A national pantheon of the greatest names in British history and culture, the Collection of the National Portrait Gallery contains more than 11,000 paintings, sculptures and works on paper and over a quarter of a million photographs. There are kings and queens, courtiers and courtesans, politicians and poets, soldiers and scientists, artists and writers, philosophers and film stars individuals from every sphere. This book presents a broad selection of the personalities that have shaped the last four centuries of British life, from Elizabeth I to David Beckham, from Shakespeare to Seamus Heaney, portrayed by artists as diverse as Hans Holbein, David Bailey, Joshua Reynolds and Paula Rego. The featured works are arranged chronologically in sections, each of which is prefaced by a text written by the curator responsible for that period, drawing on their expert knowledge and recent research. Each image is accompanied by an extended caption that provides key information on the sitter and the artist and places the work in its historical and creative context. Special features, which include making art in Tudor Britain, miniatures, sculpture, early photography, twenty-and twenty-first-century photography, self-portraits, celebrity and non-traditional media, offer insight into particular areas of the Collection. A fascinating introductory essay explains the history and purpose of this great public institution and is illustrated with a wealth of rare and illuminating material from the Gallery's extensive archive, including photographs, plans, letters and sketchbooks, some previously unpublished.

This book charts contemporary illustration's rich history: from the rampant idealism of the 1960s to the bleak realism of the 1970s, and from the over-blown consumerism of the 1980s to the digital explosion of the 1990s, followed by the increasing diversification of illustration in the early twenty-first century. The book explores the contexts in which the discipline has operated and looks historically, sociologically, politically, and culturally at the key factors at play across each decade, while artworks by key illustrators bring the decade to life. Contemporary illustration's impact and influence on design and popular culture are investigated through introductory essays and profiles of leading practitioners, illustrated with examples of the finest work.

In 1884, at the age of twelve, the remarkable Miss Sarah Elizabeth Birdsall Otis known to all as Birdie made an extraordinary paper dolls house in the form of a book. While these were fashionable enough at the time, they were usually drawn and painted: Birdie, however, chose the medium of collage. Her albums exquisite rooms, accompanying paper dolls and tiny accessories are true works of art, full of period charm but also distinctly appealing to a modern taste and sensibility. Eric Boman's full-colour photographs capture Birdies remarkably vivid fantasy world in all its quirky splendour. Boman also provides an entertaining text giving her life story and the background to the making of the dolls house, accompanied by turn-of-the-century photographs found in her family albums. With an envelope at the back of the book containing press-out dolls and costumes from the original collection, this publication showcases an astonishing example of youthful creativity and is guaranteed to appeal to adults and children alike.

Skywood has been called a house that turns lifestyle into a work of art and one that offers a masterclass in architectures power to excite and inspire. As a structure, it reflects rigour and attention to detail, attributes that its creator, Graham Phillips, credits both to his time at Foster & Partners, and to his experiences of buildings he loves, from Mies van der Rohes Barcelona Pavilion and Luis Barragans house in Mexico City, to the serene composition of Japanese gardens. Skywood House garnered immediate acclaim from the architectural and popular press. It also became a favoured setting for television and film producers, who found in its pure form and exquisite geometries the perfect backdrop for an array of dramatic scenarios. Known as the Va Va Voom house for its appearance in the 2005 Renault Clio television advert featuring the football titan Thierry Henry, Skywood continues to attract a popular and critical audience. And Phillipss further projects, carried out as an independent architect, resonate with the same sense of precision and elegance.

During many eras of architectural history, builders and architects aimed to construct buildings with pure shapes and clear geometry, while foregoing decorative elements. With the advent of Classical Modernity, minimalism has become a seminal architectural style. However, the approach of architects cannot be limited to Mies van der Roh s dogma of Less is more, but corresponds rather to Less is all you need. Based on a select range of contemporary buildings, this book examines the question of how compelling esthetic impressions and expressions can be achieved with reduced shapes. Representing various types of structures, the chosen examples are mostly based on the concept of a simple comprehensive overall shape, focus on a few main materials as means of expression, and are comparatively simple to implement. Despite, or perhaps due to, the consistently applied limitations, the results are extremely remarkable.

From the earliest days of Hollywood, the pressures of fame led to a febrile atmosphere among its stars. The magic of the movies made audiences pulses quicken, but what was really happening in the lives of the actors up on the silver screen? Hollywood Love Stories looks at 14 real-life love affairs across the golden age of the movies, from the 1920s to the 1970s. From the swashbuckling romance between Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford, and the poignant lifelong affair between Spencer Tracey and Katherine Hepburn, to the scandalous liaison between Ingrid Bergman and Roberto Rossellini, each account offers insights and surprises, accompanied by wonderful images and ephemera that bring every love affair vividly alive.

