New York City’s Cathedral of St. John the Divine has been built stone by stone, story by story for over 125 years. Now collected for the first time in one stunning volume, this oral biography gathers stories behind the still unfinished Cathedral. Over 175 voices, compiled from new interviews and archived material, speak to the fascinating reasons why church and city leaders decided to build the world’s largest Gothic Cathedral, the meaning behind the building’s architecture, and an inside look at some of the world’s most noteworthy events. New photos and freshly unearthed snapshots of the majestic structure punctuate this tome. The words of Bishops and Deans are collected alongside those of Cathedral Artists in Residence Phillipe Petit and Judy Collins, public figures David Dinkins and Al Gore, artists Madeleine L’Engle and Jessye Norman, Cathedral employees, neighborhood residents, and more, illustrating the vibrant life that fills this colossal building.
Raphael arrived in Rome in 1508 and remained there until his death in 1520, working as painter and architect for popes Julius II and Leo X and for the most prestigious patrons. Here the artist changed his painting style several times, looking at the works of Michelangelo, Sebastiano del Piombo and the vast repertoire of ancient painting and sculpture. In the Eternal City Raphael practised architecture for the first time, designing buildings that reflected the models of Antiquity such as the Pantheon, the descriptions deriving from written sources such as Vitruvius’ treaty on architecture, and the examples of modern architects like Donato Bramante.
This guide supplies essential and up to date information on all the civil or religious buildings designed or built by Raphael in Rome, and the frescoes and paintings, housed in churches or museums, whether executed in the city or arrived there at a later stage.
In 1856, just months after Britain and Siam had finalized the historic Bowring trade treaty that would prevent the countries colonization, the violent death of a Siamese official at the new British consulate threatens to scuttle the deal and lead to war. The King and the Consul explores UK and Thai archives to reveal the twists, turns and tensions of this little-known episode that pitted Thailand’s renowned King Mongkut, Rama IV, against the first British Consul, Charles Hillier. The crisis was resolved without war, but not without cost for the participants who suffered unintended tragic outcomes. By examining the background to this tragedy, the book reveals how history has often overlooked the importance of an issue that lay behind it the right of foreigners to own land in the country, and issue that continues to be a thorn in the side of Thailand’s foreign relations to this day.
“The tragic deaths in 1856 of the first British consul to Siam and a Siamese official had an unusual impact on Thailand‘s property law and Britain’s diplomatic presence in the country. This intriguing book could only be written by someone with long residence in Bangkok, through knowledge of Thailand’s property law, and enthusiasm for history. Simon Landy gives us a slice of legal and diplomatic history with close attention to its human dimensions. An unusual and lovely read” – Chris Baker
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.
JA118 features Place+Urbanism series titled City : Designed by Crisis. In 2020, the world was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. We are truly facing a global crisis. At the same time, the digitization of society is accelerating, remote work arrangements are becoming more prevalent, and the urban landscape is also showing signs of change. Humanity has repeatedly faced a variety of global crises over the years. Each time, we have generated new wisdom to overcome these crises, changed our social systems, and reshaped our cities. We have also managed to overcome the worsening of poverty, traffic accidents, and environmental pollution caused by war and economic depression by building mutual support systems and creating new spatial configuration for cities. In this issue, we look back at the history of the many crises that humanity and cities have experienced, and review what we — both humans and cities — have gained as a result.
Text in English and Japanese.
James Wilson Morrice: Paintings and Drawings of Venice is the first comprehensive overview of the artist’s images of Venice, Italy. Living in Paris for most of his life, Morrice (1865–1924) was the first Canadian painter to make regular trips to Venice from the mid 1890s to about 1908. This book situates Morrice within the history of Venice and Venetian art in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by looking carefully at his more than 100 modernist paintings and numerous drawings of “La Serenissima.” During his lifetime, Morrice’s Venetian pictures appeared in art exhibitions in Paris, London and other European countries, as well as in Montreal and the United States. Constantly cited in exhibition reviews, Morrice was praised for his modernity, and his Venice works have ensured his fame and importance for years to come.
Presented in a slipcase in celebration of 120 years, The Rolex Legacy offers a unique decade-by-decade journey through Rolex’s heritage, featuring 12 chapters that tell the story of the brand and the exceptional watches that cemented its fame and prestige.
Explore 120 meticulously photographed Rolex timepieces, showcasing the diversity of models, styles and finishes – from the legendary Submariner series to the elusive Rolex Unicorn and the iconic ‘Paul Newman’ Daytona. Accompanying these extraordinary watches is the most extensive collection of Rolex ephemera ever assembled, tracing the company’s history and influence with unparalleled detail.
