Fourteen years after the first publication of Architectural Stories by Bernard De Clerck, this beautiful new book features the latest design projects from Flemish architect Bernard De Clerck – undoubtedly a conceptual architect who is not in the least conventional, even when he finds inspiration not only in ancient times, the Renaissance and the Arts and Crafts movement, but also in local architecture.
Each house, living space, cluster of buildings created by Bernard De Clerck is based on a story, and in turn, is the beginning of a new one. It is both in the present and in the past. Timeless, warm, with clear lines and a sensitive attention to detail, New Architectural Stories presents 17 truly exceptional residential country homes and castles, some of them in collaboration with Axel Vervoordt.
Text in English, French and Dutch.
From Jewellery to Contextual Art presents the work of the artist and professor Elisabeth Holder and showcases her unique evolution. Coming from a classical goldsmithing background, she placed jewelry in relation to ancient signs and the ornamentation that emerged from them, pursuing the examination of materials in the charged arena between mastery and dialogue, and posing the fundamental question of what jewelry is and can be. This led to a paradigm shift. Jewelry was recontextualized. Illustrated with examples from fields such as architecture and nature, it becomes clear that such jewelry forms are never excessive and are at once Contextual art.
Text in English and German.
Paper Art III contains the wonderful works of dedicated paper artists from all over the world since 2018, exploring the infinite possibilities of paper, an ancient and common material in daily life, allowing people to rediscover the breathtaking beauty of the ordinary and perceive the survival and growth of paper in art. The exquisite paper cutting, spectacular paper sculpture, collision of photography and paper art techniques… each piece of paper artwork will be cohesive in the work of the artist’s time and effort to present the full extent of the work.
In addition to existing as pure artwork, this book also shows how paper art can be used in a variety of applications. From house decoration to window decoration, to large-scale public space decoration, etc., these cases give readers the opportunity to understand and feel how the artist creates a rich sense of space, enhances environmental aesthetics, and even changes the urban temperament by changing the color and shape of the paper.
111 Places for Kids in Houston That You Must Not Miss is a readable resource that will inspire adventures taking your family on a rickshaw ride through ancient China and crawling through a colossal colon. Drive through a car wash that’s in the Guinness Book of World Records. Ride a miniature steam train. Skate on ice or with the roller derby.
As the nation’s most diverse city, the places in the book reflect our melting pot from bahn mi to bagels to crawfish and conchas. Where else will you find a menu devoted to french fries or BBQ paired with chocolate?
Go on location with Texas revolutionary heroes and pioneers from back in the day and recent hometown heroes like Beyoncé and Simone Biles.
This book captures the spirit of Houston and will capture your family’s imagination one amazing field trip at a time.
Stefano De Luigi’s images restore the landscape’s semantic value. The Italian landscape is a complex one, subject to the continuous superimposition of new signs. Yet in some ways, it is also a resistant landscape. While on the one hand, in fact, these signs – mostly similar and very much the offspring of consumer society and mass tourism – make Italy alternately a commodified trophy to be exhibited or “one anonymous, unfriendly, messy suburb,” on the other hand, they are sometimes grafted onto different realities – the upshot once again of those local identities that have long characterized the various areas of the peninsula – giving rise to genuine short circuits of meaning and vision where, in a bizarre potpourri, the contemporary and the ancient, the beautiful and the ugly, the rare and the banal, the serial and the unique all dialog with one another.
Wine: A Social and Cultural History of the Drink that Changed our Lives is a wine history with a difference. Most histories of wine (like Hugh Johnson’s The Story of Wine, Paul Lukacs’s Inventing Wine, and Rod Phillips’s own A Short History of Wine) are chronological narratives that begin with wine in the ancient world and run through to modern times. Wine has been seen typically as the subject of broader historical trends and events – how, for example, economic and diplomatic conditions favored or interrupted the wine trade, and how changes in taste affected wine styles. Wine departs from these approaches by organizing chapters by theme and by focusing much more on how wine has been positively and actively implicated in broad historical changes. It looks at the way wine has been used to demarcate social groups and genders, how wine has shaped facets of social life as diverse as medicine, religion, and military activity, how vineyards and wine cultures have transformed landscapes, and how successive innovations in wine packaging – from amphoras to barrels to bottles – have affected and been affected by commerce and consumption. Wine neither sees the history of wine as the passive result of historical forces nor sees wine as a prime agent of historical change. Rather, it views wine as a critical actor in key trends in the histories of society, culture, and the environment. Each chapter takes a single theme and the material within each is organized chronologically. The book is formed of chapters that together provide a compact and theme-specific history of wine in its own right, enabling readers to consume chapters as self-contained units, rather than as parts of a longer narrative whole. This is a fascinating reference resource for wine enthusiasts and historians alike.
