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.
In the misty highlands of the Andes, Sandra Velasco Jordan first encountered the gentle creatures that would one day become her life’s passion and purpose. From these childhood moments among Peru’s verdant mountains to establishing her acclaimed textile business in California, Jordan’s journey with alpacas weaves a story as rich and textured as the fabrics she creates. Loving Alpaca, with a preface by the acclaimed interior designer Holly Hunt, chronicles a life lived between worlds—from Peru to Chile, India to the Philippines—as Jordan draws upon her multicultural experiences to build a business that honors tradition while embracing innovation. With unwavering dedication, she works alongside Peruvian herdsmen and women weavers, preserving ancient crafts while introducing their exceptional artistry to global markets. More than a memoir, this impressionistic portrait reveals how alpaca fiber became the thread connecting Jordan’s past to her present, her heritage to her home. Through her story, we discover the profound relationship between craft and identity, sustainability and beauty, nature and creative expression. Journey with Jordan as she transforms her love for these remarkable animals into a mission that celebrates cultural heritage, champions ethical practices, and creates spaces of harmony and beauty wherever her path leads.
The footprint of modern-day floristry is considerable, however ideas and techniques from the past can be the solution to help create a sustainable future for the sector. In this fact and inspiration filled book, florists Max van de Sluis and Per Benjamin go as far back as the Stone Age and Ancient Egypt to find out about flower use, techniques and materials throughout the ages. They show us how intricate floral designs were made without single-use, non-compostable or non-reusable materials, and how these often simple, but clever and inventive ways can be adapted and upscaled to create contemporary ‘greener’ floral design.
Fortitude, a 500 piece puzzle featuring the artwork of Kyle Staver.
Engaging with the beautiful and the grisly of canonical Western narratives in equal measure, Kyle Staver finds her inspiration in sources ranging from the Bible to ancient Greek mythopoetic traditions. The artist personifies a series of virtues including Charity, Justice, and Fortitude, among others, developing a tradition of iconography stemming from early Christian manuscript illumination.
First published in 1925, Austrian writer Stefan Zweig’s short story The Invisible Collection still manages to strike the reader with its ability to masterfully sketch the contours of collecting obsession. Deeply fascinated by the innovations that enriched European thought in the 1920s, first and foremost psychoanalysis, which also echoes among these pages, Zweig constructs a story that, despite being deeply anchored in time and space, is still relevant and full of humanity.
In addition to the engravings by Dürer and Rembrandt mentioned in the story, this second book in the Dédale series is illustrated by the paintings that the French painter Honoré Daumier. It is opened by a preface by Brazilian writer Pedro Corrêa do Lago, who shares with Zweig a collecting passion for letters and autograph manuscripts by well-known authors, which is followed by an introduction by Guillaume Glorieux, who focuses on the relationship between collection and wealth, as well as the importance of collecting and the joy of sharing.
The human digestive system, or gut, can be understood like the hole of a doughnut. In other words, it’s not really us at all, but a vast ecosystem of bacteria, yeasts, fungi, viruses and other micro-organisms collectively weighing up to two kilograms. And the gut does a lot more than simply break down our food – it impacts our immunity, stress levels and even our moods. The connection between the brain and the gut is one of the most exciting research areas of biology today, changing the way we manage our mental health. This book traces our understanding of the gut, from ancient medicine to modern day, examining the enormous impact this little-understood organ has on our lives.
Fife is an ancient Scottish county, proudly known as the Kingdom. Its distinctive, self-contained identity is summed up in the old adage ‘Bid farewell to Scotland, and cross to Fife!’ A compact peninsula shaped like the head of a Scottie dog nosing the North Sea, it boasts magnificent approaches from south and north via the celebrated bridges over the Forth and Tay. Tourists flock to the world-famous golf courses in the old university town of St Andrews. But Fife is packed with all manner of much less-visited treasures, places of stunning natural beauty as well as fascinating monuments of every era, from prehistoric to post-industrial, testaments to its long and eventful past and richly diverse cultural heritage. You will discover a land where generations of the illustrious and the powerful, the humble and the hard-working have all left their mark, from kings and queens to miners and fishermen, from bishops, earls and industrialists to scholars, artists and sportsmen – to say nothing of the internationally famed Fifers whose legacies have changed history. This book will introduce visitor and native alike to a whole host of unexpected and contrasting sites and sights that celebrate the delightful otherness of this unique little Kingdom.
Sourdough doesn’t have to be complicated. The Sourdough Baking Book is your ultimate guide to mastering the art of sourdough. Belgian baker Miro Van Vreckem, from the renowned Norwegian bakery Elt Bakeri, takes you on a journey of fermentation and flavor. The story starts at the very roots — with the organic farmer growing the perfect grains and the miller transforming them into fine flour. From there, you’ll follow a clear, step-by-step path to creating your own sourdough starter with just flour and water. Soon, you’ll be baking crusty loaves, heavenly pastries, and both sweet and savory delights straight from your own oven.
