The longer we gaze at the paintings of the old masters, the more we appreciate the subtlety and artistry of the painters who created them. This beautiful book offers readers an opportunity to learn and study the art of Jan van Eyck, Rogier van der Weyden, Hieronymus Bosch, Pieter Bruegel the Elder, and many other masters of this period and region. It also explores their influence on later artists from the Baroque period. Each of the works is briefly presented along with its historical and contextual background and importance. Then in a series of full-page illustrations, specific details are enlarged to guide the reader carefully and thoughtfully through the piece's nuances and often overlooked features. The result is the next best thing to a private viewing at a museum — a truly sensuous and emotional experience that will engage both the novice and the expert. Till-Holger Borchert's texts are informative and engaging as he shares his singular passion for these great works in a magnificent book that will inspire viewers to form their own opinions and exercise their own powers of observation within the context of this important period in art history.

With a reputation built over 25 years, Joanna Wood is recognized as one of Britain's leading figures in interior design. Her practice, Joanna Trading, was the winner of Britain's 2012 Design & Architecture award. Now Joanna Wood invites readers inside the walls of some of the most sumptuous rooms ever created. From the ultimate home that has everything to a country residence for a young family; a classic English cottage to a newly built town house, she brings to each project her practiced eye and attention to detail, creating a classic style that combines traditional and contemporary elements to produce a result which is both practical and visually exciting. Along the way, the designer shares her own experiences, tips, and secrets that can help transform any room into a comfortable oasis.

This groundbreaking examination of the cultural exchange between early 20th century French and German artists illuminates new ways of understanding the development of Expressionism. Although the Expressionist movement is widely considered to have arisen out of a German aesthetic, it was actually as much a result of German artists exposure to artists living and working in France, such as van Gogh, Seurat, Gauguin, Czanne, Matisse, Picasso, and Braque. In fact, in its early days, Expressionism was assigned no specific nationality at all. This fascinating book focuses on the key exhibitions, galleries, and museum directors that helped disseminate styles and techniques of revolutionary French artists throughout Germany. Included here are French masterpieces seen not only by German artists in Paris but also in important galleries, exhibitions, and private collections in Berlin, Dresden, Munich, Weimar, and other cities. More than 100 paintings and works on paper are grouped to encourage an understanding of artistic influence and interchange. The volume also reflects new scholarship on issues of French-German relations and contributes to our understanding of the ways the visual arts are influenced by ideas of national identity and cultural heritage.

Throughout history, flowers have been the inspiration for jewellers and the people who wore their creations. Gabrielle Chanel's favourite flower was the camellia and since the 1920s the flower has become incorporated into every aspect of the house's designs. Christian Dior favoured the lily of the valley and made it the centre of his 1954 collection. The rose de noel, which blooms in winter, has become synonymous with van Cleef and Arpel. This gorgeous volume highlights hundreds of examples of the finest floral jewellery ever made. Divided into four seasons — and the flowers that bloom in them — this book explores the history of flowers in the fine jewellery world and features dazzling illustrations, original sketches and gouache paintings showing how these blooms have been translated into pieces that are both priceless and ageless. The jewellery editor of British Vogue, Carol Woolton, offers expert insights into fashion history and trends. She explores the Belle Epoque, styles of the 1940s and the re-interpretations of iconic pieces. From original bejewelled botanical pieces by master jewellers such as Rene Lalique and Peter Carl Faberge, to the splendour of Cartier's orchids and fanciful imaginative flowers by contemporary designers such as Victoire de Castellane. The book also features magical floral pieces by Joel Arthur Rosenthal, acknowledged as the world's greatest jeweller, who has contributed a foreword for the book. These fanciful ornaments will entice collectors and dreamers alike.

