Painter, photographer, cinematographer, Paolo Gioli (Rovigo, 1942) is one of the most innovative Italian artists of recent decades, especially for his ability to experiment across multiple fields, and through his reworked devices.
Published on the occasion of three exhibitions held in Italy and China, this book examines the films and photographic works – polaroids, photo finishes, silkscreen canvases and lithographic plates – created over a 50-year period, suggesting a theoretical-iconographic path that revolves around four sections: Nature, Body, Face, and Medium.
This volume is accompanied by a rich array of colour illustrations, with film datasheets commentated by the author himself, and gives a detailed account of all of the works presented, along with critical contributions from leading international scholars.
Text in English, Italian, and Chinese.
Japanese screens (byobu) are made of wooden lattices with two to twelve panels, covered with a canvas of paper or fabric. Artists, embracing the dynamic format of screens, incorporated shadows and other elements on the canvas to direct the viewer’s eye from one panel to the next. Screens are unique for being beautiful artworks as well as lightweight, portable objects, acting as backdrops for court ceremonies or partitions for intimate tea services.
This sumptuous book explores the 1,300-year history of screens created in Japan. In the text, leading experts on Japanese art and culture describe how screens developed from the 8th to the 21st century, from their ceremonial use in royal residences and Buddhist temples to their functional and decorative use in the homes of samurai and aristocracy. The authors examines the stylistic evolution of screens and the wide variety of subjects depicted, such as flying dragons, the passing of seasons, monumental battles, and The Tale of Genji.
This book includes 250 colour illustrations, many that are reproduced to full page, and shows the screens to their best advantage with a landscape orientation and large-format size. It features Japanese-sewn binding and is kept in a clamshell box, which contains foldout poster reproductions of six screens housed in a separate pocket inside the box. This volume is an elegant addition to the library of any admirer of Japanese art.
Aenne Biermann (1898–1933) was one of the leading figures of photography in the 1920s and 1930s. Today, she is considered one of the most important avant-garde photographers of the 20th century. In just a few years of practice, the self-taught artist became a well-known representative of German photography, participating in almost all the important exhibitions of her time. She captured plants, objects, people, and everyday situations in pictures that have to this day lost none of their allure and poignancy. By means of clear structures, precise compositions of light and contrast, as well as narrow framing, she drew a special kind of poetry out of the motifs of her personal environment and developed her own, distinctly modern pictorial style.
This is the first substantial new book in English on this exceptional artist since the 1930s, published to coincide with a major exhibition at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art in fall 2021. The large-format volume features some 100 of Aenne Biermann’s photographs in colour and duotone reproduction, several of them published here for the first time ever. This impressive selection is complemented by essays on Biremann’s photography in art-historical context and on selected aspects of her oeuvre.
Text in English and Hebrew.
An exhibition featuring the work of Aenne Biermann is taking place at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art from 5 August 2021.
A luxurious book featuring 250 stunning photographs representing rare or exotic plants and flowers
Botanica Magnifica features 250 stunning photographs representing – in the words of an ARTnews critic – rare or exotic plants and flowers “in large scale and exquisite detail, emerging from the shadows in a manner evocative of Old Master paintings.”
The original edition of Botanica Magnifica, consisting of five lavishly hand-bound volumes, was limited to just ten copies, the first of which was recently donated to the Smithsonian Institution. The extra-large “double-elephant” format of that edition was chosen in homage to the famous double-elephant folio of The Birds of America, and indeed, Botanica Magnifica is one of the few works of natural history ever to rival Audubon’s magnum opus in its scope and artistry. In praise of the double-elephant folio of Botanica Magnifica, the Smithsonian’s Chairman of Botany attested, “Everyone who has seen the photographs…has been tremendously impressed with the power, scale, and depth of the work.”
Now Singer’s remarkable images are available to the public for the first time in this hardcover with slipcase, baby-elephant folio of Botanica Magnifica. This volume is organised into five alphabetically arranged sections, each introduced by a gatefold page that displays one extraordinary plant at a luxurious size. Each pictured plant is accompanied by a clear and accessible description of its botany, geography, folklore, history, and conservation.