James Dowling (‘Mr Rolex’) uncovers pieces in never-before-seen archives and specially commissioned photo shoots from around the globe, sharing personal encounters and stories from his quest to discover these beautiful specimens.
“Every kid’s dream is captured in the pages of this ACC Art Book depicting more than 60 years of space exploration, from the foundation of NASA in 1958 to the launch of the James Webb telescope in 2021.” — Calibre Magazine
“On almost 300 pages we can marvel at what are probably the greatest milestones in NASA history. This book really shows and honors this work! A great book about space exploration!” — Lovely Books
“The history of space exploration is best presented in this book of NASA photographs, whose images are universally inspirational.” – Commander James Lovell, Apollo 13
NASA has worked at the forefront of space exploration and research since 1958. Their devotion to furthering our understanding of what lies beyond our atmosphere has seen 12 humans walk on the surface of the moon, helped form the International Space Station, and placed numerous rovers on Mars. Voyager 1, launched by NASA on 5 September 1977, is the furthest manmade object from earth, having left our solar system entirely – and the agency’s plans for the future are equally inspiring.
This book celebrates NASA throughout the years, from its inception to its 60th anniversary in 2018, and beyond. A visual tour-de-force, the book collects high resolution NASA photos of historic significance; from rarely seen photos and the words of President John F. Kennedy commanding the space race, to the many triumphs and tragedies of the Apollo Missions, moon landings, the International Space Station, space shuttles, journeys to Mars and explorations of our galaxy’s outer reaches. These breathtaking images are complemented by heartfelt words of hope and imagination for the future, encouraging readers to admire their world from a different perspective. Out of This World: Historic Milestones in NASA’s Human Space Flight is a stunning 300 page book.
Architecture Asia, as the official journal of the Architects Regional Council Asia, aims to provide a forum, not only for presenting Asian phenomena and their characteristics to the world, but also for understanding diversity and multiculturalism within Asia from a global perspective.
This issue focuses on the topic of Architecture Writing and Literature, and features five essays and ten projects that elaborate on this topic. The five essays, separately, introduce Writing Architectural Pedagogies, Indian Architectural Literature in UKs Academe, Architecture of Writing and Criticism, How to Believe in Architecture becoming Author of History and Writing Habitation and Inhabiting Writing. The ten projects, accompanied with full-color photos and text descriptions, highlight various types of architectural works from China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, showing how architects show their projects through words, depending on the types of architectural work.
Titanic & Fashion takes you on a captivating journey through time and style, featuring original costumes from the iconic 1997 film Titanic and rarely seen garments from the 1910s. The book explores a revolutionary era in fashion (1908–1918), when corsets were cast off and visionary designers like Coco Chanel and Lucile redefined modern dress. This period of emancipation, technological optimism, and class division echoes many aspects of our world today.
Combined with works by contemporary designers such as Iris van Herpen and John Galliano for Margiela, the book creates a compelling dialog between past and present. From dreamy gowns to bold statements, fashion becomes a vehicle for stories of hope, struggle, and identity. Aboard the Titanic, these worlds collided – from wealthy travelers in haute couture to migrants in traditional dress – all aboard a ship that came to symbolize both progress and peril.
Published to accompany an exhibition at Kunstmuseum The Hague, Netherlands, between 27 September 2025 and 25 January 2026.
This book – researched and authored by recognized rum expert Pascal Kählin – offers a comprehensive overview of a wide range of different rums and the most important places of production around the world. The evolution of rum is closely tied to the cultural history and prevalence of sugar. As a comprehensive guide, Rum – Rhum – Ron discusses and classifies different rum brands and portrays important distilleries in image and texts, detailing their history, local variations and particularities. This ‘atlas of rum’ tells rum’s story and its rise from sailor’s drink to collector’s item – a compendium for experts and anyone with an interest in spirits.
Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564) remains arguably the most powerful artist in the Western canon. Painter, sculptor, architect, poet, he redefined both the possibilities of the imagination and the image of the artist. In 1550, he became the first artist to be the subject of a biography within their own lifetime, presented by Giorgio Vasari as the divinely inspired culmination of the history of art. Dissatisfied with Vasari’s treatment, Michelangelo encouraged his close friend and fellow-painter Ascanio Condivi to publish a rival biography. Condivi’s Life is an impassioned, intimate portrait, giving an unparalleled picture of the master’s life, work and personality. This compelling narrative of genius and its struggles in the treacherous world of Papal politics and Italian wars remains one of the most fascinating and influential texts in art history. This edition reproduces the long unavailable translation by Charles Holroyd and has 49 pages of illustrations covering the span of Michelangelo’s achievement.
