This remarkable and beautiful book brings together a collection of decorated papers dating from the 16th to the 20th century. They were produced for a wide variety of uses: as wrappers and endpapers for books, as the backing for playing cards, and even as linings for chests and cases. Some decorated papers were used as humble pictures for display in churches and the home; some were sold as souvenirs to pilgrims; and others were used merely as wrappings for foodstuffs such as gingerbread and chocolate. What unites all the papers in the book is the richness of their ornamentation and the thin, flexible characteristics of the original sheets. They are all further united by having been collected by Olga Hirsch (1889-1968), a trained bookbinder who left her collection of some 3,500 papers to the British Library, where they remain one of the largest and most diverse collections of decorated papers in the world. The collection has never previously been published except as a mini-format 64-page introductory gift book. This new beautifully designed album of the best and most exquisite papers in the collection will be a revelation and an inspiration to designers, bibliophiles and anyone with a love of pattern and ornamentation.

For the first time, this book explores to the full, with dazzling visual accompaniment, the fascinating story of the Impressionist love affair with the new thinking about gardens, their flowers and design, in 19th-century France. It discusses the artists both as painters and as gardeners, and, using source material such as contemporary gardening manuals, offers exciting new interpretations of their art. It also looks at the garden, public or private, as a new kind of space with political undertones, and relates it to the Impressionists' adoption of plein-air techniques. While the approach is to concentrate on analyses of specific works, the historical context is presented in a clear, informative and engaging manner. There is also some lively discussion of the private lives of these artists.

The foundation stone for the exceptional collection of Gabriele and Anna Braglia was laid by an exhibition of German Expressionism in Venice. The collection will be made accessible to the public in Lugano starting in September. Fascinated by the vivid colours and great expressive power of the paintings, the Swiss couple acquired select paintings, watercolours and drawings, in particular those by Paul Klee, Emil Nolde and the Blauer Reiter artists. These are accompanied by works of art by Lyonel Feininger and Max Pechstein. This publication is the first to provide a comprehensive overview of the approximately fifty works of art, which represent important contributions to Expressionism.

An essential volume for landscape — and garden-design professionals, Drawing for Landscape Architecture argues for the importance of learning to see by hand, to visualize large-scale design plans and articulate them through drawing before turning to the digital tools that are so crucial to efficient and cost-effective building solutions. This enriched approach makes for better design, happier clients, and more successful projects.

The breathtaking skill and creativity of the African peoples are presented here in radiant color the gorgeous stripweaves of the Ashanti and the Ewe; the lace weaves of the Yoruba and thebogolanfini mud cloths from Mali and West Africa; the Berber weaves from Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia in North Africa; the unique, crocheted, embroidered, and feathered hats from Cameroon; the ancient weaving tradition of Ethiopia; the beadwork of the Zulu, Xhosa, and Ndebele peoples of Southern Africa; and the Asian-derived tradition of weaving silk and raphia in Madagascar. A guide to African textile collections open to the public, a glossary, and suggestions for further reading make this volume a practical as well as beautiful guide to the rich art of African textiles.

The richness of Wassily Kandinsky's life, work and thought make him one of the leading figures of 20th-century art. He was a founder member of Der Blaue Reiter and his theories influenced many of the major artistic movements of his time, including Dada, the Bauhaus, De Stijl and Russian Constructivism. A friend of artists such as Marcel Duchamp and Paul Klee, he also had fruitful relationships with contemporary musicians including Arnold Schoenberg and Thomas de Hartmann. This book traces the chronological evolution of Kandinsky's art, making use of an unprecedented wealth of documents from the artist's own workshop, including autobiographical writings, correspondence and theoretical essays, to shed new light on his prolific creative imagination. Kandinsky divided his work into three categories: impressions (observations of the exterior world), improvisations (expressions of inner feeling) and compositions (images on a grander scale that brought inner and outer visions together). His art is also marked by two intersecting axes: the first moving from the figurative to the abstract, the second from the profane to the sacred. Generously illustrated throughout, this book uncovers the well of imagery that lies behind Kandinsky's paintings, prints and poetry, and explores his passionate belief in the spiritual and harmonizing power of art.

Many of the world s greatest buildings are made of wood, yet it is undervalued or ignored in histories of architecture. However, leading designers around the world are increasingly drawn to it to satisfy social and environmental needs. Will Pryce is an award-winning photographer who trained as an architect and photojournalist. Intensely dramatic but not overdramatized, technically flawless but not merely documentary, his internationally acclaimed photographs convey all the excitement of encountering these amazing structures firsthand. He has traveled the world seeking the famous and the obscure. In the text he shows how the wooden heritage of Japan grew from its Buddhist history; how Russia's carpenters determined its iconic domes; how Norway's stave churches contain clues to her pagan past; how Turkic tribes brought the yali from Asia; how the settlers of New England employed a provincial English tradition on the new continent; and how, today, sophisticated architects such as Peter Zumthor and Renzo Piano are inventing an eloquent new wooden architecture.

