Travel with nature and wildlife photographer Wouter Pattyn to explore 12 of the most beautiful nature reserves on the European continent. Along with photographs of stunning landscapes, Wild Places of Europe is a sourcebook of information for the adventurous traveler, including practical tips for booking your visit and taking the best photographs. Immerse yourself in these wonderful places and perhaps make plans to go to one yourself.
The release of street artists Sten & Lex’s monograph coincided with their first official solo show at the CO2 Gallery in Rome. The Roman duo took their first step into a traditional gallery setting with this exhibition, which focused attention on their new and innovative approach to the use of the stencil poster technique. The duo started working together in 2000 and have since pioneered several revolutionary stencil techniques that are showcased in this book. Also included are a number of insightful critical texts by Maria Letizia Bixio, Davide Giannella and Gianluca Marziani and an introduction by gallery owner and curator Giorgio Galotti.
Christoph Brech has enjoyed a privilege unlikely to be granted to anyone else any time soon. For three years he was allowed to photograph the halls and galleries of the Vatican Museums unhindered by the never-ending throngs of visitors. On his day – and night-time – excursions through the countless exhibition spaces and the Sistine Chapel, he captured images of extraordinary tranquility. His photographs show one of the most famous museums in the world as no one else has seen it: suites of rooms devoid of people, artworks on dignified display, hidden corners. In this superb-quality picture book, Brech’s photographs are presented alongside historical images from the Vatican archives. Arnold Nesselrath, director of the department of Byzantine, medieval, and modern art at the Vatican Museums, provides a stimulating introduction to the history of the institution. A beautifully illustrated publication that offers new perspectives on the many attractions of this magnificent world-class museum.
In over 300 pages, 200 images and a number of original extracts from her sketchbook, Crossroads tells the story and showcases the artwork of Alice Pasquini, one of the top female street artists worldwide. Alice is a prolific illustrator, creative designer and painter who has been gifting cities with her artwork for over a decade: through her work, women and children become an integral feature of any urban surrounding. From large artwork – like the wall of the Italian Museum in Melbourne – to small cameos in London or Marseille, Alice’s creativity shines through in every city thanks to her unique style. The images in Crossroads have been taken from renowned photographers including Martha Cooper and Ian Cox. The book is brought together by a foreword from the editor Paulo von Vacano, texts by Jessica Stewart and journalists Nicolas Ballario (Rolling Stone) and Stephen Heyman (New York Times), as well as article extracts by Steven P. Harrington and Jaime Rojo – Co-founders of Brooklyn Street Art [BSA], Serena Dandini, DJ Gruff and Chef Rubio.
In 1542 Pope Paolo III Farnese, with the approval of Michelangelo, commissioned to Perino del Vaga (1501–1547) a tapestry basement for the Last Judgement in the Sistine Chapel (Vatican).
The Spalliera was never completed, but its model, painted on canvas, was later acquired by cardinal Bernardino Spada to be placed in his roman palace (now Galleria Spada), where it was used in radically different fashion as a frieze, completed with parts by other artists.
The book is the first in-depth study of this work and of its significance in Perino’s artistic career, marked by an intense dialog with Michelangelo’s art. It also explores the importance attributed by Michelangelo to decoration, apparently antithetical to the heroic dimension for which he is celebrated
The reception of the Spalliera by different artists is studied through a group of drawings deriving from it and lasting until the baroque age, as attested by Rubens.
This volume is one of three companion catalogs to an exhibition taking place simultaneously at three venues in Rome on the large-scale projects of Pier Paolo Pasolini. They explore a theme dear to Pasolini — sacredness — with a multidisciplinary approach that will shed a light on his main characteristics as a poet, writer, director, and artist and on the cultural influence he wielded. This is the catalog for the exhibition at Fondazione MAXXI, which explores the many facets of Pasolini’s political engagement. Texts, images, movies, notes, and documents will narrate the beginning of a protest that has endured to this day, with interpretations of Pasolini’s work is seen through the voices of contemporary artists.
An essay by Anne Violaine Houcke analyzes Pasolini’s final period, while Ara Merjan’s text explores his aesthetics. Marco Belpoliti explores the 1975 timeline, giving special attention to the political events most closely connected to Pasolini.
Incudes contributions by Eleonora Cardinale, Roberto Chiesi, Silvia De Laude, Fabio Francione, Giuseppe Garrera, and Vincenzo Trione.
Text in English and Italian.