In previous studies, Jan Strybol pointed out that – contrary to popular belief – sculpture flourished in northern Nigeria. Wood sculptures could be found just about everywhere, with the exception of part of the Far North. In this study, the author first examines the sculptural traditions of a number of peoples in central Nigeria, more specifically from the Jos Plateau and from the Middle Benue Valley to the source area of the Taraba River. These peoples can be described as non-centralized communities where art was mainly produced in perishable materials by part-time artists, in contrast to the centralized empires in the South (Ife, Benin) where full-time specialist sculptors created complex artefacts in durable materials (stone, bronze, iron).
Perhaps the most familiar ethnic group in the Central Benue region to lovers of African art are the Mumuye. Since the end of the last century, as a result of the advance of world religions, the traditional rites of the Mumuye have rapidly disappeared and with them the Mumuye sculptural tradition so much admired in Europe and America.
In addition to wood sculptures, Jan Strybol also pays attention to objects in bronze, iron, terracotta and other materials. These art forms have been very underexposed until now and have almost completely vanished. Finally, the author also delves into the artistic achievements of some little-known remnant groups within the Mumuye territory, which can boast of a rich art tradition.
Will Ukraine ever be an EU member? Why don’t we have a European army yet? Does crisis make the EU stronger? The European Union has great influence on the lives of its citizens. That situation can prove to be controversial. Decisions made by the EU often lead to misunderstanding and resentment. Aside from these controversies, it is clear that the Union today, is the result of a myriad of choices by policy makers throughout the years. A better understanding of these choices and of the recent history of the EU allows us to better grasp its impact, and offers insight into why certain subjects are harder to place. Why Europe? offers a historical as well as thematical insight into the development of the European Union. Drawing from six questions that put main events, key figures as well as the defining moments of the past 70 years in the foreground, this book lays out the essence of European integration.
The beautifully illustrated volume is an editorial tribute to the history of the Comunale Theatre in Bologna, a city institution of international fame. With previously unpublished and richly detailed images and complementary texts by Professor Piero Mioli, this publication celebrates the theatre’s great and unique story. Also included is a rich photographic array from the theatre’s historical archives featuring posters, stage photos, sketches, drawings and figurine plates, which have been hidden from public view, until now.
Text in English and Italian.
Framing the Ephemeral is the first monograph on Lois Dodd (b. 1927). At the age of 98, Dodd is still considered a pioneering yet often overlooked figure in postwar American art. This book offers a compelling exploration of her observation-based paintings, with a particular focus on light, atmosphere, and everyday scenes. For seventy years, Dodd has been quietly yet consistently defying entrenched gender norms, while remaining steadfast in her clear, attentive way of seeing – hallmarks of observational painting. Framing the Ephemeral highlights her significant contributions and reaffirms Dodd’s enduring place in art history.
With contributions by Hans Ulrich Obrist, Artistic Director of the Serpentine Galleries; Janice McNab, fellow at the Women’s International Study Center (Santa Fe); Karen Wilkin, New York-based curator and critic specialising in twentieth-century modernism; Katy Hessel, art historian and founder of The Great Women Artists podcast; Louise Bjeldbak Henriksen, curator at Kunstmuseum Den Haag; and many others.
Framing the Ephemeral is the first monograph on Lois Dodd (b. 1927). At the age of 98, Dodd is still considered a pioneering yet often overlooked figure in postwar American art. This book offers a compelling exploration of her observation-based paintings, with a particular focus on light, atmosphere, and everyday scenes. For seventy years, Dodd has been quietly yet consistently defying entrenched gender norms, while remaining steadfast in her clear, attentive way of seeing – hallmarks of observational painting. Framing the Ephemeral highlights her significant contributions and reaffirms Dodd’s enduring place in art history.
With contributions by Hans Ulrich Obrist, Artistic Director of the Serpentine Galleries; Janice McNab, fellow at the Women’s International Study Center (Santa Fe); Karen Wilkin, New York-based curator and critic specializing in twentieth-century modernism; Katy Hessel, art historian and founder of The Great Women Artists podcast; Louise Bjeldbak Henriksen, curator at Kunstmuseum Den Haag; and many others.
“…jaw-dropping photos of Australia, from east to west.” — CNN
Revealing the patterns and palettes of the Australian landscape, photographer Lisa Michele Burns captures the vast continent as you’ve never seen it before.