Botanica Magnifica is one of the most impressive volumes of natural history ever published.
“A point, a hole, a gap. A cut, a gash, a wound. The gaze stretches out towards openings, discovers small and large concavities, focal lines converge and branch out between chromatic shadows and traces of light: we go with our eyes towards what wants to be looked at, the object of perceptive desire. […] The work as the starting point of a venture between what exists and what can only be imagined.”
This book is a moment of reflection on Paolo Scheggi’s (1940-1971) multidisciplinary research and his intense investigation developed over little more than a decade: a seemingly insignificant stretch of time in the slow and irrevocable evolution of the history of modern and contemporary Western art which defines him as a very young protagonist of the Italian spatialist and monochrome neo-avant-garde, and pioneer of contemporary languages.
Text in English and Italian.
There is a world of letters just waiting to be discovered in the world around us—if we know how to look for it. In this engaging and delightful book, photographer Elliott Kaufman reveals the “secret” life of the alphabet through his photographs, showing how letters can be found in things we encounter everyday. Each letter of the alphabet is represented by multiple images, each unintentionally created by the intersection of architectural details, shadows, light, or natural elements as caught by Kaufman’s keen eye. Some are obvious, while others demand a little more imagination to recognize, inviting the readers to start their own game of hunting for letters! This fun approach also reinforces the notion that learning to see the familiar in new ways encourages visual literacy and creativity.
Joel Denot (b.1961) is a French photographer. His images are centred on the essential elements of photography: light, colour and shape. They are neither figurative nor abstract, with coloured surfaces floating in a void, framing each other and projecting shadows of overlapping colours: orange then pale pink then blue then bright pink; red then green then pink then grey-blue. Produced entirely during the shoot, they are a purely photographic gesture, created without laboratory work. This is the first monograph on his career.
Text in English and French.
Over her forty-plus-year career, Gunderson has tackled subjects from clouds to royalty to the cosmos.
Widely collected in Hollywood and New York, artist Karen Gunderson is perhaps best known for her work since the 1980s, when she transitioned from painting in colour to working only in black. Over her forty-plus-year career, Gunderson has tackled subjects from clouds to royalty to the cosmos. Her long-developed, labour intensive technique, including rigorous brushwork and paint layering, employs a range of black shades that create a unique three-dimensional effect: The multiple textures from the paint catch light and make the paintings shimmer and appear to move, alternating with shadows and highlights that illuminate her subjects—historic royal figures, bodies of water, mountains, and constellations—depending on how the viewer moves in front of each artwork.
Star and Moon presents the daily life of the Hui people and expresses a kind of “emptiness” that transcends time and meaning. Lonely, mysterious, quiet and elegant, the simple images are like a faded postcard, bringing a deep Zen feeling to the heart. At first glance, the images of Star and Moon are plain and seemingly picturesque. However, if you sit quietly for a moment and feel the breath conveyed by the black and white shadows, you will experience a heavy breath running through it, adsorbing the viewer’s eyes tightly, following the photographer’s lens in the cycle of the stars and the moon, experiencing the destiny of the Islamic nation together.
Yang Yankang expands the scope of experimental exploration of the language of modern Chinese photography, and creates a revelatory way of perceiving the art of practical photography. His works on the three major religions have historically placed them in a prominent position in the history of modern Chinese art, and he has become one of the leading photographic artists in China and even in the world.