Buildings of every shape and size and from all corners of the world, populate this colourful and beautifully produced book that introduces children to history's most iconic architectural feats and the people behind them. In lively illustrated spreads, young readers will learn how Christopher Wren reconstructed an 11th-century cathedral after London's great fire of 1666 to become the St Paul's Cathedral that we know today and how its dome survived the Blitz. They will find out how Thomas Jefferson, in building his plantation, Monticello, created a new architecture for a new nation. They will be introduced to the genius of Frank Lloyd Wright, Le Corbusier, Mies van der Rohe and Zaha Hadid and can examine in detail the wonders of the Eiffel Tower, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain and Rome's most beautiful theatre. The book proceeds chronologically, accompanied by a timeline to offer helpful historical context. Each architect's entry includes a concise biography, illustrations of major works and lively texts that speak directly to young readers. Additional information about the buildings pictured, suggestions for further reading and online resources will satisfy the most curious of minds.

From art school student to designer for Nike, Topshop, and Google, Kate Moross has lived the life that young graphic artists dream of. But it hasn't always been a smooth ride, and in this informative memoir and guide Moross offers true insider's tips on how to make it in a highly competitive field. Written in an approachable, forthright, and refreshingly honest tone, Make Your Own Luck features chapters on how to thrive in art school, developing your own style, how to self-promote, collaboration with other artists, how to deal with copycats, and when to consider working for free. She also touches on the fine points of music packaging and videos, how to find an agent, and looks back on the touchstone moments that helped shape her career. Designed to mimic Moross's signature bold, brightly coloured style, this book is filled with dozens of examples of her work for companies such as Google, Adidas, and Nokia, as well as musicians including Simian Mobile Disco, Jessie Ware, Zomby, and Pictureplane. Irreverent and packed with enormously helpful tips for designers of all stripes, Make Your Own Luck is certain to become an indispensable guide for anyone interested in graphic art as a vocation or hobby.

The wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton helped reclaim the fashion cred of Britain's royal family, ushering in a generation of hip but genial personalities that appeal to every age and station. But royals have been setting fashion trends for centuries. This fascinating overview of aristocratic icons reaches back to the middle age, and from Europe to the Middle East, to profile the most renowned promoters of elegance and style ever to don their empires' crowns. Author and royals watcher Luise Wackerl juxtaposes the fifteenth-century Duke of Burgundy's penchant for black with Elizabeth I's taste for virginal white. She presents history's first It Girls: Marie Antoinette, Louisa of Prussia, Empresses Sisi of Austria and Eugenie of France. She relates how Queen Victoria's sorrow and propriety transformed her country, and how an impeccably styled American's love for Edward VIII upended the British monarchy. From the irreproachably elegant styles of Grace Kelly to Lady Diana, Jordan's Queen Rania to Princess Letizia of Spain we move on to the newest icons: couture-loving Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece, Princess Marie of Denmark, and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie of York, whose faces and party antics grace the tabloids on a weekly basis. Hundreds of photos and a lively text make this irresistible reading for anyone interested in fashion, royalty, and the lively intersection of both worlds.

Spanning centuries, and encompassing a variety of masterpieces — from paintings on canvas and cave walls to structures and jewellery — this fascinating compendium of lost art takes readers on a historic journey and explores how and why art can disappear from our lives. Some works are simply missing, such as da Vinci's Leda and the Swan or the Romanov Jewels. Others were intentionally transformed, such as Robert Smithson's Spiral Jetty, or destroyed, like the Buddhas of Bamyan. Some pieces are hidden away, such as the Paintings at Lascaux or frescoes from the Pompeiian house of Marcus Lucretius. Others were stolen, including a Stradivarius violin, Jackson Pollock's Springs Winter or Caravaggio's Nativity. However they disappeared from view, these works represent significant gaps in art history. Fortunately for us, many exact replicas or studies for these pieces exist, while others were photographed before their destruction. Working with the latest research and documentation, author Celine Delavaux brings each lost piece back to life through illuminating text and helpful illustrations. Assembled together in this elaborate and informative volume, these works comprise their own unique museum — a place readers will be certain to visit again and again.

