This first volume of the catalogue raisonné of Joaquín Sorolla Bastida’s paintings includes 1,063 works, with their corresponding illustrated technical data sheets, which he produced between 1876 and 1894, when he created La vuelta de la pesca (The Return from Fishing). This painting encapsulates the vision of painting that was being awarded prizes at international exhibitions and for which the painter of the light is not so well known. However, it is exciting to see the process behind this series of paintings, which, as it matures, exudes technical and stylistic ease.
For this reason, the Sorolla we discover in this volume, new to many and broader than we thought, aims to continue to fascinate the public and open up new lines of research and study.
In another of the exquisite Library on Display series of exhibitions, the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana has organized an original itinerary in medical literature and philosophical treatises, through finely illuminated manuscripts produced for illustrious patrons. The exhibition includes the Corpus Hippocraticum, with the De diaeta treatise, and Galen’s writings, but also Ficino’s translation of Plato’s Dialogues, Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics as translated by John Argyropoulos and Epicurus famous Letter to Menoeceus. In the same way, the culinary suggestions in De re coquinaria by Apicius are accompanied by Seneca’s Letters to Lucilius and Plutarch’s precepts. There are a number of medieval works from the Arab tradition and texts that descend from the tradition of the famous Salerno medical school, Trotula’s Regulae medicinales (dedicated to women’s health and cosmetics), the Physica by Hildegard of Bingen, writings by physicians of the 13th and 14th centuries such as Aldobrandinus of Siena, Taddeo Alderotti (cited by Dante in the Divine Comedy) and Barnabas of Reggio. Encounters from the 15th century include Benedetto da Norcia, physician to Bianca Maria Visconti and Cosimo de Medici the Elder, and Bernardo Torni, physician to future pope Leo X, Giovanni de Medici. A special chapter is dedicated to writings about the bubonic plague, in particular Consilio contro la pestilentia, written by Marsilio Ficino in response to the epidemic that raged in Florence between 1478 and 1479. The neo-Platonic philosopher, in his capacity as a physician following in the family tradition, also wrote De triplici vita, the reference for all successive literature about the melancholy temperament of the saturnine intellect. The exploration ends in the 16th century with the amiable advice offered by Luigi Cornaro, Venetian gentleman and patron of the arts, in his Discorsi della vita sobria.
From wild parrots in the streets of Tokyo to prize pigeons outside New York, this book brings together the world’s best contemporary photography of birds and asks us to look anew at these mysterious winged creatures in all their complexity and majesty.
Featured photographers: Frankie Alduino, Barbara Bosworth, Xavi Bou, Giacomo Brunelli, Robert Clark, Tim Flach, Andrew Garn, Mark Harvey, Leila Jeffreys, Simen Johan, Tracy Johnson, Katerina Kaloudi, Sanna Kannisto, Tom Leighton, Neeta Madahar, Dillon Marsh, Joseph McGlennon, Yoshinori Mizutani, Yola Monakhov, Carla Rhodes, Pentti Sammallahti, Joel Sartore, Aniruddha Satam, Søren Solkær, Tamara Staples, Luke Stephenson, Julia Tatarchenko and Janice Tieken.
Indian art is deeply inspired by philosophical and religious thought. In this original and extensively researched work, the author explores the history of the Pushti Marg community. She explains the spiritual beliefs as laid down by the saint and founder Shri Vallabhacharya, which inspired the art that was created for use in the religious practices of the Vallabha Sampradaya.
This book first delves into the core of Pushti Marg — Vallabhacharya’s philosophy and theology of Shrinathji (a form of Krishna); secondly, it explores how his system of beliefs was expressed in an organized religion and rituals that resulted in the production of sacred objects, mainly paintings, pichvais and shrine textiles. Finally it discusses the influence of Pushti Marg on the social and cultural aspects that carried these traditions forward. While doing so, the book showcases many rare paintings and textiles created for the personal and public shrines of the faith. The book reveals the provenance of the most important pre-Mughal manuscript, Palam Dispersed Bhagavad Puran, and that of Golden and Kalamkari pichvais. The fact that many of the beautiful artefacts, depicting aspects of the worship of Shrinathji, were created by Muslim artisans is a remarkable example of the syncretic culture of India.
The author has analyzed the influence of the Vallabha Sampradaya on Indian paintings in minute detail. As a member of a family that has devotedly followed the tenets of Pushti Marg across many generations, she is uniquely placed to offer an insider’s view of its philosophy, an in-depth understanding of its practices, and a museologist’s perspective on the exquisite artefacts inspired by this faith, which are now displayed in collections worldwide.