“I have never read a text which goes even half as far as this one in expressing the particular poignancy which lay at the heart of the impressionist movement. I say this as an art critic. As a novelist I would simply like to pay my tribute to the mastery of language, portraiture and storytelling which Figes has now at her command.” – John Berger
“A small masterpiece” – Susan Hill
“A luminous prose poem” – Joyce Carol Oates
This shimmering novel is an extraordinary portrait of a day in the life of an artist at work and at home. In prose as luminous as the colours Monet is using to portray his garden, Eva Figes guides us from dawn (‘midnight blueblack growing grey and misty’) through midday (‘the sun was high now… shrinking what little shadow remained, fading colours, the pink rambler roses on the fence by the railway track looked almost white’) to evening (‘the tide of shadows rising as the sunset glow faded outside.’) Monet’s wife, grieving for a lost daughter; a living daughter, fretting that she will not be able to marry the man she loves; their friend the abbé, eating and drinking with them; two children playing, closest to Monet in the freshness and certainty of their vision; all experiencing in different ways the richness of the light that Monet works unceasingly to pin down in his last, great paintings.
Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s films, in which long takes and unusual viewpoints are used, betray the desire of the stillness and the shadows of playing the lead role. The commitment of his photographs to a profound imagination can be seen as the clue to success of his films. The photographs, which are identical to film frames and standing by themselves appear as pure compositions, transform elegy to elegance. This trilingual book published by Dirimart and printed using the K-Bind technique, opens up completely flat, allowing imagery to flow undisturbed across a double-page spread. It begins with a vivid excerpt from the screenplay of Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s movie Small Town (1997). With minimal accompanying text, the book’s multi-layered story is told through photographs alone. The book contains 100 panoramic photographs taken by Ceylan in various regions of rural Anatolia between 2003 and 2014.
Text in English, French and Turkish.
Noire Idole is an immersive journey into a sophisticated world, both in terms of the choice of subject matter and form and as regards the way these are given artistic expression. The gear on the set lets the imagination and virtuosity of the craftsmen run riot. None of the objects are fake; they exude a natural perfection whose mirror image is simply reflected back to us.
It is also a sensory journey into the shadows, alongside the reclining smoker. The choice of a black background transforms reality. The outlines of the furnishings become blurred, vision becomes clouded, the present is endlessly suspended.
At the same time, it is a journey through memory, where drugs are merely a pretext for the narrative. Indochina appears within and between the lines. The author reveals his double loss: a vanished ritual and a dead dream, an unfulfilled French passion. Noire Idole is a collection of texts. A compendium brought together in the name of emotion, cultural exchange, and mutual fascination. The writing is leavened by contemporary pictures in the form of a collection of exceptional, previously unpublished photographs.
‘The ache of spring is undeniable. It hurts before it sings.’
Out in the American fields, skunk cabbages sprout like hooded baby goblins; arrow-like herons emerge with fish in their beaks; and fireflies return to the deep shadows of a summer night.
Wonderment is a beautiful anthology of seasonal poetry, written and illustrated by Sherry L. Ross.
Exploring the countryside with an acute understanding of Mother Nature’s magic and inspired by centuries of woodland and pastoral folklore, Ross’s words and images capture a genuine sense of awe, as light and dark come and go and each season in turn bends the landscape to its will. Having previously authored the charming children’s book Return of the Vinetropes, Ross is well placed to convey the innocent wonders of the natural world in this imaginative and visually stunning collection.
Perfect for fans of all things wild and wonderful.
“This gorgeous book is brimming with forest enchantments. Sherry L. Ross is equally dazzled and keen-eyed as she takes in the natural world season by season, celebrating faery folk and flowering flora, secret portals and thrashing summer storms, glimmering water sprites and all manner of woodland animal. Wonderment is, above all, about slowing down and taking in the magic—and joy—of every moment. You’ll want to savor Ross’s lyrical poems and charming drawings; they’re pure pleasure.” – Carolyn Turgeon, editor-in-chief and co-owner of Enchanted Living Magazine
Michelangelo Merisi, known as Caravaggio, revolutionised the history of art with his powerful, realistic, and deeply human visual language. This 224-page chronological volume retraces the dramatic life and extraordinary artistic journey of the Lombard master through his most celebrated works, exploring his stylistic innovations and enduring legacy. Featuring authoritative text from Caravaggio scholar Michela Gianfranceschi and high-quality images of Caravaggio’s masterpieces, this in-depth historical analysis guides readers through the 16th and 17th centuries, revealing the genius of one of the most iconic and influential artists of all time.