From the moment the sun rises on the east coast of Australia, a vivid color palette is revealed, hour by hour, across the country. Ocean blues merge with white sandy shores that connect with green forests, rocky grey ridges and red desert plains. Across the vast and varied landscapes of Australia, the sightlines and the spectacles feel endless and infinite. The horizon stretches and extends; colors collide and combine; patterns compress and expand; and light constantly changes how we perceive and experience a landscape.
In Sightlines: The Patterns + Palettes of the Australian Landscape, award-winning photographer Lisa Michele Burns expertly captures the beauty, artistry and splendor of the Australian landscape. From the rainbow of sandstone hues at Gantheaume Point and ancient monolith of Uluṟu to the dazzling colors and patterns at the Great Barrier Reef and misty rainforests of Tasmania’s Western Wilds, Burns is inspired by the magnificence and fragility of nature and takes the time to observe, research, and learn about each location, its history and formation.
This collection of images, photographed over two years, captures some of the indescribable magic of Australia, its vibrant and varied palette and patterns, and the sightlines that stretch across a seemingly never-ending landscape.
Most people go to Napa and Sonoma in Northern California for the wine, and rightly so. The trove of 111 unexpected treasures in this guidebook, however, vastly broadens the possibilities for exploring and experiencing this region in a whole new way. The area is filled with natural wonders, from giant redwood forests and rolling hills, to cliffs and beaches, and even a secret spot to see 20,000 migrating grey whales. Discover the history of Native people who lived here for millennia. Walk in the footsteps of titans of literature, film, and design. Linger in museums featuring fine art, culinary history, and a hubcap collection. You’ll find a sense of whimsy here, too, as you hunt for fairy doors or stroll through a pygmy forest. Visit restaurants, gardens, music venues, gravesites of people who made an impact here, and more places you never imagined existed – and, yes, a few truly unique wineries too.
The collection of 18th- and early-19th-century French silverware brought together by Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian is the most important of its time and one of the most significant sections of the Gulbenkian Museum’s collection. Amassed between 1900 and 1950, these pieces constitute a unique group due to their diversity and quality. The collection comprises over 150 works, including several world-class masterpieces that represent the collector’s taste.
The catalogue is dedicated to a selection of silver works of different typologies, such as centerpieces, tureens, salt cellars, candelabras and candlesticks, made by renowned silversmiths such as François-Thomas Germain, Antoine-Sébastien Durant, Robert-Joseph Auguste and Martin-Guillaume Biennais. Despite this diversity, these works all share the characteristics that make this collection unique: quality and authenticity combined with original designs, technical expertise and distinguished provenances, with former owners including members of European aristocracy and the Russian imperial family. These works were mostly purchased in Paris, but there is also an important group of works from the Hermitage collection, acquired through negotiations made between Calouste Gulbenkian and the Soviet government between 1928 and 1930.
After an initial text about Calouste Gulbenkian’s passion for 18th-century French silverware, the most prominent pieces of the collection are presented in chronological order of acquisition and are accompanied by comprehensive descriptions and analyses, as well as detailed information on hallmarks, inscriptions, provenances and historical and bibliographical sources. An excellent photographic survey, carried out specifically for the purpose, illustrates the 43 catalogue entries.
At the end of the publication, the reader can find a list of secondary silverware, an index of names and the group of archive documents and bibliography consulted.
Images Credits: Panorama
The bilingual book comes in two volumes – one in English with 295 images and the other in Chinese. A well-researched and lavishly illustrated book, that offers a wealth of new facts, images and insights into the subject in a broad context.
This book has detail research into saddle rugs from China and related areas like Inner-Mongolia, Xinjiang and Tibet. The research includes images of saddle rugs published in books, magazines and on the internet. The literature research the author conducted has not been exhaustive. The author has used major manuals, museum-collection and exhibition catalogues, auction catalogues, magazines and other publications.
Simply a must for anyone who loves textiles, horses or the history of China’s military, sports or culture.
Text in English and Chinese.
Following a first volume devoted to secular and sacred objects and sculptures from the 12th to the 18th centuries, this second catalogue in the decorative arts collection of the Fondation Gandur pour l’Art focuses specifically on the art of living. Furniture, caskets, boxes, clocks, lamps, turned ivories and gold and silver cups from the dawn of the Renaissance to the end of the Age of Enlightenment provide a panoply of strictly decorative European creativeness.