Wine has been considered a luxury product since the time of the ancient Egyptians, and today is coveted by collectors and wine enthusiasts from around the world. Yet little has been written about the world of luxury wine marketing, explaining how a wine brand can enter that special realm. This book helps to demystify the process by describing how to craft, implement, and maintain a luxury wine brand. Beginning with a definition and history of luxury wine, the authors then explain the unique business model and consumer segments for luxury wine, before outlining industry best practice in the building of luxury wine brands. Each chapter is supplemented with a vignette of a successful luxury brand producer, and provides beneficial advice on the long-term vision and passion that is necessary to create a successful luxury wine marketing strategy. This book also contains original research conducted by the authors on the size of the luxury wine market and analysis of its segmentation by region, allowing for new and unique insight into the world’s top wine regions. Written as both a practitioner’s guide and as a wine business textbook, Luxury Wine Marketing is a cornerstone reference resource for the business of wine.
Hand-woven rugs from Persia are among the most exquisite art works ever created. In this fully revised edition of Persian Rugs, Essie Sakhai reveals recent discoveries that present us with a new understanding of this unique art. With hundreds of stunning new photographs, taken especially for this book, Sakhai takes us on a journey through Iran and beyond.
Beginning with the history and art of creating woven masterpieces, Persian Rugs goes on to present full-page examples of some of the most cherished and valuable rugs and carpets in the world. No two hand-woven carpets are the same, each with its own special property, beauty and quality. Sakhai has handpicked the most important of these and gives detailed explanations of how and why these art forms hold such singular and even mystical appeal. A new demand for original and ancient hand-woven pieces has increased their value greatly, leading to world-record prices being achieved at auction and important examples entering major museum collections around the world.
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, unraveling their lives – and deaths. Marvel at the grandeur of Norman lords’ ambitious creations and the fripperies of Victorian industrialists. Indulge your palate with the savory 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.
A volume that aims to present and tell the work of a chef, Matteo Grandi, through his thoughts and his research on taste. A journey that starts from the vision of the Venetian territory and of a city like Vicenza, very important from a historical and artistic point of view, with its links to the East and Northern Europe, as a “faithful daughter” of the Serenissima.
Elements that are found in Grandi, who embodies the collective memory in his personal experience: from his stay in the Far East, which trained him as a professional and as a chef, to the assimilation of classic French cuisine, which still constitutes the backbone of his culinary aptitude; passing from the success of the international television program Hell’s Kitchen, to the conquest of the prestigious Michelin Star which marked the “homecoming” with the establishment in the central square of Vicenza, right in front of the Palladian Basilica which serves as an example for his research and harmony of taste with perspectives and chiaroscuro constructed both for the eye and for function.
Over the course of six decades, the American artist William Harper (b. 1944) has conjured a body of work unique in the realm of jewelry. Masterfully crafted in enamel and gold, his pieces explore multiple realms – from ancient mythology to personal iconography – and draw on influences such as African sculpture, medieval art, and modernist dance. Harper has nonetheless created an oeuvre that is instantly recognizable, branching into formats including paintings, ornamented casks, artist’s books, and more. Bizarre Beauty, the definitive study of Harper and his work, includes a full biography by co-editor Glenn Adamson, as well as thematic essays and primary texts. A visual feast, the book provides an intimate look at this brilliantly imaginative artist.
Molluscs are extraordinary builders; indeed, their architectural skills are almost unparalleled in the animal world. Who among us has failed to marvel at the wonderful structure of the smallest shell picked up on the beach? Some enthusiasts collect them throughout their lives – attracted by their beauty if they are aesthetes, or sought out for scientific purposes, as in the case of Jacques Senders. In this book, Paul Starosta’s spectacular photographs take the reader on a journey through this astounding collection, first started 50 years ago.
These shells, marvels of nature as they are, naturally suggest exotic or futuristic architecture, ancient or Art Nouveau vases, or even precious stones or volcanic rocks, and reaffirm the importance of nature as a source of inspiration for artists and architects. By celebrating the extraordinary variety and architectural refinement of the shells in Jacques and Rita Senders’s collection, the book reveals a world where nature far surpasses human imagination and invention.
At the end of the volume, miniature photographs are accompanied by scientific information on shells, their life, characteristics and different families.
One of the oldest storytelling traditions, shadow theater combines puppetry with music, philosophy, history, storytelling, fashion, ritual, religion, and education.