An undeniable pall hangs over the future of our world, with prospects looking increasingly uncertain and frightful. The interlocking social, political, and environmental crises exist on a planetary scale. However, from antiquity forward, the idea of an ark gave hope that humanity will, through resourcefulness, compassion, and solidarity, shepherd the world beyond catastrophe.
The Ark, an extraordinary exhibition at The Church in Sag Harbor, brings together sculptures from several generations of artists who have captured humanity’s deepest pleasures and fears through imagination and self-expression. Curated by renowned artist Eric Fischl, this collection resonates with the ancient story of survival against overwhelming odds. Within this contemporary ark, you’ll discover sculptures that embody the inherent beauty of animals while simultaneously exploring the mythic, visual, and cultural with unexpected power.
This book presents works that are not mere representations but embodiments of mysteries in our struggle for survival and protection against a hostile world. From Louise Bourgeois’s monumental spiders to Deborah Butterfield’s reclining horses, from William Kentridge’s bronze pigeons to Jane Rosen’s ethereal glass raptors—each piece invites contemplation of our place in nature.
Calouste Gulbenkian amassed a remarkable collection of Japanese art. This lesser known facet of the collector’s activity was explored in the exhibition Floating world: ‘ukiyo-e’ Japanese prints, which presented a large number of Japanese prints produced between the 17th and 19th centuries that belong entirely to the Museum’s collection. The exhibition focused on the concept of ukiyo, which means ‘floating world’ and refers to the fleeting pleasures of everyday life.
The catalogue is divided into two parts. The first is a set of four essays, including three by the exhibition curators. In the first text, Jorge Rodrigues explores the set of prints acquired by Calouste Gulbenkian for his collection. Francesca Neglia then looks at two of the most popular iconographic themes in ukiyo-e: the figure of the courtesan and landscapes. In the third essay, Hannah Sigur discusses the literary network associated with ukiyo-e. Finally, Rui Xavier, Preventive Conservation Coordinator at the Gulbenkian Museum and curator of the Gulbenkian Collection’s lacquerware, writes about the damage sustained by the collection of Japanese prints after the 1967 Lisbon’s floods and the remarkable restoration process that followed.
The second part of the publication is similar in structure to the accompanying exhibition sections and includes texts on specific works or groups of works. The first chapter, ‘Different views of nature and landscape’, deals with landscape painting as an autonomous genre of ukiyo-e; in ‘Uki-e’: perspective images, the focus is on uki-e, a genre of prints made by adopting Western geometric perspective; Yoshiwara’s ‘floating world’ revolves around the authorized leisure district of Edo (present-day Tokyo) and its influence on the production of prints depicting women; ‘Ukiyo-e’s literary web’ deals with the unique and contradictory relationship between scholarly literature and poetry and the main protagonists in the ‘floating world’, such as kabuki theater actors and the so-called ‘women for play’; finally, ‘The Tōkaidō Stations’ covers the famous print series of the same name, comprising prints on various themes related to the Tōkaidō route, which ran from Edo to the imperial city of Kyoto.
Image Credits: Panorama
In their first monograph, am designs presents 22 private residences in Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK, the US, Italy, and France that have defined the past two decades of their work, including two new projects never before published.
Through an unwavering dedication to excellence and a family-oriented approach to business, am designs—founded by Mark Mertens—continues to redefine the design landscape, offering clients transformative experiences that celebrate the art of living. am designs is renowned for its high-quality residential and hotel projects, embodying a philosophy of life that creates timeless spaces perfectly attuned to the lifestyle of their owners.
At am designs, the philosophy centers on creating a unified world where art, design, architecture, and well-being seamlessly converge. Every project reflects a commitment to crafting timeless environments that align with clients’ lifestyles and aspirations.
Drawing inspiration from ancient cultures, contemporary architecture, and Belgium’s rich heritage, am designs curates a diverse collection of rare objects and artworks, infusing each space with distinctive character. Prioritizing the use of pure materials and thoughtfully considered architectural structures, they create environments that evoke tranquility and comfort. Interiors are intentionally kept serene and timeless, providing a harmonious backdrop that allows iconic furniture, lighting, and artworks to take center stage.
The furniture selection is often a carefully balanced mix of in-house designs and timeless design classics. am designs’ home collections, deeply rooted in Belgian craftsmanship, were born from the need to furnish interiors with timeless pieces that seamlessly integrate with existing architecture and its proportions.
Discover the rich history and modern allure of matcha, the vibrant green powder beloved worldwide. From its ancient origins in Japanese tea ceremonies to its rise as a wellness superfood, this book explores matcha’s profound health benefits, cultural significance, and creative uses in food and drink.
Featuring inspiring recipes, tips on the best matcha cafés, and insights into its celebrity appeal, this book is perfect for enthusiasts and newcomers alike. Sip, savor, and embrace the green revolution!
