today. But even as his books won multiple Caldecott Honors, Lionni — who had begun as a painter — also maintained a fine art practice centered on his Parallel Botany, a richly imagined world of fanciful plants. This volume, the catalogue of a major exhibition at the Norman Rockwell Museum, is the first to present Lionni’s extraordinary career in the round. Written by leading scholars and with an introduction by the artist’s granddaughter, it is illustrated with abundant examples of his work, including many little-seen items from the Lionni family archives. Leo Lionni: Storyteller, Artist, Designer will be an important, and eye-opening, contribution to the history of art and design.
Jason Chen, the owner of this collection, is a man with a passion for life, of which much time is devoted to collecting snuff bottles, although he runs a thriving business. His collection houses over 2,000 bottles, with a select portion shown in these two volumes. Volume I illustrates bottles from varying materials, while the second, slimmer volume shows part of Jason’s collection of miniature snuff bottles. While the whole collection is a work of art in itself, Jason, like other passionate collectors, has a story for every bottle, often the story of acquisition. He is a collector who enjoys both the thrill of the chase and the pleasure of ownership. When other collectors think of Jason Chen and his collection, they often speak of his love of great agate bottles.
Few collectors have dedicated themselves to forming a collection of miniature snuff bottles in the way that Jason has. For the most part, although collectors have affection for the smallest of the small, Jason has applied himself to hunting down and acquiring these minute treasures.
Text in English and Chinese.
A selection of 85 Flemish drawings gives an astonishing and representative overview of the art of drawing in the 16th and 17th centuries.
The publication focusses on the drawings subjects and compositions but also on how and why they were created and why an artist chose specific materials, techniques, formats and even sizes. It provides a framework to allow to see drawings in the functional context for which they were created.
Renowned specialists in Flemish drawing discuss rare artworks by famous draughtsmen as Frans Floris, Peter Paul Rubens, Anthony Van Dyck, Jacques Jordaens, Otto van Veen, Jan Fijt but also hidden treasures such as the 10 metres long Panorama of Zeeland by Antoon van den Wijngaerde, a sketchbook of the 12-year-old Rubens, recently discovered drawings by Hans Vredeman de Vries, the extremely rare Italy-sketchbooks by the sculptor Pieter Verbruggen and a newly discovered book-illustration design by Rubens for the Plantin Press.
Cities of art and culture that captivate. Villages at the top of tightly-knitted roads, or, stretched out across waves of vineyard-covered hills. Monuments, palaces, and cathedrals that chronical centuries past. A place where history is imprinted in every wall and enchantment found in every breath-taking landscape. A journey through Italy is always rich; it is a country with hidden treasures in every corner. This beautiful photographic book takes the real or daydreaming traveller through Italy’s most spectacular itineraries. Taking time to describe not only the landscape and historical sights, but also the culture, traditions, celebrations, and specialities of each territory along the way.
Peru is a silent and mysterious world, a land of solemn and impressive landscapes, sometimes terrifying but in harmony with the forces of nature and the universe. It is also the land of the proud, often silent but always resolute descendants of the noble, ancient people who built a formidable civilisation: the Incas. Invincible warriors and able politicians, these new ‘owners of the earth’ founded their capital at Cuzco and, little by little, subjected the surrounding peoples, assimilating their culture and arts and expanding in all directions. Only the Spanish under Francisco Pizarro succeeded in severing their roots and consigning to oblivion the riches of El Dorado and the marvelous treasures hidden among the arid highlands and snowy peaks. Here, among the dense sub-equatorial forests on the eastern slopes that face toward the Amazonian basin, archaeological sites of great interest have been found, from early raw-brick pyramids to mysterious cities built of stone. Peru has the highest railway line in the world; it runs along the backbone of South America with stations perched at heights over 15,400 feet. It is also where the spirits of the Andes live, the apu, and the shamans of Peru with their ancient medicine, who still represent the strength of the ancient American people.
The Italian region of Piemonte is rightly famed for the denominations of Barolo and Barbaresco. The area of vineyard given over to Nebbiolo, the sole grape variety of both DOCGs, has increased dramatically in the last half century (as plantings of other varieties have fallen). However, there is much to enjoy beyond the headline wines of the region. With a vast array of local varieties at the disposal of winemakers, no fewer than 60 denominations and a range of wine styles, Piemonte is a wine explorer’s dream.
In The Wines of Piemonte, expert wine educator David Way challenges readers to deepen their understanding of the Piemontese wines they already love, such as Barolo and Barbaresco, and experience more of Piemonte’s lesser-known treasures. He begins by setting the wines in their context, giving an outline of the history, geography and climate of the region. He then introduces readers to the native varieties that make the distinctive wines in this region – including less familiar grapes such as Brachetto, Freisa and Grignolino. After a brief discussion of Italian wine law, he leads us in an exploration of the denominations themselves with a selection of producers.
We begin in the Langhe and Roero, where we find denominations centred on the varieties of Nebbiolo, Dolcetto, Barbera and Arneis. The gentle hills of Monferrato are Barbera heartland but also yield wines made from interesting local varieties. Heading west, we visit the valleys of the western Alps, where producers are smaller and the varieties they grow more obscure. After exploring Colli Tortonesi and the white wines of its neighbour, Gavi, in the east, we look to the cooler regions of northern Piemonte. Finally, we are treated to Piemonte’s sparkling wines, made in a range of styles. Complete with colour photos and regional maps, whether you are looking for an interesting everyday wine or something to treasure and age, The Wines of Piemonte will enhance your enjoyment of the region.