Edited by Fabienne Fravalo, curator of the decorative arts collection at the Fondation Gandur pour l’Art, this catalogue is introduced by two essays, written respectively by Sophie Mouquin, lecturer at the University of Lille, and Caroline Heering, professor at the Catholic University of Leuven. It presents the major objects in the collection, studied and analyzed by curators and scholars working in German, American, English, Belgian, French and Swiss institutions.
The debut monograph of Stacey Gillian Abe’s work is created to accompany her first London solo show at Unit London. Featuring works spanning her career to date, the book explores the key themes from Abe’s work and delves deep into her expressive and symbolic indigo portraits. Abe’s book includes insightful written contributions from Flavia Frigeri, art historian, lecturer and the Chanel Curator at the National Portrait Gallery and Serubiri Moses, renowned writer and curator, alongside a conversation between the artist and Catherine McKinley, curator and author of the critically acclaimed Indigo: In Search of the Color That Seduced the World and The Book of Sarahs: A Family in Parts. Abe’s work reflects her past and her memories, highlighting her personal experiences and her relationships to her community. The autobiographical dimension of her work confronts traditional depictions of the Black body, challenging the colonial lens. Abe creates imaginary spaces that induce a surreal mystical feel while probing unsettling past and present narratives of identity, gender, spirituality and cultural mysticism. Renowned for her indigo skin-tone paintings, the color has become crucial in reshaping narratives surrounding the black body. Through the color, she dives into the past to envision an alternative future for the Black race. To Abe, indigo represents a tribe of people that are not limited to social, economic, cultural, political or historic constraints: ‘it is about being unapologetic’.
“With his legendary swag, Norman Anderson, aka Normski, hip-hop ambassador in the United Kingdom since its emergence in the 1980s, is the great archivist of these glory days he captured London to Detroit.” — Rolling Stone France
“The difference between Normski’s photograph of me and any other is that it captures my soul.” — Goldie
“He was a larger-than-life character, full of energy and totally motivating. He really was the hip hop photographer of the day in the UK.” — Stereo MC’s
“This book contains a striking catalogue of images, many of which have been exhibited by establishments such as Tate Britain, the V&A, Somerset House and the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.” — Marcus Barnes
“On the heels of Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary, Man with the Golden Shutter is a celebratory record of hip-hop as much as it is a definitive collection of Normski’s incredible photographs.” — GQ Middle East
“What elevates the book is Normski’s voice threading through it all. The stories that accompany the photographs are alive with hustle and charm as he talks his way backstage, makes lighting rigs out of whatever was lying around and persuades a tired MC to pose just one more time.” — Musee Magazine
Normski was a vital witness to the period known as the Golden Age of Rap, when big US artists like Run DMC, LL Cool J and Public Enemy started to play in the UK. At the same time, a British music scene born of Black music and myriad multicultural influence was developing, giving birth to Jungle, Garage and Techno.
The author, who describes himself as having been a “young Black British homeboy photographer”, was in the right place at the right time to document the emergent music, community and social movements of hip hop and rap in the UK. Normski: Man with the Golden Shutter presents Normski’s personal journey through that world from the mid-1980s to early 1990s.
The book includes Normski’s often previously unseen photographs of Public Enemy, N.W.A., Cypress Hill, De La Soul, Goldie, Ice-T, Run DMC, Wu-Tang Clan and many others, alongside the photographer’s stories and anecdotes from the center of what would become a hugely influential cultural movement.
Elizabeth Siddal is remembered as a Pre-Raphaelite supermodel and the muse and wife of Gabriel Rossetti. She is cast as a tragic heroine much like the Ophelia she modelled in the renowned Millais painting. But Elizabeth Siddal: Her Story overturns this myth. ‘Lizzie’ is presented as an aspirational and independent woman who knew what she wanted and was not afraid to let it be known.
With extraordinary stories, including previously undiscovered details of Siddal’s journeys across the UK and to the south of France, Jan Marsh reclaims Siddal’s narrative from the historical record. She brings new perspective to the post-natal, mental trauma Elizabeth suffered after a stillbirth. Furthermore, she casts new light on the renowned story of Siddal’s grave being exhumed for Rossetti’s poems.
Jan Marsh explores the finer, little known details of Siddal’s life, including her four months at art school in Sheffield, which Rossetti’s brother always denied. In addition to this, few will know how Siddal was often regarded as difficult and ungrateful.
Historical record tends to forget or misremember women, but with Elizabeth Siddal: Her Story, Jan Marsh forces us to take a closer look and see a very different picture. Siddal was not passive and lacking in agency, she was a woman with a strong mind, flourishing career and an admirable talent.