A winged, headless goddess from the third century; a gigantic tube of toothpaste; a tribal mask; a Buddha of solid gold — these are some of the creations featured in this book of sculptures that children will be able to learn from whilst having fun. Children naturally respond to shape, size, texture and colour, and will hugely enjoy this close look at thirteen of the world's most fascinating sculptures, including works by Michelangelo, Rodin, Giacometti, and Bourgeois. Shaped from wood, stone, metal and plastic, these artworks tell us much about the culture in which they were created. Each page is filled with colourful photographs and accessible information about the work, the artist who created it and the world in which it was made. Various games and puzzles enhance this introduction to three-dimensional masterpieces, which is certain to whet its young readers' appetites for more.

One of Maximilian's most important legacies is the work created in his honour by some of the greatest artists of his time, most notably Albrecht Durer. Today many of these works reside in the Albertina Museum in Vienna, and they are featured in this elegant volume. In addition to works by Durer, the book includes reproductions of the extraordinary Triumphal Procession of Albrecht Altdorfer and his workshop, and the monumental woodcut Triumphal Arch. This book explores the artistic culture of Maximilian's era, with numerous examples from the Albertina's own collection as well as painted portraits, exquisite illuminated manuscripts, precious sculptures and splendid tapestries from some of the world's leading museums. Brought together in this elegant volume, these works offer valuable insight into Maximilian's public relations machinery. The book also features various scholarly articles devoted to Maximilian's complex artistic projects, which may be considered as future key literature on Emperor Maximilian and the art of his time.

A tribal people located in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Songye are best known for their distinctive statuaries and masks, which for centuries have been used to protect villages, ward off enemies, and bring fertility and wealth. Approximately one thousand of these pieces are shown in this vibrant collection. The Songye often named their statues and decorated them with horns, skins, beads, tacks, shells, and bits of cloth. As a result, each item displays a singular, impressive identity. Considered to be imbued with magical energy and used only by village shamans, these statues have enormous cultural and historical significance, and they are also powerful works of art in their own right.

Throughout his career Moholy-Nagy produced brilliant works in painting, film, photography, sculpture, set design and typography. A leading proponent of the Bauhaus School, he strove to apply artistic principles to every aspect of daily life. This companion volume to a retrospective features 170 works from all phases of Moholy-Nagy's career. Essays on his involvement with the Bauhaus School; his late paintings; his photographs, photograms, and photosculptures; and his accomplishments in the field of graphic art are complemented by numerous colour illustrations. The book also documents the reconstruction of a never completed work, The Room of Today, which incorporates the most important themes Moholy-Nagy brought to his art. Readers viewing his work for the first time, along with those already possessing a deep appreciation for his art, will celebrate this long-overdue volume.

Architecture evolves in response to man's technological advances and environmental demands. Driven by these developments, architects can be seen as the most innovative of artists. In twenty-five beautifully illustrated chapters, this volume for general readers and architecture lovers alike identifies the most important advancements in the field of architecture, and demonstrates how these innovations influenced the development of architecture. Chapters focus on topics such as monuments to the dead and places of worship; domes; pillars and arches; towers from Pisa to Eiffel; stadia and theatres; palaces and skyscrapers. Readers will learn about the introduction of glass, steel, iron, and concrete; how buildings express ideas; and the rediscovery of antiquity. Arranged chronologically, these chapters can be studied individually to deepen our understanding of particular aspects of architecture or as a whole — to appreciate the ever-changing patterns of architectural advancement.

Roy Lichtenstein's art is most recognizable for its trademark Benday dots and two-dimensional planes, cartoon-like qualities that placed him at the forefront of the American Pop Art scene. With its heavy emphasis on America's consumer culture, Lichtenstein's style lends itself easily to the poster genre. This volume opens with his earliest poster, designed for his first exhibition at the Leo Castelli gallery in 1962, and closes with his last, which he completed in the year of his death. An additional section features reproductions from the Claus von Olden collection and includes posters and flyers that were produced all over the world using Lichtenstein's iconic motifs. The works reflect Lichtenstein's prolific imagination and ability to adapt his vision to the promotion of music and film festivals, theatrical performances, museums, restaurants, public service messages, as well as his own exhibitions. An essay by Jurgen Doring expounds upon Lichtenstein's development as an artist who blurred the boundaries between low — and high-brow art. The book also includes an illustrated biography of the artist.