David Hockney's continuing belief in the importance of the portrait and his virtuoso skill in creating a sense of close communication between artist, sitter and viewer has resulted in some of the best-loved works of the postwar era. From the 1950s on, Hockney's most persistent subject matter, in paintings, drawings, collages and photoworks, has been of people usually very close to him, as well as of himself. These works are narratives of autobiographical relationships: they reflect the intimate and often intense stories of this artist's life. They also explore different formal ways of representing the passage of time and at the same time the unavoidable but marvellous stillness of portraits. The works include fascinating sequences as he paints his mother or Henry Geldzahler or Celia Birtwell on and off for decades; the special qualities attached to depictions of lovers; and the range of celebrities, writers and artists — Billy Wilder, Armistead Maupin, W.H. Auden, Henry Moore, Christopher Isherwood — who have been part of a very full life. The text by a distinguished European critic and curator reinforces the point that this hugely popular English-born artist, who made America his second home, has become a figure of worldwide appeal.

The objects in this thematically structured book encompass Deco style at its most alluring, as well as the modernity, excitement, and social revolution of the Jazz Age. These items were the height of fashion then and are highly prized collectibles today. They remind us of an era of closer cooperation between designers and manufacturers, who aimed to produce goods that were not only useful but also beautiful and well made. This showcase of portable Art Deco classics from Britain, Europe (particularly France), and the United States will appeal not just to collectors but to anyone with an interest in Deco style and the history of fashion, design, and small, beautiful things.

Laser cutting is the latest embellishment technique to appear on the runway. In this book, Laura Berens Baker provides fourteen inspirational projects that demonstrate how to use laser cutting equipment to produce original designs for garments and accessories. The book explores how to engineer designs and the use of laser technology for upcycling fabrics to replicate traditional finishes as well as developing new ones. Each project is created in Adobe Illustrator and includes step-by-step instructions for creating the design for the laser cutter, followed by instructions for cutting and sewing. A CD at the back of the book includes templates for all the designs. Illustrated with specially commissioned photography, Laser Cutting for Fashion and Textiles offers a unique insight for fashion, textile, and accessory designers into how to use this latest technology and provides the skills to develop their own original designs.

At the Well, produced to coincide with an exhibition of Neo Rauch's (born 1960) new works at David Zwirner in New York, brings together both small and large format paintings that expand the artist's unique iconography of eccentric figures, animals and hybrids within vaguely familiar but imaginary settings. This oversized catalogue-designed in close collaboration with the artist-is anchored by 16 stunning plates and numerous 1:1 details that give viewers intimate access to these compelling compositions. Themes of rebirth and new beginnings abound: Rauch consistently creates characters who appear to be in the process of transformation. At the Well features an essay by art historian and curator Sir Norman Rosenthal, who presents a careful reading of Rauch's new work. The book also includes a reprint of the classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale The Young Giant, specifically chosen by Rosenthal to further expand his analysis.

30-Second Religion decants and demystifies the key beliefs, deities, origins, and iconography of the worlds major religions, denominations, and less widespread sects and cults. Whether you wish to understand the key differences between Catholicism and Protestantism, to glimpse the many gods of Hinduism, or to digest a potted Buddhist philosophy, this book is the quickest way to walk the paths and recognize the key signposts of the world's diverse and fascinating faiths. Travelling from Buddhism to Zoroastrianism, and including features on key religious texts, 30-Second Religion offers a revelation of 50 belief systems in less time than it takes to offer up a prayer.

From Chanels coastal couture to Westwoods piratical punk, from Jean Paul Gaultiers beefcake camp to Tommy Hilfigers preppy classics, this is the first and only book to celebrate nautical fashion and all its iconic looks. Nautical style has an enduring sophistication, and this volume is a glorious celebration of its perennial popularity, tracing the history of its trends and impact on the clothes we love. From the beaches of Cape Cod and Nantucket to the yachts of the Italian Riviera and the Cote dAzur, not to mention catwalks everywhere, the nautical look has cut a sartorial swathe for over two centuries. Amber Jane Butchart charts the rise and rise of the nautical influence on fashion over five chapters, each one devoted to an iconic maritime figure. Written in a witty and accessible tone, Nautical Chic is the definitive history of nautical fashion.

Bjork is a contemporary icon whose contributions to music, video, film, fashion and art have influenced a generation worldwide. Here, now, is the ultimate celebration of this multimillion-selling superstar. Designed by top design studio M/M (Paris) as a slipcased world of wonders, this publication which accompanies springs exhibition on Bjork at The Museum of Modern Art is composed of six parts: four booklets, a paperback and a poster. Each booklet contains illustrated texts by, respectively, Klaus Biesenbach, Alex Ross, Nicola Dibben and Timothy Morton, while the poster features artwork of Bjorks albums and singles. The main book focuses on her seven major albums Debut, Post, Homogenic, Vespertine, Medulla, Volta and Biophilia and the personas created for each one. Poetic texts by longtime collaborator, Icelandic poet Sjon, are accompanied by shots of Bjork performing live; multiple stills from music videos made by directors including Michel Gondry, Chris Cunningham and Spike Jonze; images of Bjork in breathtaking costumes by designers such as Alexander McQueen and Hussein Chalayan; and shots by star photographers such as Nan Goldin, Juergen Teller, Stephane Sednaoui, Inez van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin, and Araki. All combine to form an extraordinary visual masterpiece, celebrating the magical world of Bjork.