Casual Sweet Clothes offers you gorgeous tops, dresses, jackets and skirts with a designer edge. Simple step-by-step instructions and diagrams guide you through the process of sewing each garment, and the full-size patterns included at the back of the book guarantee perfectly fitting results every time. The 18 simple but stylish casual pieces in this book make the foundation of a hand-made wardrobe that will last for years.

Inventions that Didn t Change the World is a fascinating visual tour through some of the most bizarre inventions registered with the British authorities in the nineteenth century. In an era when Britain was the workshop of the world, design protection (nowadays patenting) was all the rage, and the apparently lenient approval process meant that all manner of bizarre curiosities were painstakingly recorded, in beautiful color illustrations and well-penned explanatory text, alongside the genuinely great inventions of the period. Irreverent commentary contextualizes each submission as well as taking a humorous view on how each has stood the test of time. This book introduces such gems as a ventilating top hat; an artificial leech; a design for an aerial machine adapted for the arctic regions; an anti-explosive alarm whistle; a tennis racket with ball-picker; and a currant-cleaning machine. Here is everything the end user could possibly require for a problem he never knew he had. Organized by area of application industry, clothing, transportation, medical, health and safety, the home, and leisure Inventions that Didn t Change the World reveals the concerns of a bygone era giddy with the possibilities of a newly industrialized world.

High up in mountains around the world, houses that have long been constructed following local building traditions are being transformed. Intrepid young architects using new technologies and materials are refashioning these traditions, with results that range from gemutlich (cozy) retreats to glamorous hilltop villas. Houses are presented in three sections: Cabin, Chalet, and Villa. Photographs of each house reveal its architecture, interior design, and striking setting, while plans provide an additional layer of information. Texts tell the story of how the dwelling was sited to make the most of its location, how new construction innovations were introduced, and how these solutions provide a comfortable space from which families can enjoy the great outdoors. While our cities become ever more concentrated, there is an increasing desire to experience nature as directly as possible. From the Highlands of Scotland to the breathtaking summits of the Alps and the adrenaline-fuelled mountain resorts of California, Mountain Modern is a journey to the most stunning homes of our planet.

The first monograph devoted to this Italian architect and designer, exploring his twenty-year career. The works by Federico Delrosso (b. 1964) reflect the teachings of modernists-especially Gio Ponti, Ernesto Nathan Rogers, and Le Corbusier. This monograph is a complete overview of architectural plans for private and commercial buildings, interior decor, and design projects created over the past twenty years.

An intimate excursion, past and present, into the British ambassador's residence in Washington beguiles with its exceptional interior design, extensive horticulture collection, and politically charged history. Since opening its doors in 1930, the British ambassador's residence has been considered the premier diplomatic address in Washington, D.C. A cross between an English country house and a neo-Palladian plantation, the residence is a compelling but often overlooked example of the work of Sir Edwin Lutyens. In this book, Anthony Seldon and Daniel Collings explore both the genius of Lutyens's design and the rich history of Anglo-American relations that has unfolded within its walls. The house and its extensive gardens are lavishly illustrated by specially commissioned photography, while striking images from the archives bring to life events from its past. Through such prized events and the skill of successive ambassadors arose a building that helped create and then embody the special relationship. From Winston Churchill's rambunctious visits during the Second World War to the dark days of Vietnam, and the rejuvenation of the relationship during the Thatcher-Reagan period, this book takes the reader deep behind the scenes.

The physical model is an important communication tool for architects. Although the proliferation of CAD programmes has enabled the creation of increasingly complex computer models and virtual environments, there is also a growing need to address the three-dimensional qualities of architecture that may be lost when using such media. This book focuses on the inspiring possibilities for modelling the built environment with all the different media and techniques available. In describing the use of different models in different contexts, the book provides a practical guide to how and why models are used, and what they are used for. This second edition includes more detailed step-by-step exercises, expanded discussion of materials and techniques, updated coverage of digital techniques and new case studies.

Landscape photography is one of the arts most accessible areas, whether you're just starting out or refining your vision. This book reveals the palette of techniques that will make your photography stand out from the crowd and win a place on a gallery wall. While other writers and bloggers concentrate on the technical aspects of landscape, this book will help you put those practical skills which are all in these pages too into use in a wider variety of ways, including styles popular with contemporary art customers. Readers will also gain an insight into how the Icelandic author was able to break out onto the global stage using online communities; invaluable advice for photographers at any stage in their career, but especially those at the start of it.