The Basilica of Saint Mary Major is the only patriarchal basilica of the four in Rome to have retained its paleo-Christian structures and is the resting place of Pope Francis. This elegant guide showcases ultra-high gigapixel photography of the Basilica’s interior and traces its history from 425 AD and tradition has it that the Virgin Mary herself inspired the choice of the Esquiline Hill for the church’s construction. Appearing in a dream to both the Patrician John, the landowner of the Esquiline Hill, and Pope Liberius, she asked that a church be built in her honor on a site she would miraculously indicate. This is the essential and most innovative guide to this important pilgrimage and tourist site in Rome.
Text in English and Italian.
“If you really want to get under the skin of a city, the 500 Hidden Secrets series, which covers a number of cities from Havana to Ghent, all written by people who know the cities inside out, is ideal. It’s an innovative and refreshing take on the traditional travel guide.”- The Independent
The 500 Hidden Secrets of Brussels is a guide to the Brussels that no one knows. It takes you to undiscovered art museums, forgotten squares and secret shops. The book doesn’t mention everything there is to see. There are already more than enough guides that cover the familiar tourist places. This book goes one step further and lists the places the author would recommend to friends if they asked him where to go in Brussels. Here you will find the 5 best places to eat frites, the 5 small museums that no one should miss and the 5 best record shops in town. The aim is to take the reader to the unexpected places that give the city its charm, like the restaurant on the top floor of the national library, or the metro station that is decorated with 140 characters from Tintin albums, or the art cinema that seats just 20 people. You do not have to do everything listed in the book, but you are urged at the very least to drink a Gueuze beer in one of the 5 best Brussels bars, eat at one of the 5 best fish restaurants, and visit one of the 5 best independent cinemas. If you do, you will begin to discover a city that no one else knows.
The 500 Hidden Secrets of Brussels offers a practical guide to Brussels’ finest places, and Derek Blyth covers all bases to ensure no visitor to the city is ever anything short of captivated. Packed with accessible, easy-to-read information summarized in handy lists, maps, itineraries, sections on food & drink, accommodation, green spaces, museums, galleries and shops; this guide is an essential resource for the inquisitive traveler.
It is a fascinating story that the merchant companies of Europe, established with the aim of sourcing exotic eastern spices, stumbled upon Indian handmade textiles and found these a highly profitable product for their home markets. This process was to have far-reaching consequences for colonial history.
In When Indian Flowers Bloomed in Europe the author takes us on a tour of 30 masterpieces of Indian textiles from the TAPI Collection, commissioned by European patrons in the 17th and 18th centuries. Presented here are outstanding examples of large, intricately hand-drawn, dye-painted cotton chintzes made in the Coromandel Coast, and embroidered palampores and garment pieces made in Gujarat and the Deccan. Textiles made for Dutch and British patrons demonstrate the aesthetic high point achieved by Indian artisans in the 17th and 18th centuries. Indian patterned cottons such as these, with their infinite variety of floral motifs, left a profound and enduring impact on textile designers in the western hemisphere, unexpectedly setting the stage for the Industrial Revolution.
The informative text is accompanied by rarely seen images from museums and private collections, offering fresh insights into these iconic examples. Three essays followed by individually explained catalog entries for each textile add to a greater understanding of an important, historical phase in the development and global recognition of India’s textile art, now preserved in museums and collections worldwide as a testament to the handiwork of the skilled artisans of India.
The iconic Dome of the Cathedral of Florence, the largest masonry vault in the world, was built by Filippo Brunelleschi between 1420 and 1436. More than 100 years later, between 1572 and 1579, the vault was decorated with frescos by the artists Giorgio Vasari and Federico Zuccari depicting the Last Judgment. Working with advanced imaging technology, total access, and Italy’s leading art photographer, this book presents in never-before-seen detail and completeness the entire pictorial cycle of the Dome. Contributions by noted art historians Marco Bussagli, Mina Gregori, and Timothy Verdon illuminate the art historical significance of this magnificent symbol of Florence and the Renaissance.
Text in English and Italian.
In the third decade of the 21st century, we are witnessing an unprecedented exploration of female sexual power, while on the other hand reactionary cultural forces contrive to keep women as defenceless as possible. In this context, the work of photographer Alejandra Guerrero can be understood as a clarion call. Hers is a rarefied visual art that marks a turning point for female sexuality in erotica, her eloquent tableaux revealing the intricate ways in which women exert their erotic power. Here we see a future in which women dictate raw, yet refined desires. Each moment comes from the erotic fever dreams of the participants and the desires of the woman behind the camera.
