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

Anima Mundi is the catalog of the large collection of African art by Jan and Kristina Engels. For several years now they have been presenting their own private collection in their museum JAS (Jan aan de Stroom). It is a place where creativity, art and traditions meet. In the book you will discover beautiful photography of their collected art, accompanied by texts by specialist in African Art, François Neyt.

Text in English, French and Dutch.

Jewelry Stories highlights the Museum of Arts and Design’s unique, world-class collection of studio and contemporary art jewelry from the US, Europe, Australia, and Asia, a medium that comprises one-third of its permanent collection. Artists working in this field create jewelry rooted in sculptural experimentation and the concept of art as a wearable medium. The pieces featured represent the history of art jewelry as told from a largely US perspective. Jewelry artists are inspired by such subjects as found objects and materials, as well as by politics and pressing social issues, allowing for the development of unique, personal narratives in each piece. Each of the jewelry stories is written by an expert on the artist or subject, thus the book also celebrates the contributions they have made to the field.

Published to accompany an exhibition at Museum of Arts and Design, New York (US), on permanent display.

All Walks of Life offers a unique opportunity to get to know the 18th-century people of Saxony, Paris, London, and St. Petersburg through the Meissen porcelain sculpture of The Alan Shimmerman Collection. Johann Joachim Kaendler, along with his fellow modelers and painters at Meissen, captured glimpses of everyday life by paying meticulous attention to the smallest details: the carefully arranged tray of a trinket seller, the personal writing of a love letter, the larding tools of a cook preparing a hare. The Shimmerman Collection’s focus on groups of town criers and artisans provides a fresh look at the creation, production, and distribution of Meissen porcelain. The publication includes the first comprehensive scientific analysis of a major collection of Meissen figures.

Racines | Roots is a vibrant art book reflecting the unique vision of a passionate collector and entrepreneur. Garance Primat unveils a selection of works drawn from the heart of her aesthetic and spiritual journey. For her, art is a life-sustaining force: deep roots nourish our being and link us to nature, allowing us to flourish like a tree.

Born into a family responsive to nature and art, she has honed her eye through contact with different cultures during her travels, particularly in Australia and the United States, where she became aware of how everything in the realm of nature was interconnected. This quest inspired her to acquire the Domaine des Étangs in Charente Limousine.

With its ability to question the world and shape the future, contemporary art occupies a special place in her eclectic collection, interacting with modern art from around the world, minerals and wisdom-bearing objects. Garance Primat invites us to trust her sensibility as we explore the universal, where words struggle to grasp the interconnectedness of living things. An original message emerges from the “root” of things, awakening a shared consciousness. This book, built around the etymology of seven key words linked to nature and the universe, is an invitation to let ourselves be carried away by the senses and discover the invisible links that unite us.      

Text in English and French.

This gorgeous book highlights seventy works from an important private collection built over more than four decades with discipline, curiosity, and passion. It is one of the finest private collections of African art from West and Central Africa, through South Africa and Madagascar. Conceived around four main themes – Governance and transmission, Protection and caring, Coming together (celebrating, partying, judging and praising), Serving and beautifying – this selection offers a capacious general introduction to the topic of African art and furthers our understanding of the artworks’ source cultures.

The beautiful photographs of the seventy works in the first part of the publication are followed by a whole chapter dedicated to some important avant-garde photography masterpieces showing the narrow relationship between this movement and nine fascinating African art works belonging to the collection. The objects are shown side by side with renown works from Alfred Stieglitz, Man Ray, Lajos Kassák, Hannah Höch, Erwin Blumenfeld, Maurice Tabard, Karl Blossfeldt and Robert Doisneau.

Striking a balance between often published and lesser-known masterpieces from the collection, the present volume unveils to the public a selection of seven contemporary artist-photographers (Jean Marc Tingaud, Louis Tirilly, Nicolas Bruant, Roger Ballen, Groupe Street Collodion Art, Coco Fronsac, and Frédéric Vidal) who have been asked to represent, in a contemporary and personal style, for the first time, nine renowned works.

Text in English and French.