Stunning Photographs: High-quality photographs capture Caravaggio’s powerful artwork for up-close admiration.
Scholarly Fascination: The perfect book for readers who love art, history, and biography.
Covers a Lasting Legacy: Details Caravaggio’s innovations and the extraordinary influence he exerted on future generations of painters.
Dark Cozy Secret Rooms is an illustrated colouring book that explores a gothic and vintage universe made of mysterious, detail-rich interiors. Dusty libraries hiding secret passages, winter greenhouses lit by stained-glass windows, alchemical laboratories filled with astral symbols, and attics packed with forgotten objects become immersive scenes to colour. Each illustration invites readers on a creative journey through shadows and wonder, combining relaxation and imagination.
“It’s less of a traditional reference book and more of a meditation on place – through its people, purpose, and possibility. With a healthy yet necessary and perhaps overdue dose of historical context, political awareness, nuance, and care, they offer a portrait of California wine that finally acknowledges all the hands that shaped it.” — Decanter
“The most complete panorama yet of California wine today… An ambitious, thought-provoking book, The Wines of California is a new classic for you to read and add to your bookshelf.” — World of Fine Wine
“… It’s as interested in power structures as in Parker points, and that’s what makes it essential.” — Forbes
“… anybody interested in how California wine became a world force ought to read this book.” — NY Times
“This book is core, essential. For anyone just beginning their journey, this will put wine in context in straightforward language with little jargon…. Brown’s book is both current and timeless. Chukan Brown takes at in-depth look at the forces that made, moved and continue to shape Califorina wine. In investigating the history, they look hard at the instrumental part played by Indigenous Peoples and the reliance of the wine (and other agricultural sectors) on inexpensive farm labour. It will appeal to an audience far beyond the typical wine book reader.” — Grape Collective
A concise, complete, smartly delivered and cohesive book for serious readers and students of wine. Focusing on the world’s fourth largest producer of wine – California – the book takes readers on a journey through the golden state’s wines, paying due attention to famous regions such as Sonoma and Napa as well as introducing readers to exciting up-and-coming regions to explore.
The book is divided into three major sections. The first presents the key ideas that help make sense of California wine as a whole, including the history of California wine in brief, how the topography delivers California’s overarching climatic and soil conditions, and the basics of vineyard and winery factors relevant to the state such as the role of the AVA.
The second section takes each major region in turn and looks into its history, growing conditions and varieties, as well as discussing the most significant and interesting producers. A final section looks at current themes in Californian wine and discusses the future of the industry across the state.
- Explains all the state’s AVAs, examining the development, growing conditions and varietal trends for each.
- Profiles the main producers and individuals shaping the wine industry today.
- A useful reference on California that also provides alternative insights and insider knowledge.
- Author Elaine Chukan Brown is a prolific commentator on the wines of California and a speaker at events around the globe.
- Supported by colour maps and photos.
This is the first publication in a single work of all known Chester punch marks, and continues the tradition of the standard volumes of Jackson, Grimwade, Culme and Pickford. It is also the first time that the twentieth-century Chester marks have been published. It is produced in dictionary format, in alphabetical order from 1570, the date of the earliest known mark, to 1962 at which time the Chester assay office was closed. The authors, both members of the Silver Society, were given unlimited access to the Chester Assay Office records covering 1686 to 1962, and to the Chester Goldsmiths’ Company records dating from the 16th century.
The compendium has four sections. The preface provides an historical background and details of all extant records and copper plates. Part 1 is devoted to assay office marks, with a full set of date letter tables to assist the reader in dating wares. Part 2 covers nearly 10,000 entries for makers’ marks, including pictograms and monograms. Finally, the appendices include items on assay volumes and charges, thimble makers, and Liverpool watchcase makers.
Since over 2,000 of the entries have Birmingham addresses, the new work will also enhance available information on jewellers and silversmiths working in this important trade centre. The format of the marks’ tables and the extensive index will also allow future research into the relationships between companies and agents.