The ethnographic literature of the 20th century focused mainly on the sculptural traditions of the numerous ethnic groups that populated Southern Nigeria while the more northern areas remained largely terra incognita. In 2013 Jan Strybol published a study on the sculpture of Northern Nigeria. He pointed out that in many parts of this region there are people who still had, at least until recently, their own sculptural tradition. In this study the author restricted himself to what is referred to as the Middle Belt and especially to the part between the Bauchi Plateau, the Gongola River and the Katsina Ala River. In 1974 Roy Sieber pointed out that, with a few exceptions, the people who were members of the Niger-Congo language family laid the foundations for the great African sculptural traditions south of the Sahara. However, the largest group of iconophile peoples in the Central Middle Belt of Nigeria is to be found in the Chadic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family.
In this book of objects from private collections the author shows the great variety of the sculptures of the Middle Belt. This study mainly deals with wooden figures but also contains four wooden masks and three bronzes.
Text in English and French.
The first to describe in detail a community of potters working for the Jagannatha Temple in Puri, eastern India, Temple Potters of Puri explores the role of the temple servant and how it affects the potters’ understanding of their work and of themselves. As a pilgrimage center of national importance, supported by the patronage of successive regional dynasties and by fervent popular belief, the Jagannatha Temple requires earthenware in great quantities for the creation and distribution of the sacred food that is an integral feature of daily ritual and pilgrimage. Several hundred potters participate as temple servants in maintaining the temple’s ritual cycle by performing their divinely assigned task. This study observes the potters’ technical prowess, sustained by devotion, but also examines the tensions within their relationships to more powerful temple servants and authorities. The role of the potter as temple servant is at once glorious, as demonstrated by texts and personal interpretations of the potters’ divinely-appointed service, and pathetic, as shown in the brutality of caste-based hierarchy and cash-based exchange penetrating the modern temple’s daily operations. The accompanying DVD shows the potters at work and records their skills and products as well as the annual festival that celebrates their role as temple servants.
Treasures of the Albert Hall Museum, Jaipur catalogues a selection of the marvelous artworks on display at Albert Hall, Jaipur. Envisioned by Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh II of Jaipur and executed by his successor Sawai Madhao Rao Singh II, to preserve the heritage of local arts and crafts, it was designed and built in 1897 by Thomas Holbein Hendley. The 19,000 artworks of the museum include pottery, stonework, woodwork, arms and armour, sculpture, jewelry, musical instruments, coins and seals, carpets and miniature paintings. Some of the best artworks and architectural features of the museum are produced in this book along with concise text.
Science and Art are both manifestations of beauty and creativity. As mankind has evolved and as science has progressed, artistic creations by humans have become more abstract-like mathematics, which is the abstraction of all sciences. The authors of this unusual work postulate some critical ideas on science, art and aesthetics, and establish that we need both, a scientific temper and the temper of art.
The eight theses that relate to science and art, and their rationale presented in this book are a culmination of observations, conversations, readings, ideas exchanged, and thoughts that span a journey of six decades. The accompanying DVD is a reproduction of two shows held in Hyderabad of MF Husain’s 25 paintings on some of the most important events of the last century with their description as written by Bhargava. The CD records the music Susumo Ohno, an American geneticist, created by converting the language of DNA into the language of music.
Threads of Time is a journey around the world through the medium of textiles. In many communities, cultural heritage and traditions have been handed down through generations by textile artisans. Their beliefs, history, ceremonies, and traditions have been woven into cloth with meaning and purpose sometimes lasting thousands of years. Textiles are special in that they can create narratives that are personal as well as eminently portable.
The pages of Threads of Time illustrate exquisite textiles with location photography, from historical examples of centuries past to extraordinary contemporary expressions, revealing a continuum of inspiration and beauty. The 16 chapters, covering regions from across the globe, feature contributions from local textile makers and experts, bringing together over 30 voices to tell stories of cloth.
Locations explored include: Indonesia, China, Vietnam and Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, Bhutan, Nagaland, Punjab, Egypt and Palestine, The Caucasus, Turkey, Madagascar, Tunisia, Ghana, Peru and Guatemala, Navajo Nation.
Jan Morris’s only artwork – a two meter long panorama of Venice drawn in 1966, published to mark Jan Morris’s centenary. Printed full size as a fold out facsimile, limited edition.
Jan Morris (1926-2020) was one of the great writers, travelers, journalists and historians of the 20th century, perhaps best known for Venice, Pax Britannica and Conundrum.
Visions of Paradise: American Wilderness is a singular, timeless publication — a photographic tour de force celebrating the extraordinary majesty and rich legacy of America’s wild places, as seen through the eyes of one of the country’s foremost wilderness photographers, Jon Ortner, and conveyed through the transcendent medium of black-and-white film. Ortner has always been fascinated with the natural world, particularly as an avid hiker in the American wilderness. This luxurious book collects in a large format his inspiring landscape images, forming a passionate tribute to the American wilderness. In this sensational portfolio of 200 black-and-white images, Ortner has rediscovered and reinterpreted the compelling beauty of many of his most cherished wilderness locations with remarkable portrayals of their sublime, dramatic, tranquil, and transcendent aspects. Join Ortner as he guides us through his visions of paradise.