The Barbier-Mueller Collection of Pre-Columbian art, recently auctioned at Sotheby’s, is the most comprehensive collection of its kind. Comprising some 300 works from Mexico, Central, and South America – wood and stone sculptures, ceramics, textiles, and ritual objects – it spans 1200 BC to AD 1500. The Barbier-Mueller Collection, one of the most important and wide-ranging art collections in the world, was begun by Josef Mueller in Paris in 1908 with the purchase of works by Hodler and Cézanne; the Swiss Mueller then looked beyond Western art and bought his first pre-Columbian piece, an Aztec stone water goddess, in 1920. Today, Mueller’s daughter and son-in-law, Monique and Jean Paul Barbier-Mueller, continue to collect Western, African, Oceanic, and Cycladic art, which is frequently on loan to museums around the world. Text in English and French.

This volume accompanies the Art Brut CUBA exhibition organized by Collection de l’Art Brut in Lausanne and features essays by Cuban authors and other experts, reproductions of works and previously unpublished letters from the collection’s archives.

The exhibition represents a voyage of discovery that explores the world of outsider art in Cuba more than 40 years after the first exhibition, which came about as a result of Jean Dubuffet’s desire to gather together in Collection de l’Art Brut works by self-taught Cuban artists assembled by his friend Samuel Feijóo, the curator of the 1983 exhibition.

Being an island with a distinctive history that has long been isolated for political and economic reasons, Cuba is a fertile breeding ground for artistic creations unaffected by the traditional artistic influences of the world outside.

The exhibition is divided into two sections: the first presents historical works by the Signos Group, founded by Samuel Feijóo in the late 1960s to promote popular Cuban culture through the graphic arts; the second presents works by contemporary outsider artists from the Riera Studio. Most of the works on display are made from recycled materials – cardboard packaging, newspaper, scrap metal, recycled waste – or natural materials, such as wood and jute fiber.

The works reflect the artists’ personal experiences, the economic, social and political circumstances of their country, and their inner worlds and obsessions. They offer an alternative and authentic view of Cuba, far from the stereotyped imagery associated with this nation.

Text in English and French.

This book looks at bronze through the remarkable collections of European bronze sculptures in the Ashmolean Museum of the University of Oxford. Largely thanks to the generosity of Charles Drury Edward Fortnum (1820–1899), the Ashmolean houses one of the world’s great collections of Renaissance and Baroque small bronzes.

The book provides a survey of the collection and an overview of the development of small bronze sculpture during a period of six centuries running from c.1200 to around 1800, although most of the works illustrated here were made within the shorter time frame of c.1450–1650. Any such survey is inevitably shaped by the strengths of the collection, which is conditioned by Fortnum’s taste, notwithstanding later acquisitions that have broadened its scope. He especially loved earlier Italian bronzes and so-called utensils — objects such as inkstands, candlesticks, salt-cellars, mirrors and seals — that are functional as well as beautiful. Fortnum was less interested in sculpture from the later 1500s onwards although, as this selection shows, he acquired some very interesting bronzes from the 17th and 18th centuries that deserve to be better known.

With a passion for art in all its forms, Anthony Shaw has created an extraordinary art collection which focuses in particular on British sculptural ceramics. The collection features among its major artists Gordon Baldwin, Ewen Henderson, Gillian Lowndes, Bryan Illsley, and Sara Radstone, who all work intuitively and express the “felt” nature of their works, in doing so often transcending the limitations of their medium. The most recent additions include Nao Matsunaga and Kerry Jameson, who likewise invariably produce the unexpected. The works, skilfully staged by photographer Philip Sayer, are complemented with contributions by Anthony Shaw himself and David Whiting, who set this remarkable collection in its art historical context.

Looking for the ultimate guide to New York City? You’ve found it! The New York Bucket List brings together the most authentic, quirky, romantic, and one-of-a-kind tips. Whether it’s your first time in NYC or you’ve been living here for over 50 years, this guide will inspire you like never before. This compact pocket guide helps you get the absolute most out of the city. It’s divided into nine themed chapters (Adventurous, Authentic, Romantic, Special, Trendy, Happy, Tasty, Sexy, Fun) so you can easily find the best tips without feeling overwhelmed. Say goodbye to decision fatigue—and getting lost in the city that never sleeps. New York isn’t just a city trip. It’s a journey around the world.