Guerrero grew up against a backdrop of sleek automobiles. As a child she would sit in the driver’s seat of her mother’s Mercedes and dream of one day being in control of such an elegant machine. Her father was a mechanical engineer whose hobby was fixing up cool cars, and she would watch him at work, taking in the details of fins and fenders. It sparked a fascination, which became an adult passion, which eventually inspired an entire body of work. Auto Erotica is Guerrero’s second monograph with Circa and follows Wicked Women down the same electrifying road.
Los Angeles has so much to offer, and this guide helps you to choose where to start when discovering this beautiful city. Where are the best farmers’ markets? Which street foods are not to be missed? What are the liveliest places to go dancing? What are some unlikely places to spot celebrities? Which art galleries are worth a visit? In The 500 Hidden Secrets of Los Angeles, Andrea Richards shares 500 must-know addresses in one of the coolest cities in the United States. It is an affectionate guide to the City of Angels that avoids the touristy places and points out the urban details you are likely to miss. From the best outdoor concert venues to the most beautiful country escapes, this guide is the perfect companion visitors who want to make the most of their stay and residents who want to get to know their city even better.
Also available: The 500 Hidden Secrets of Miami, The 500 Hidden Secrets of New York, The 500 Hidden Secrets of Toronto, The 500 Hidden Secrets of Vancouver and many more. Discover the series: the500hiddensecrets.com
In Let the Kids Play, Drago’s 36 Chambers series exalts the beauty and exuberance of youth as embodied by the renowned street artist, Pax Poloscia. The book is a reaction to the cynicism and monotony of the adult world and a celebration of youthful creativity.
From imperial Russia to the Rome of the 1960s, the work of architect, painter and scenographer André Beloborodoff (1886-1965) expresses his unique vision of the history of modernity.
An enlightened Palladian, Beloborodoff designed palaces, châteaux and villas for Café Society patrons using modern construction techniques, such as reinforced concrete. The interior design of the Yusupov palace in Saint Petersburg, the Caulaincourt château in Picardy, and the Villa Pepoli for Maurice Sandoz in Rome – built at the same time as Le Corbusier’s Cité radieuse – are witnesses to his timeless, stripped-down and refined classicism. He won the Prix de Rome in 1934, and subsequently spent many years living and working in Italy.
Many of his architectural ideals are found in his metaphysical and surrealist paintings and watercolors, highly praised by Paul Valéry, Mario Praz, Henri de Régnier, and Jean-Louis Vaudoyer. His atmospheric vistas of sunken or vanished worlds recall the edifices that Beloborodoff, eternally rootless, was never able to build.
Text in French.
Maria Lai (Ulassai, September 27, 1919 – Cardedu, April 16, 2013) is without doubt one of the leading figures in the history of contemporary Italian art. Not only on account of the content of her works, but also thanks to the diversity of her artistic approach, ranging as it does across many media – public art, embroidery, weaving, sculpture, drawing, and writing: all are grist for her poetics. The book is published to coincide with the exhibition at the MAXXI Museum in Rome, which is presenting to the general public over one hundred works by the Sardinian artist, from the early 1960s to her very last works, and explores the various themes dear to the artist with the contributions of experts in their fields: the locations, the creation, and publication of art books, her public art events and her relationship with the written word and her own writing. Her entire oeuvre is distinguished by its powerful visual impact, revealing a ‘way of doing art’ that is nothing other than an instrument of thought. The book’s structure reflects the exhibition’s own sections, arranged by theme, whose titles are paradigmatic of Lai’s oeuvre as a whole: Essere è tessere. Cucire e ricucire; L’arte è il gioco degli adulti. Giocare e raccontare; Disseminare e condividere; Il viaggiatore astrale. Immaginare l’altrove; L’arte ci prende per mano. Incontrare e partecipare.
Published to accompany an exhibition at the MAXXI Museum, Rome, 19 June 2019-12 January 2020.
Text in English and Italian.
Caravaggio’s astonishingly naturalistic and provocative Cupid Victorious hung in the palace of a famous family at the heart of seventeenth-century Rome. Helen Langdon explores how the artist, famed for his originality, created a balance between a suggestion of his own world – a world of lively and rowdy street life – and a complex and ambiguous response to both ancient and Renaissance art and literature. Langdon also looks at the challenge the painting threw out to contemporary painters, whose world was characterized by extreme and bitter rivalries; often they reject his irony, sometimes embellish the painting’s sexuality, and at other times convey an opposing sense of the harmony of the arts.