Signed, numbered special edition, slip cased, with signed landscape print (measuring 28 x 23 mm), and limited to 200 copies.
The largest maps in the world are to be found in the floor of the Citizens’ Hall, in the heart of the Royal Palace Amsterdam. The three circular mosaics, each measuring over six metres in diameter, together depict the known world and the night sky. They remain to this day an iconic and beloved part of the majestic palace, which was originally built in the mid-17th century to serve as Amsterdam’s town hall. At that time, the city was the world’s leading cartography centre. The prominent place of the floor maps relates directly to that primacy. This book tells the story of these unique maps and of the flourishing of cartography in Amsterdam in the 17th and 18th centuries.
The book describes the legends and history of each of the beads, their importance, folklores on them, use, price, and so on. The oral history, gender questions, social dynamics, and even inter- as well as intra-tribal relationships of the tribes have been described in detail in the book. The tradition of beads has been imbedded in the lives of the people of north-east from time immemorial. The continuing popularity of beads has led to manufacture of spurious products. Despite the onslaught of globalization even in rural areas, the popularity of beads has not diminished among the people. Beads are also used as a bartering item and usually take the place of money even now. The book describes the economic, cultural, and ritual significance of beads; their historical relation to migration; and popular beliefs, classification mechanism, and ethnic specifications of beads.
Contents: Preface; Introduction; Diversity of Beads; Folklore and Beads; Trade; Beads and Gender; Beads and the Emerging Realities; Beliefs, Utility, and Values of Beads; Conclusions; Bibliography; Acknowledgements; Index.
Step back in time to the captivating world of 16th-century Europe with this compelling portrait of Margaret of Parma, governor of the Netherlands for Philip II of Spain, and a woman who left an indelible mark on history. Through vivid storytelling and meticulous research, this book delves into the life and legacy of Margaret, shedding light on her influence and contributions to the tumultuous political landscape of her era. From exhilarating falcon hunts to lavish feasts, intricate etiquette, and the complexities of dress codes, readers are transported to a time of opulence and intrigue. With profound reflections on customs and traditions, this captivating narrative offers a rich tapestry of life in the Renaissance court.
Within the possibilities of her role, she tried to prevent war and bloodshed. Religious conflicts would divide Europe for more than another century. Margaret of Parma’s story is sure to leave a lasting impression.
Throughout its century of existence, every moment of Le Mans has been captured in countless photographs. From black & white to color, these particularly vivid images bring to life a whole world: that of the cars, naturally, but also of the many human players – drivers, engineers, mechanics – and the public, always numerous and varied.
The authors summarize the moments and actions of the key characters, identifying five major periods:
1923-1929: The time of the pioneers
1930-1967: Reconstruction and globalization
1968-1981: In search of the right solution
1982-1999: The 21st century in sight
2000-2022: A Modern Race
Text in English and French.
The talented printmaker and Royal Academician Chris Orr turns his humorous gaze on some of the most famous – and fabulous – artists of the past. With over 30 new works, accompanied by Orr’s captions, artists from Edward Hopper to Pablo Picasso find themselves in weird and wonderful situations. Edvard Munch holidays at the seaside, John Constable RA is disturbed at his easel by frolicking nudists and an unfortunate incident occurs in Barbara Hepworth’s studio… No one can escape Orr’s imagination: Walter Sickert is distracted from a spread-eagled model by a fly in his soup, Dame Laura Knight RA is caught shoplifting, and Frida Kahlo enjoys a fry-up. Each image is packed with detail to pore over, and the book concludes with notes from the artist, ‘Notes from the Cages’, accompanied by preparatory drawings for the finished work. This new collection, published to coincide with an exhibition of Orr’s works at the Royal Academy, is a delightful fantasy, which affectionately pokes fun at well-loved artists.
This book about miniature painting at the Bundelkhand royal courts of Orchha, Datia, and Panna is the first to admit an understanding of the works that two fatal misconceptions regarding their time and place of origin have hitherto thwarted. The miniature school of Bundelkhand that first developed at Orchha was the earliest and most Indian of all the Rajput schools and at the time of its founding the only one to practice a purely indigenous style of painting, “untainted” by the naturalism of imperial Mughal painting. The author’s interpretations and stylistic analyses of over 240 paintings from his collection, many of them published here for the first time, shed light on the school’s development from the late 16th century to the early days of British rule.