Paris is known as the City of Lights, but it is really the City of Museums. Explore iconic centres of fine art with fresh eyes and dig deeper to uncover a world of museums dedicated to art and artists, science and industry, literature and film and curiosities both unusual and fascinating.
Can you identify all the great artists of French impressionism? Do you know about French contributions to early automobiles and airplanes? Are you fascinated by haute couture? Would you like to visit the ateliers of great painters and sculptors? Do you love music and film? Are you an obsessive collector of something truly peculiar? Or do you simply want to learn about new and compelling things in the world around you?
111 Museums in Paris That You Shouldn’t Miss highlights destinations, both well-known and obscure, where you will discover new treasures throughout this magnificent city.
What does Swansea and Gower mean to you? Is it a place of learning? A hub of industry? A city of sporting excellence? Or perhaps, a gateway to exploration and adventure? Do you picture endless days on pristine beaches, leisurely walks along rugged clifftops or a vibrant cultural tapestry? Swansea and Gower in Wales weave all these facets together, offering a captivating mosaic of experiences.
Meet sporting legends and trailblazing women who defied societal norms in an era dominated by men. Venture into the world of Ancient Egyptians, unravelling their lives – and deaths. Marvel at the grandeur of Norman lords’ ambitious creations and the fripperies of Victorian industrialists. Indulge your palate with the savoury allure of lamb raised on Atlantic salt meadows. Feel the adrenaline rush as you hurtle downhill on a mountain board, crocodiles snap food from your grip, or you ride a wave.
Stroll around the coast and lakes, and meander through fields of fragrant lavender or golden sunflowers. Immerse yourself in nature’s symphony, from pounding waterfalls to the serene serenades of insects. Unearth a world brimming with wonder, right on your doorstep, here in Swansea and Gower.
The fourth and final volume of the photographic and editorial project Canova. Four Tempos, dedicated to the plaster casts by Antonio Canova at the Gypsotheca in Possagno (Italy), continues the investigation into the imperfect form: works that, with their small nails that allowed plaster to be reproduced in marble, are an expression of genius in his making.
Luigi Spina approaches the works in a completely new way, from mythological subjects to the faces of the commissioners, from Daedalus and Icarus, a masterpiece of youth, to Adonis crowned by Venus, unfinished and never translated into marble. From the eternal comparison between the sculpture of Hector in a dynamic pose and Ajax about to draw his sword. The sensuality of Venus while revealing herself as she emerges from her bath.
Finally, the volume takes a look at the commissioners: the sculpture of the little prince Heryk Lubominski dressed as Cupid with bow and quiver and the sculpture of Princess Leopoldina Esterhàzy Liechtenstein. In the sculptor’s mind dominates the classical model, a symbol of harmony and perfection.
The red-figure vases from the National Museum “Domenico Ridola” in Matera and the Rizzon Collection – rich in precious Apulian and Lucanian pieces – offer a unique opportunity to grasp Magna Graecia antiquity from an unusual perspective through the photographs by Luigi Spina. Significant testimony to vase painting between the 5th and 4th centuries BCE, the museum’s artefacts largely date back to the discoveries of Domenico Ridola (1841-1932) and form part of elaborate funerary assemblages, possessing great aesthetic and historical value through which everyday life is reflected in myths.
In the book, black is the protagonist: it enhances the red figures and brings out the keen eye of photographer Luigi Spina. Anatomical details, drapery, and decorative motifs emerge in all their strength without the filter of museum cases, while touches of white enrich the vases’ bichrome palette.
Photographing a work of art means capturing its deep meaning to communicate it to the world. Far from the idea of a museum catalogue, the volume is rather a figurative atlas of antiquity.
Text in English and Italian.
Tibetan Women’s Jewelry describes the cultural history of Central Tibet told through traditional jewellery and trade from the 17th century of the 5th Dalai Lama through the 14th Dalai Lama’s 1959 exile to India. This art book presents 10 distinctive styles of women’s relic boxes (Gaus), plus headdresses, ear pendants, shoulder chatelaines, and waist ornaments. The author reveals the original names of pieces and how and when these beautiful treasures were worn. This innovative study establishes for the first time that jewellery styles changed with each Dalai Lama, setting an important dating precedent for all Tibetan collectibles. Meticulous research makes this the definitive scholarly publication on Tibetan jewellery.
LUCKY / Udachny by Hanne Van Assche documents a small mining town in the far East of Russia called Udachny – a remote region captured in the icy grip of winter throughout most of the year. Few people choose to live here, but those who do are proud citizens. Yakutia is known as the treasury of Russia. It is one of the world’s richest regions in natural resources. According to a Siberian legend, God once spilled a bag of earthly treasures over this part of the country. A thick layer of permafrost covers large reserves of coal, gas, gold and diamonds. Despite the barren climate most of the year, the heart of the people remains warm. The hospitality and optimism of the inhabitants soothes the harsh climate. It is they who turn the scenery of a frozen and isolated world, defined by extraordinary contrasts, into a vibrant and colourful community.