While each nation in Southeast Asia has its own distinct culture, shadow theater is a shared theme. Many of the masters make their own puppets, play all the musical instruments, learn long texts in ancient languages, sing, study movement, and perform for long period of time in what is one of the most difficult and challenging art forms. Most of the performers are farmers, fisherman, factory workers, or teachers by day and artists by night.
Through documentary photography, A Life in Shadows by Constantine Korsovitis, illustrates the sophistication and value of shadow theater and its creators, and the author has been capturing the spirit and multiplicity of shadow theater since 1999 in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Cambodia, the common thread being the use of the Hindu epics of the Ramayana and the Mara Mahabharata as a source stories.
The Herbal Sutra: Indian Wisdom and Wellness through 100 Herbs is a journey into the heart of India’s herbal legacy. A stunningly illustrated compendium of 100 of India’s most illustrious herbs, the book documents their ancient wisdom, versatile applications and remarkable benefits. From haldi (turmeric) – a powerful antiseptic that is widely used for beauty rituals and for its anti-inflammatory goodness to jamun (Indian blackberry), a rich source of vitamins and antioxidants, and the kokum (butter tree) prized for its sweet and tangy taste, a reliable savior from the summer heat, these herbs form India’s rich heritage, offering a wealth of benefits. Harnessing the power of these herbs accompanied by illustrations that are inspired by India’s hand block printing tradition, this beautiful book sheds light on how to live better, eat better and make holistic choices using these sacred herbs that have been a part of our generational wisdom.
Discover the most enchanting tea houses around the world in 150 Tea Houses You Need to Visit Before You Die. This book takes you on a fascinating journey through 150 unique tea houses across all continents. Whether you are a seasoned tea enthusiast or seeking new travel destinations, this richly illustrated book serves as an inspiring travel guide. From traditional Japanese tea houses to modern, trendy hot spots in global cities, each tea house has its own story, ambiance, and unique tea experience. Immerse yourself in the art of tea drinking and uncover must-visit locations.
The Galleria Borghese not only houses an extraordinary collection of ancient and modern sculpture, but also one of the most extraordinary collections of paintings in the world, with masterpieces by the most important European painters, including Giovanni Bellini, Correggio, Dosso Dossi, Parmigianino, Raphael, Titian, Caravaggio and Rubens.
In two volumes – the first is presented here divided into two tomes and dedicated to works created between the 15th and 16th centuries – the intention is to continue the work begun with the catalogue raisonné of modern sculpture, also published by Officina Libraria (2022), thanks to updates, discoveries, archive research and analysis of works.
The entries in this volume, preceded by introductory essays illustrating the main nuclei of paintings produced between the Renaissance and Mannerism periods in the museum, have been entrusted to scholars specializing in the productions of individual artists or regional schools, experts in the history of the gallery and a large group of younger experts in 15th and 16th century painting. The individual texts present a significant degree of in-depth study both chronologically and in terms of attribution, with notes on restorations and archival documents.
Text in Italian.
Anyone can go online, write something about what’s going on the world, and share it with potentially millions of people. We are living in an era of radically democratized information. And it’s a threat to democracy itself. Social media has made it easier than ever to spread falsehoods, amplified by its echo chambers and algorithms, and latched onto by politicians looking for convenient narratives.
But fake news has a surprisingly long history. This book traces its evolution through rumor, conspiracy and misinformation, Ancient Greece to Donald Trump and beyond. It explores the origins of confirmation bias, some of the earliest instances of mass media manipulation, the deployment of fake news during war and the significance of the internet age, ultimately asking the question: how do we make sense of this post-truth world?
Dr. Clement Williams was a British army surgeon, political agent, and businessman who gained unparalleled access to the court of King Mindon, the great ruler of Mandalay, between 1861 and his premature death in 1873.
William’s official diaries, his legal disputes, his commercial contracts, his travel book, and (most of all) his extraordinarily rare photographs offer a unique portrait of an ancient civilization on the cusp of industrial, technological, and political change. Drawing on primary sources and academic works, The Informal Imperialist has already been recognized as a significant contribution to Burmese studies within and beyond Myanmar. And, by weaving Williams’s story into a clear and compelling narrative, it reveals a vanished world to both scholars and general readers alike.
Wabi-sabi, that ancient philosophy which embraces imperfection, lies at the very heart of Japanese traditions—both artistic and societal. Today, it is being diluted by modernity. Worse still, this timeless aesthetic—nourished by the slow passage of time and enriched by the patina of age—is being cheapened by the mass-market home décor industry. Reducing wabi-sabi to what it once was, or to a fleeting “lifestyle” trend, is to confine it within a box. From their encounter with architect Kengo Kuma, the authors have retained—and illustrate here—his vision of “modern wabi-sabi. Through their travels in India, Europe, and Morocco, they have witnessed the transcontinental ripple effect of wabi-sabi and, through this aesthetic, the subtle yet powerful influence of Japan. While journeying through the Japanese archipelago, they met with a new generation who is preserving, revealing, and carrying forward this philosophy: the new ambassadors of wabi-sabi. From a shared moment with a monk in a teahouse to a thousand quiet joys, they experienced the wabi-sabi feeling… They summon it here, and invite you to experience it too.