The book also introduces readers to the conceptual world of Rajput miniature painting and the rasa aesthetic that anticipates the modern reception aesthetic. Origins of Orchha Painting, the first volume of the series Orchha, Datia, Panna: Miniatures from the Royal Courts of Bundelkhand (1590–1850), deals with the founding period of Orchha painting, the years 1590–1605, and how it derived from pre-Mughal Early Rajput painting, which flourished at the Tomar court of Gwalior from around 1460 until the downfall of the Hindu kingdom in 1518. The subsequent volumes, Stylistic Trends in Bundelkhand Painting, analyze how this Rajput school developed during the period 1605–1635 and spread to Datia after the disintegration of Orchha in 1635 and later to Panna, the Bundela state of Chattrasal, in the 1680s. Bundelkhand painting ended with Chattrasal’s death in 1731, and it was only after a long interruption, in the beginning of the 19th century, that the school experienced an Indian summer at the court of Datia during the period of British suzerainty.
Shah Rukh Khan is many things: a villain, an anti-hero, a romantic hero, a heart-throb, and a superstar. Khan burst onto the big screen in 1992 as a character-actor who gave even the most reprehensible villains depth. The accolades he won allowed him to take on a plethora of more adventurous roles, proving his versatility and skill to the world of Indian cinema, but also establishing him as a celebrity icon. This book, containing essays from some of Khan’s closest coworkers, offers an intimate and honest picture of SRK the actor and Shah Rukh the man.
SRK – 25 Years of a Life looks at Shah Rukh through the eyes of the directors who transformed him into each of his unforgettable roles. It shows the creation of a living legend, tracing Khan from his early days to his current position at the pinnacle of the Bollywood casting lists. As well as offering an insight into Khan’s life that will entrance any dedicated fan, this book is designed to please the eye; its many illustrations are inspired by Bollywood’s hand-painted film posters, reminiscent of the iconic portraits that first revealed SRK’s characters. SRK writes that he hasn’t had time for introspection, and does not dwell on the details of his successes and failures. However, this book puts everything that needs to be known about SRK within the reader’s grasp. With its stark and unembellished accounts of SRK’s personal and professional life, it provides a unique window of insight into this legandary man.
The temples of the Early Chalukyas, dating from the 6th to 8th centuries, are unrivalled in all of India for their comparatively early date and unusually complete condition, the remarkable juxtaposition of their different constructional techniques and building styles, and for the sheer beauty of their figural and decorative carvings. In spite of their appeal and outstanding historical significance, these monuments have until now lacked an adequate publication.
This volume is the first to fully describe and illustrate the architecture and art of the Early Chalukya temples in Badami, and nearby Mahakuta, Aihole and Pattadakal, all situated on or near to the Malprabha River in central Karnataka. Michell’s definitive text is complemented by forty of his measured drawings, which constitute the most thorough graphic documentation ever undertaken. These are accompanied by more than 150 splendid, newly commissioned photographs by Surendra Kumar.
Contents:
Preface; Historical Background; Architecture; Sculpture; Badami; Mahakuta; Aihole; Pattadakal; Maps; Building Chronology; Glossary of Architectural Terms; Glossary of Indian Names; Select Bibliography; Photo Credits; Index.
With concrete examples from healthcare, education, finance and HR, this book demonstrates how humans and technology can reinforce one another. Practical tools such as the ‘Humanity Check’ help you assess AI on autonomy, connection and meaning. It becomes clear that AI can be an ally in fostering personal growth and societal progress. It invites managers, innovators and policymakers to engage in the most important conversation of the next decade: how humans and AI can enrich one another.
Welcome to the world of 2051 through the eyes of digital marketing pioneers from around the world: engineers, developers, designers, writers and analysts who closely follow tech trends. With their finely honed intuition for user experience and a passion for technology, the authors boldly predict life 30 years from now through a collection of fascinating, futuristic, stories.
Hideo Sasaki (1919-2000) believed that large, complex problems of planning and design required teams of professionals from planning, urban design, landscape architecture and architecture, all working together. Over a period of some 30 years the story of the firm that Sasaki founded and the offices that have subsequently developed from that firm constitutes an important chapter in the history of the profession.
From its foundation in 1948, the state of Israel has felt isolated and under threat from enemies. This collective siege mentality manifests itself with over 1 million public and private shelters. The Israelis have integrated these ‘Doomsday spaces’ into their everyday life and transformed them into spaces that look like normal dance studios, bars or temples. For many people in Israel who live with a personal history of exile and persecution, these shelters are the architecture of an existential threat both real and perceived. Adam Reynolds shot the images in this book over the course of three years, from 2013 to 2015. The photographs offer a broad cultural and geographical typology of the shelter spaces by documenting them on either side of the Green Line, throughout Israel and the Occupied Territories, in an effort to offer the broadest survey possible. They straddle the distinct worlds of fine art and reportage. “Working in a country like Israel, it is difficult, if not impossible, to separate art from social reality,” says Adam Reynolds.