This book identifies the latest tastes and current trends in nightclub space design with supplemented information on the venue, design studio, as well as artistic perspective and simple layout diagrams. More than forty restaurant bars and achingly hip clubs are featured in more than two hundred photographs showcasing the best after-dark playgrounds.

How many ways can you paint a kiss? Ask Picasso, Lichtenstein, Toulouse-Lautrec, Klimt, and Fragonard. Rediscover mythology's great love stories through the works of Botticelli, Correggio, Titian, and Canova. Meet ordinary and extraordinary couples in paintings by Kahlo, Van Eyck, Rubens, Rembrandt, Freud, and Rossetti. These are just some of the bounty of artists collected in this glorious book that features brilliantly coloured reproductions and love-inspired writings. Organized to show the progression of love from first meeting to marriage, this exquisite volume travels over the centuries through various artistic traditions. The stories these artists tell are as varied as the works themselves: sentimental, tragic, intellectual, ironic, sensual, and comic. For lovers of art, or just lovers, this book gloriously illustrates the endless facets of love.

This stunningly illustrated book profiles more than 30 artists from around the world through exclusive interviews, commentary, and hundreds of beautiful images. Its subjects are enormously diverse in style and technique. From Nick Knight's paint-soaked portrait of Lady Gaga to the LaRoache Brothers' macabre restyling of Lily Cole, new fashion portraiture is consistently challenging our conventional ideas of beauty by confronting us with the unexpected. Throughout, photographers explore new avenues of thought and practice previously off-limits in the fashion world: Daniel Sannwald and Pierre Debusschere push the boundaries of the experimental avant-garde and articulate the schizophrenia of contemporary media through digital and physical interventions into the image surface; Miles Aldridge and Chadwick Tyler explore dark surrealism and the subconscious; Eugenio Recuenco and Aram Bedrossian absorb themselves in the language of romance, art and cinema; Alice Hawkins and Kourtney Roy create conceptually charged images that explore body image through self-referential and observational satire; Paola Kudacki and Markus + Indrani craft deceptively simple photos of stunning beauty. Each of the photographers profiled here are part of an explosive new artistic moment that is at once redefining notions of beauty and opening up the world of fashion photography to new and thrilling possibilities.

A fifteenth-century Flemish painter who spent most of his life in Bruges, van Eyck was revered for his innovative manipulation of oil paint. Overflowing with impeccably reproduced images, this book offers full-page spreads of masterpieces as well as highlights of smaller details — allowing the viewer to appreciate every aspect of the artist's technique and oeuvre.

Graffiti and tattoos are now firmly entrenched as mainstream art forms. Over the past few decades, these raw products of street culture have converged into a distinctive visual aesthetic documented for the first time in this compelling and inspirational book. Famed graffiti tattoo artist Kaves and tattoo historian Billy Burke introduce, one by one, the masters of graffiti tattoo art, their personal stories, and their diverse handiwork. Each chapter contains an in-depth profile, a personal statement, and fascinating photos of studios and clients. Readers will learn about the skin graffiti process, view brilliant flash drawings (design sketches for patrons to choose from), and come away with a new understanding of and appreciation for an art form that transforms the human body into the ultimate canvas for self-expression.

Anyone who grew up holidaying on England's beaches is familiar with the distinctive features of these historic resorts — not the exclusive, paradisiacal haunts of the rich and famous, but the gritty, often rocky shores of the Atlantic and the Irish and North Seas, filled with amusement arcades, bathing huts, beach umbrellas and people of all ages and classes. Jon Nicolson's Polaroid SX70 is the perfect vehicle to capture the colour and character of summers at the sea. At once immediate and ephemeral, these delicately hued, slightly muted images taken with original, out-of-date film stock depict the faded glory of Yarmouth's giant piers, Brighton's pebbly shores, the Blackpool Pleasure Beach amusement park, the dunes of Hemsby, and many other resorts across Britain. Each of the 70 photographs is beautifully reproduced on its own page with descriptive captions. A foreword by Joseph Galliano provides a wry, contemporary perspective on these beloved, centuries-old locations.