Part travel journal, part photo book, and part collection of testimonies—Anne-Emmanuelle Thion, a nomadic photographer, and Thierry Grundman, a traveling antiques dealer and founder of Atmosphère d’Ailleurs and the Wabi-Sabi Lab—offer a cross-cultural, contemporary vision of wabi-sabi through encounters with those who embody it today.
Text in English and French.
This publication discusses a bronze Laocoön recently sold at Bonham’s. Its new owners attributed it to Giuseppe Piamontini (1663–1744) ‘because of its manufacture and its extremely close proximity to the Doccia model’, the model employed for a porcelain Laocoön produced in the factory set up by Carlo Ginori (1702–57) in 1737 at Doccia near Florence.
Labelled as French and belatedly returned to Late Baroque Florence (but to the wrong artist), this magnificent group has finally revealed its identity. It is one of the incunabula of an ambitious young sculptor measuring himself with the sculptors of Ancient Greece and their great Renaissance followers of his native Florence. During the day he copied them in the Galleria degli Uffizi and in the streets of the city. At night he gathered together with other pupils of Foggini in the Borgo Pinti studio to study together. The prominent career to which Della Valle obviously aspired prompted his move to Rome. Della Valle helped us interpret the bronze correctly, interpret correctly its attribution in the Doccia models’ inventory and by extension understand better that document itself. But most important, our understanding of Florentine Late Baroque sculpture and of Della Valle’s art has acquired another firm point of reference.
This book was published on the occasion of the exhibition HYBRIDS Composite creatures from fables, myths and legends from 9 June 2024 – 17 November 2024 in cultuurhuis / Art Centre de Warande, Turnhout – België/Belgium.
Fantastic creatures from myths, sagas and legends are often hybrids, composed of different, often very varied animals. Frequently, they also appear to be a mixture of humans and animals. Such representations and descriptions of hybrid creatures occur in all cultures around the world and have existed since ancient times. This publication reads like a wondrous journey into a grand Wunderkammer.
Text in English and Dutch.
Eternal Jewels celebrates the World Jewellery Museum’s 20th anniversary, inviting readers into the poetic vision of founder Lee Kangwon, whose museum is known as the ‘Jewel of Seoul’. Published here for the first time, the book presents extraordinary pieces alongside Lee’s untold stories from her diplomatic travels across four continents.
For Lee Kangwon, a collector and poet, each acquisition represents a spiritual journey transcending borders. The museum’s aesthetic presentation reflects her poetic sensibilities, rooted in Korean traditions of meditation on beauty as a path to spiritual purity. From Colombian emerald mines and Tibetan temples to her family’s royal heirloom jewels, the collection spans centuries and civilizations. Each piece – whether a ceremonial headpiece or intimate talisman – carries profound cultural significance and human connection. Through this carefully curated anthology, Lee fulfills her museum’s mission to spread light full of beauty and wonder through jewelry, creating bridges between cultures, past and present, material and spiritual realms.
This book overturns the truism that people carry objects to places. Instead, it asks how objects transport people—physically, imaginatively, and emotionally—to spaces and worlds beyond their immediate reach. It explores artworks as maps of imagined journeys or as worlds inviting inner exploration, grounded in ‘deep travel’ or psychogeography. Centered on Shanxi, China—a cultural crossroads known as West of Mountains—the book examines pivotal works that model these journeys. Highlights include China’s “Stonehenge” tracking solar movements, Zoroastrian-themed sarcophagi, tomb murals depicting afterlife journeys, and Buddhist scrolls for water-land rituals. Lavishly illustrated, the volume combines essays on interconnected themes with close analyses of individual pieces, offering a rich narrative on how art shapes profound spatial and imaginative experiences.
Tuscany, with its rolling hills and gorgeous villas, its ancient towns and villages, is nirvana for wine lovers. The Smart Traveller’s Wine Guide tells you all you need to know to get the most out of your stay, from the centuries-long history to the best wineries to visit, the trattorias of Montalcino and the lesser-known delights of Bolgheri. We explain what makes a SuperTuscan, decipher Tuscany’s wine classification system, and send you on journeys of discovery down the sun-dappled byways of Italy’s most seductive wine region.