In 1917 Pablo Picasso traveled to Rome and Naples with Jean Cocteau and Igor Stravinskij. During this trip, for the first time, he could admire directly Hellenistic and Roman sculpture, that of the Renaissance and Baroque eras, but also the Roman frescoes of Pompei. The first exhibition dedicated to Picasso’s sculpture to be held in Rome, and its accompanying catalogue, were conceived as a journey through the centuries that chronologically follows the interpretation of forms and different themes – stories and myths, bodies and figures, objects and fragments – in sculpture. The exhibition of masterpieces of the great Spanish master is accompanied by previously unpublished images of his sculpture studios (by Edward Quinn) that narrate the context in which these works were born. The catalogue includes essays that explore the visual and conceptual dialogue between the works of Picasso and works of the past, illustrating and examining over fifty works, some of which have never been exhibited before.
In 1917 Pablo Picasso traveled to Rome and Naples with Jean Cocteau and Igor Stravinskij. During this trip, for the first time, he could admire directly Hellenistic and Roman sculpture, that of the Renaissance and Baroque eras, but also the Roman frescoes of Pompei. The first exhibition dedicated to Picasso’s sculpture to be held in Rome, and its accompanying catalogue, are conceived as a journey through the centuries that chronologically follows the interpretation of forms and different themes – stories and myths, bodies and figures, objects and fragments – in sculpture. The exhibition of masterpieces of the great Spanish master is accompanied by previously unpublished images of his sculpture studios (by Edward Quinn) that narrate the context in which these works were born. The catalogue includes essays that explore the visual and conceptual dialogue between the works of Picasso and works of the past, illustrating and examining over fifty works, some of which have never been exhibited before.
Luigi Valadier, son of the French-born Andrea, obtained his silversmith license in 1760 and became one of the most celebrated artists in Europe, working for the noble families of Rome (Borghese, Odescalchi, Chigi, Orsini), cardinals and popes and a broad international clientele which included the Duke of Northumberland, Madame du Barry, the Balì of Malta, Jacques-Laure Le Tonnelier de Breteuil, the King of Sweden, Karl Theodor, Elector of Bavaria, the Count of the North, heir to the Russian throne, etc. His workshop situated near Piazza di Spagna employed dozens of craftsmen and produced not only silverware but also bronze statues, often copies of ancient sculptures, magnificent clocks, vases in precious marbles, lamps, huge candelabras, furniture, desers, reliquaries and liturgical vessels, and much more. In 1785 while completing commissions for the Borghese prince and working on the cast of the enormous bell of St Peter’s, he committed suicide by drowning in the Tiber river, possibly due to the severe economic challenges from which his extraordinary workshop was suffering.
Roman street artists Sten & Lex showcase the latest developments in their distinctive style through a series of never-before-seen works.
This volume is one of three companion catalogues to an exhibition taking place simultaneously at three venues in Rome on the large-scale projects of Pier Paolo Pasolini. They explore a theme dear to Pasolini — sacredness — with a multidisciplinary approach that will shed a light on his main characteristics as a poet, writer, director, and artist and on the cultural influence he wielded. This is the catalogue for the show at the Palazzo delle Esposizioni, which is devoted to face, voice, costume, Pasolini’s relationship with women, and mockery.
Text in English and Italian.
The Dialogues by Portuguese painter and writer Francisco de Holanda give unprecedented insight into the opinions, preoccupations and character of Michelangelo, already in his lifetime the most celebrated and influential artist in Europe. These Dialogues record his participation in the discussions about art hosted by Vittoria Colonna, his closest friend. Michelangelo’s opinions and ambitions during the period when he was painting The Last Judgement come vividly to life, as does the world in which he moved. No other text brings us so close to Michelangelo the artist, poet and thinker. The Dialogues are presented here in the classic translation by Charles Holroyd, painter, engraver, art historian and director of the National Gallery. The introduction by David Hemsoll situates the Dialogues in the context of Michelangelo’s career and the artistic world in Rome. Sixteen pages of illustrations include some of Michelangelo’s finest drawings, and views of the Rome he knew.
After the season of the great Renaissance painters, the prestige of the figurative arts grew as never before in history. During the 16th century, the artist went from being a common craftsman to holding a status equal to that of the greatest intellectuals of his time. The relationship between poetry and painting was consolidated in the 17th century, and became close, even competitive, when artists and men of letters confronted each other with the same themes. In this framework, the great poetry of Giovan Battista Marino (Naples, 1569-1625) plays a fundamental role. His compositions are rich in visual suggestions, derived as much from direct contact with the art collections he visited during his itinerant life as from the memory of the images of the great artists of the past. The Galeria (1620), one of his most famous books, projects onto the walls of an imaginary gallery the names of the artists and works of art that marked the poet’s courtly experience.