‘The publishers are to be congratulated for their exemplary production’ – Curtis’s Botanical Magazine‘…this will go down as one of the greats of plant exploration literature…’ – Roy Lancaster ‘The appeal of the book lies as much in Ward’s prose as in the thrilling story of exploration and discovery. He was a fine writer and it is a cause for celebration that one of his best books is now again available after a gap of 70 years’ – Ursula Buchan, The Independent ‘There’s no doubt that such an elegant and exciting book new book richly deserves a new readership… the story behind its reissue is no less gripping than Kingdon Ward’s own narrative’– Ambra Edwards, Gardening Which?
Little explored and virtually inaccessible, the Tsangpo Gorge in south-east Tibet is the world’s deepest gorge. Through it twists the Yarlong Tsangpo, Tibet’s great river, emerging from below on the plains of India. This is the story of its exploration and the rich plant and animal life found there. Riddle of the Tsangpo Gorges, first published in 1926, is the fascinating account of plant-hunter and explorer Frank Kingdon Ward’s most important expedition. Kenneth Cox, Kenneth Storm, Jr. and Ian Baker spent over ten years retracing the route of the 1924-25 expedition and managed to reach further into this magical and only partly explored land.
The book contains the original Kingdon Ward text and extensive additional material, including a history of the exploration, geography and religious significance of the area and more than 250 colour photographs with detailed captions on the plants of the area, most of which are described by Kingdon Ward in the original text. There are first person accounts of expeditions to the area by Kenneth Cox and Kenneth Storm. Jr. and a photographic essay documents, for the first time in a book, the new Hidden Falls located in the portion of the gorge left unexplored by Frank Kingdon Ward and Lord Cawdor in 1924.
Commissioned by the Water Colour Society of Ireland, this book is the first to chronicle in depth the history of this distinguished Society, established in Lismore, County Waterford in November, 1870 and recognised today as being one of the oldest and most outstanding art societies in these islands. Members have included such prominent participants as Sir William N.M. Orpen, R.A., R.I., H.R.H.A., Sarah H. Purser, R.H.A., Walter F. Osborne, R.H.A., Mildred A. Butler, R.W.S., H.B.A.S., Mainie Jellett, Paul Henry, R.H.A., Evie Hone, H.R.H.A., Tom Carr, H.R.H.A., R.U.A., R.W.S., O.B.E and many others who succeeded in achieving recognition for their work not only in Ireland but on the international stage. The author sets out to trace the historical development of watercolour painting in Ireland, the difficulties encountered by artists in relation to exhibiting watercolours in eighteenth and nineteenth century Ireland. Brief accounts of the establishment of the Royal Dublin Society’s Drawing Schools are included together with the influence of the nineteenth century English watercolour tradition in relation to Irish students, the foundation of the N.G.I, the role of the governess and drawing master, together with the influences which the Dublin Metropolitan School of Art exerted on countless future members of the Society. The difficulties encountered by women in establishing themselves as either professional or amateur artists in nineteenth century Ireland, the opportunities for training not only in the field of art but in crafts such as wood-carving and lace and the availability to pursue an art academic training abroad all form part of this book. The vital role of Sketching Clubs and Drawing Societies which led to the birth of the Amateur Drawing Society (later to become known as the Water Colour Society of Ireland) are included. Founded by six enterprising ‘Lady Artists’, their largely unknown biographical information is provided here for the first time. Descriptions of early exhibitions, the aristocratic glamour attached to openings, conversaziones, the day to day running of the Society and the need by many artists, particularly women to transform themselves into professional painters form part of the early development of this remarkable Society. The birth of the nineteenth century exhibition watercolour and the requirement by members to market and sell their work throughout Ireland and the U.K. is described. The author provides concise biographies of over one hundred W.C.S.I artists from the relatively unknown to the widely acclaimed together with illutrations of works from both public and private collections, the latter, due to the generosity of their owners being illustrated here for the first time.