Every artist, beginner or expert, is inspired by the work of the great artists that have gone before, and one of the most enjoyable ways to learn painting is to study their work in detail. This new series unlocks the secrets of some of the most inspirational painters of all time, revealing their techniques and giving todays artists the confidence and skills they need to take their work to the next level. Paint Like Renoir is the second book in the series, following Paint Like Degas. Oil paint has tremendous versatility, from the dilute and transparent glaze, or wash, through to the thick impasto mark. Renoir employed the whole range of paint qualities and this is one of the most valuable reasons for studying his work.

The revolutionary art and design of the early twentieth century produced textiles, particularly carpets, of extraordinary vitality. First the flourishing Art Deco movement spread bold patterns across Europe and America, before giving way to sophisticated Modernist abstractions influenced by Bauhaus, Cubism, and collage. In just a few decades carpet design was transformed into a showcase of the avant-garde, as legendary artists and designers such as Picasso, Poiret, Gray, Delaunay, and Klee created dazzling, influential works of art still valued greatly today. Beautifully and extensively illustrated, Carpets of the Art Deco Era charts the evolution of carpet design during the period, celebrating the results of a particularly rich era in the decorative arts. An important visual survey for any textile arts shelf, this volume is now available again in a compact, accessible format.

Athanasius Kircher (1602-80) was acknowledged to be the most learned man of his age. By profession a Jesuit priest, he made himself an authority on every subject under (and above) the sun and published the results of his researches in over thirty lavishly illustrated volumes in Latin. His museum in Rome was famous and visited by everybody in the world of learning. Inevitably, his work has been superseded in most areas of study, but he remains a key figure in the history of ideas and in recent years there has been a revival of interest, in which Joscelyn Godwin has played a leading role. But while every other aspect of his thought has been studied, the fascinating engravings with which he illustrated his ideas have been largely ignored. This book fills that gap. It is divided into 15 chapters grouped by the engravings subject; these illustrations reveal his singular mind and the way he was drawn to mysticism and magic.

In 2009, plans by New York mayor Michael Bloomberg to transform part of Broadway including Times Square into a pedestrian area caused a sensation, not just in the city but internationally. Urban areas where pedestrians have right of way over vehicles are becoming increasingly important in the modern city and have enjoyed growing popularity since the 1950s. Not only do they increase the quality of life of the residents, they also become an increasingly important locational factor. In general there are two types of pedestrian zones: the first serves primarily as an alternative transit route without cars, while the second is dedicated to shopping and entertainment in the form of traffic-free shopping streets and open pedestrian areas within shopping malls. Based on a careful selection of projects this volume presents the functional and design variety of these popular urban spaces.

Cats were first domesticated or, more likely, noticed a warm fireside and chose to domesticate themselves many thousands of years ago. Over the centuries they have performed a useful role as pest controllers, but much more as friends and companions of humans. Cats have always inspired writers and artists. They appear in Egyptian papyri and tomb paintings, in Roman mosaics, in Japanese prints, in Old Master drawings and engravings. At different times and places they have been worshipped, mummified, associated with superstition and black magic, and bred as domestic pets. This delightful illustrated anthology includes a selection of the many poems, anecdotes and quotations about cats which have been written over the centuries: the charming, the funny, the sad, the exasperated, and the heartfelt. In a fresh new paperback format with a selection of new images, this is a n irresistible gift for anyone who likes cats.

Textile design has been liberated and democratized by digital media. With new technology allowing for more precise manipulation and larger variation of materials and patterns, textile designers have found new ways to create ambitiously, experiment, and be inspired. At the same time, the rise of digital processes has led to a renewed appreciation of traditional craftsmanship and the handmade, and of the tactility and construction of textiles and surfaces. In The Pattern Base, Kristi O Meara, designer and creative director of the Chicago-based design studio The Patternbase, showcases more than 550 textile, surface, fashion, and print designs from over 150 designers working around the world. Part One is a sourcebook of these designs, organized by type of pattern: Geometric, Floral, Representational, Digital Abstract, Illustrative, and Fabric Swatches. Part Two presents profiles of fifteen artists, constituting the hottest up-and-comers in the field, including Lorenzo Nanni, whose delicate beadwork conjures the natural world s flora and fauna; Anita Hirlekar, whose felt, velvet, and lace work create luscious variations of texture; and Kayla Mattes, mistress of kitsch aesthetics and material experimentations.