The Perfect Home Office highlights the many options that come into play when designing a home office. It brings together a wealth of inspiring visuals and design ideas from home offices around the world, along with practical guidance and the latest trends. The author introduces a variety of designs and styles – from London to Tokyo, from country-style to industrial – that might inspire us to turn our home offices into more than just a place to work. From tiny offices to panoramic workplaces, from ‘the messy office’ to ‘the glamour office’, every type of office worker will find what they are looking for.

Previously published as Where We Work ISBN 9789401478335.

Taking those steps that will lead to your ultimate victory and achieving top performances, everyone dreams of it. In The Ultimate Victory, top sports psychologist Ellen Schouppe teaches you how developing attitudes such as leadership, energy management and mental resilience can leverage your talents. Take your personal development into your own hands, be inspired by top performers and achieve your own goals as a professional in your field, as an athlete, as an entrepreneur, but above all, as a person.

Where to go for the best pints of Guinness in Dublin? Or when you’re craving the ultimate sandwich? And what are the 5 shops you absolutely have to visit on Grafton Street? Shane O’Reilly knows! With lots of love and enthusiasm, he shares hundreds of his favorite places in his hometown of Dublin, like the wood-panelled and plush club serving as a multi-purpose arts center, Ireland’s oldest reggae shop, or the stunning and family-run delicatessen serving up delicious seafood straight from the ocean half a mile away. The 500 Hidden Secrets of Dublin is the perfect book for those who wish to discover the city, but avoid all the usual tourist haunts, as well as for residents who are keen to track down the city’s best-kept secrets.

Discover the series at the500hiddensecrets.com

Best of the Watch is a panorama of the best global watch production from the last 30 years. Legendary brands are included, such as Rolex, Vacheron-Constantin, Patek-Philippe, Bréguet, Blancpain, A Lange & Söhne, Richard Mille, and Audemars Piguet, to name just a few.

Iconic and fascinating creations unveiled in a luxurious XL format to better illustrate the mysteries and inner workings of these legendary timepieces.

Text in English and French.

The Razmnama or The Book of War is the Persian translation of one of the great Hindu epics of India, the Mahabharata. The Mughal emperor Akbar took a personal interest in the translation project and a lavishly illustrated copy was prepared for his personal use. Out of the three copies made, the three-volume Razmnama in the Birla Academy of Art and Culture, Kolkata is the only copy that is complete with 81 miniatures that bear the name of the scribe and the date of completion, 1605. The paintings combine the finest elements of the Mughal court style with the narrative style of storytelling.

Utrecht, The Netherlands. 13 February 2034. A self-driving car is hacked and its safety features deactivated, causing a deadly accident. NATO, supervising global internet security, realizes the whole world is in danger when soon afterwards two more attacks occur. Europol inspector Lara Hartman and communications specialist Frank Willems are at the forefront of a desperate manhunt for the criminals behind these acts of cyber terrorism. Everything seems to be pointing to a dangerous computer virus. But time is running out, and they must find an antivirus that can prevent evil from striking again…

Now you can eat your cake and have your veggies too. Cakes designed for training, social events and special diets in mind, used and baked by athletes and families too. Featuring: The Endurance Pie, The Podium Pie, The Race Cakes and the Climber’s Cake. Learn how to bake cakes that are Gluten-free, without added sugars, and dairy free. Learn how to turn plain vegetables into delicious cakes by using carrots, sweet potato, potatoes, beet and even celeriac – yep your kids will love it.

The Cake Cookbook teaches you how to bake delicious cakes with vegetables, designed for endurance training and fine tuned so the whole family will eat and ask for more. Learn how to bake easy vegan cakes. All cakes can be baked for training sessions in portion sizes or for parties with elaborate spreads on top.