Japan was isolated almost completely from the West for more than two hundred years, from 1641 to 1854. One of the first Westerners to penetrate that barrier and reveal fundamental information about the country – and the Far East in general – was Philipp Franz von Siebold (1796-1866), a doctor from Würzburg in Germany. He spent the period 1823 to 1829 on the small island of Dejima, a Dutch trading post in Nagasaki that was then the only point of contact between Japan and the West. Full of ambition, Siebold was sent from the Dutch East Indies to Japan with the task of gathering as much information as possible about the country, its geography, its people, religion, customs and traditional costumes. The ultimate aim was to use this information to boost Dutch trade. Working with Japanese artists including Kawahara Keiga and Hokusai, Siebold embarked on an unprecedented visual and scientific project, culminating in the book Nippon. In this publication of Nippon, we give Siebold’s work a new lease of life that lets us understand the Japan he saw. This edition includes all the original prints, with a commentary on the most compelling images. The introduction discusses the unique relationship between Japan and the Netherlands, Siebold’s life, his work on Dejima and the historical significance of Nippon. The thematic essays and image keys point out striking details and interesting stories, all with a view to achieving once again what Siebold sought to do all those years ago: let readers marvel at the incredible beauty of Japan.
Discover the captivating story of vermouth—the aromatic, herb-infused spirit that has quietly shaped cocktail culture for centuries. This beautifully crafted book takes you on a journey through the rich history of vermouth, from its medicinal roots in ancient Europe to its golden age in the bars of Turin and Paris.
Explore the legendary houses that defined the category—Martini & Rossi, Carpano, Dolin, Noilly Prat—and learn how their craft turned vermouth into a global icon of sophistication. With vintage labels, classic advertisements, and rare archival photos, the book pays tribute to the brands that bottled elegance and tradition.
Whether sipped solo or mixed into timeless cocktails like the Negroni, Manhattan, or Martini, vermouth is both versatile and enduring. Inside you’ll find a curated selection of recipes, from classic to contemporary, each celebrating vermouth’s complex character and understated charm.
Perfect for spirits connoisseurs, cocktail lovers, and design enthusiasts alike, this book is a deep dive into one of the most essential—and often overlooked—elements of the modern bar. Raise your glass to vermouth: storied, stylish, and forever in good taste.
Discover Hastings and Rye, the heart of 1066 Country, where history, charm, and the sea collide. Hastings, an ancient fishing mecca still home to Europe’s largest beach-launched fleet, has long carved its own path along the Channel coast – from the castle-capped Old Town to the vibrant, artistic streets of St Leonards. Walk where William the Conqueror landed, and explore the nearby town of Battle, where England’s most famous clash reshaped a nation.
Beyond Hastings, this region brims with contrasting delights: the medieval jewel of Rye, one of England’s loveliest towns, quirky Dungeness with its shingle expanse, Bexhill’s understated charm, and timeless back-country villages.
From sunken forests older than the Pyramids to Roman relics, forgotten castles, wartime memories, eccentric locals, and modern creatives, the stories here span millennia. Rich, evocative, and endlessly surprising, this guide invites you to explore the landscapes, history, and culture that make Hastings and Rye utterly unforgettable. Dive in and experience it all.
England’s first capital, largest cathedral, and oldest college: Winchester is a city where ancient walls murmur stories of proud warriors and Wintonian pioneers, of brutal crimes and glorious successes.
Whether you’ve called Winchester home for years, recently moved here, or are just visiting for a short time, these 111 places will captivate, enchant, and amaze you. Try the sparkling wine which rivals champagne or the renowned striped ice cream and visit Europe’s first wasabi grower. Feel a shiver in the Red Room, cross the bridge that predicts the weather and find the garden built by a spy. Amble where Russel Crowe rode and the real Countess of Downton Abbey resides. Defend the city against a Viking invasion and meet the policeman who solved the first-ever train murder.
Amid it all, you’ll be immersed in Winchester’s stunning architecture, lively atmosphere, and warm energy – a city no longer ruling a kingdom, yet still brimming with power, scandal, secrets, and life.
A stroll through a maze of winding streets lined with bright white houses, where you might stumble upon little cafés or art galleries, is often the highlight of a holiday. In Villages in White, travel writer Léa Teuscher highlights some of the most remarkable whitewashed destinations around the world. From classics like Santorini to hidden gems like Loutro, these pages will take you to the most spectacular places washed in the lightest hue. Find out what makes each village unique and catch a glimpse of what it’s like to live there. A must-have for globetrotters who want it all: beauty, history, and creativity.
Antonio Canova (1757-1822), is considered the greatest Neoclassical sculptor of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. This book, the third in the series Canova: Four Tempos, features a collection of sublime black and white photographs of Canova’s plaster models taken by photographer Luigi Spina. The full-size plaster models that preceded the production of his marble sculptures played an important part in Canova’s creative process. Included here are his masterpieces The Three Graces and Sleeping Nymph, and the only work Canova made for an overseas patron, George Washington depicted as a Roman potentate. The text is by the well-known Italian art historian Vittorio Sgarbi.
Also available: Canova: Four Tempos, Vol. 1, ISBN 9788874399215, and Canova: Four Tempos Vol. 2 9788874399598