The images presented in this book take us to the heart of India’s rich folk traditions. The display of paintings accompanied by recited or sung commentary has been a part of that heritage since very early times, as attested by references and legends in Sanskrit sources, such as the Harsacarita, a 7th century work by Banabhatta. Known as ‘patacitras’ (or ‘patas’ for short), these illustrated narratives are painted on rectangular fabric, paper, or scrolls. They are a type of performed art that reaches out to audiences, mostly in India’s rural provinces. They convey the artists’ responses to legends and social themes from varied social and cultural bases. This book focuses on a particularly powerful set of such paintings from the Bengali-speaking region of eastern India, which depict events from the Ramayana in the form of scrolls that can be rolled out as the story unfurls. The vividly colorful images presented in this book occupy a special niche in the history of Indian art. They are remarkable because they are not only aesthetically beautiful, but also act as pictorial translations of a text that has been part of Indian culture for years, often used as their source of moral guidance. Especially astounding is that these ‘patas’ by Bengali folk painters diverge so often from the magisterial Ramayanas of adikavi ‘First Poet’ Valmiki. They leave out important parts, and import into the Rama saga episodes from local narrative caches. Following conventions of both art and storytelling, these portrayals constitute what is now recognized as a tradition of rural counter-Ramayanas, which express alternative alignments of ethical judgment. Contents: Foreword – 9, Preface – 13, Ackowledgements – 15, Introduction – 17, The Narrative Tradition of Indian Painting and the Ramayana – 29, The Bengali Patuas: History, Background & Style – 41, Songs of the Patuas – 51, The Ramayana of the Bengali Patuas – 63, Book I – 70, Book II – 81, Book III – 83, Book IV – 92, Book V – 95, Book VI – 98, Book VII – 116, Summing up – 128, References – 131, Index – 135

As early as 1934 Charlotte Perriand began to reflect on the architectural aspects of leisure activities for all, but it was with Les Arcs, her greatest work, that she completed her reflection on the art of living in the mountains.
Alongside the developer Roger Godino, Charlotte Perriand displayed all the facets of her immense talent: design, urban planning, but also bioclimatic architecture, of which she was a pioneer. She had to deal with financial and time constraints in order to design most of the Arc 1600 and 1800. Thanks to her perseverance and growing inventiveness, her integration of architecture into the sites, her innovative and human approach to traffic, and the life she breathes into the resort, especially on the rooftops, she has made it a friendly place, in harmony with the environment. Thus, she designs the interior architecture of more than 4,500 homes, 25,000 beds, for an annual flow of more than one million people. Her wish to combine the art of living in the mountains with housing for the greatest number of people has been largely realized.

“With 240 pages filled with incredible art, the bird lover will enjoy flipping through and taking in the vast distinctions between species in the bird kingdom.” — Prevention
Australian artist Greg Oakley has had a lifelong fascination with birds and bird art, and began photographing birds 20 years ago, progressing from traditional film to digital in the early 2000s. In the past six years, he has worked on perfecting the difficult and exacting area of bird photography known as “setup”, where perches and backgrounds are meticulously crafted and designed, and lighting strictly controlled.

There are sometimes hundreds of individual photographs taken and then digitally combined to create a single work. With a combination of photographic skill, field craft, meticulousness and incredible patience, he removes the subject from its natural environment and context, re-imagining it in a field-guide style reminiscent of the historic bird artists.

Oakley’s photographs represent a reconstructed contemporary vision of important historic artists such as Gould and Audubon. This collection of stunning artwork is a testament to the natural beauty of birds, highlighting the precarious existence of many endangered species and a reminder of the beauty we could lose. By isolating the subject into an unblemished reality, each species’ character and beauty is celebrated with empathy and understanding. The resulting images provide both a rare glimpse in stunning detail of these delicate creatures, and a poignant reminder of the tragic, impending loss of many of them due to habitat loss and climate change.

In Discover the Modern Benno Tempel, director of the Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, tells us a story about modern art. Through the different themes the reader gets an atmospheric picture of the dynamic development of fine art, from the 19th-century until modern day. Steeped in political and social events, the book presents correlations between photography and painting, between space travel and utopian projects. This leads to fascinating comparisons, for example, between Claude Monet and Wassily Kandinsky, Francis Bacon and Gerhard Richter or Anton Heyboer and Vincent van Gogh. This incredible publication is more than a book about modern art… it reads like an exciting exploration of modern times. Text in English and Dutch.