One of Andrew Wyeths most important paintings, Wind from the Sea, a recent gift to the National Gallery of Art, is also the artists first full realization of the window as a recurring subject in his art. Wyeth returned to windows over the next sixty years, producing more than 250 works that explore both the formal and conceptual richness of the subject. Spare, elegant and abstract, these paintings are free of the narrative element inevitably associated with Wyeths better-known figural compositions. In 2014 the Gallery will present an exhibition of a select group of these deceptively realistic works, window paintings that are in truth skilfully manipulated constructions engaged with the visual complexities posed by the transparency, beauty and formal structure of windows. In its exclusive focus on paintings without human subjects, this catalogue will offer a new approach to Wyeths work, being the first time that his non-figural compositions have been published as a group. The authors explore Wyeths fascination with windows their formal structure and metaphorical complexity. In essays that address links with the poetry of Robert Frost and the paintings of Edward Hopper, Charles Sheeler and Franz Kline, the authors consider Wyeths statement that he was, in truth, an abstract painter.

The Chateau de Versailles is one of the most beautiful and fascinating achievements of eighteenth-century French art. This unique book offers readers unprecedented access to this historical treasure. The world's most iconic chateau has welcomed tourists the world over, yet this handsome slipcased volume offers up the charm of a thousand and one hidden places in the chateau, its gardens, and pavilions. All were designed to surprise and delight the eye and all the senses at every turn, their ornate decoration forming an integral part of the elite lifestyle of the eighteenth century. This comprehensive volume captures the exquisite setting and inimitable ambience of Versailles and its gardens, from its intimate private spaces usually closed to the general public to the charming Petit Trianon and dairy farm created for the pure pleasure of Marie-Antoinette.

In the summer of 1937, Walter Gropius, founder of the Bauhaus and a professor at Harvard's new Graduate School of Design, rented a house on Planting Island, near the base of Cape Cod. There, he and his wife, Ise, hosted a festive reunion of Bauhaus masters and students who had recently emigrated from Europe: Marcel Breuer, Herbert Bayer, Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, Xanti Schawinsky and others. Together they feasted, swam and planned their futures on a new continent, all sensing they were on the cusp of a momentous new phase in their lives. Yet even as they moved on, the group never lost its connection to the Cape Cod coast. Several members returned, when they had the means, to travel farther up the peninsula, rent cabins, buy land and design their ideal summer homes. Thus began a chapter in the history of modern architecture that has never been told until now. The flow of talent onto the Outer Cape continued and, within a few years, the area was a hotbed of intellectual currents from New York, Boston, Cambridge and the country's top schools of architecture and design. Avant-garde homes began to appear in the woods and on the dunes; by the 1970s, there were about 100 modern houses of interest here. In this story, we meet, among others, the Boston Brahmins Jack Phillips and Nathaniel Saltonstall; the self-taught architect, carpenter and painter Jack Hall; the Finn Olav Hammarstrom, who had worked for Alvar Aalto; and the prolific Charlie Zehnder, who brought the lessons of both Frank Lloyd Wright and Brutalism to the Cape. Initially, these designers had no clients; they built for themselves and their families, or for friends sympathetic to their ideals. Their homes were laboratories, places to work through ideas without spending much money. The result of this ferment is a body of work unlike any other, a regional modernism fusing the building traditions of Cape Cod fishing towns with Bauhaus concepts and postwar experimentation.

Francisco Goya has been widely celebrated as the most important Spanish artist of the late-eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, the last of the old masters and the first of the moderns, and an astute observer of the human condition in all its complexity. The many-layered and shifting meanings of his work have made him one of the most studied artists in the world. Few, however, have made the ambitious attempt to explore his work as a painter, printmaker and draftsman across media and the timeline of his life. This book does just that, presenting a comprehensive and integrated view of Goya's most important paintings, prints, and drawings through the themes and imagery that continually challenged or preoccupied the artist. They reveal how he strove relentlessly to understand and describe human behavior and emotional states, even at their most orderly or disorderly extremes, in elegant and incisive portraits, dramatic and monumental history paintings, and series of prints and drawings of a satirical, disturbing and surreal nature. Derived from the research for the largest Goya art exhibition in North America in a quarter-century, this book takes a fresh look at one of the greatest artists in history by examining the fertile territory between the two poles that defined the range of his boundlessly creative personality. Francisco Jose Goya y Lucientes (1746-1828) was born in Fuendetodos, Aragon, in the northeast of Spain. Goya was court painter to the Spanish Crown, and famously documented the Peninsular War (1807-1814) between France and Spain in his harrowing Disasters of War series. An important bridge to the modernist era, Goya's oeuvre provided a crucial precedent for artists such as Manet, Picasso and Francis Bacon.

This vibrant new survey sets the agenda both for fashion photography and inspirational and innovative image-making in the decade ahead. Leading curator and writer Magdalene Keaney has selected over thirty photographers the emerging talents that hold the prospect of creating enduring fashion images and influencing the cultural and style trends of tomorrow. The world of fashion is obsessed with freshness and youth, and Fashion Photography Next embraces that obsession, looks beyond what is now. From Axel Hoedt s bold graphic experimentation to color-saturated, hyperreal images by Daniel Jackson or the cool, neutral aesthetic of Hanna Putz, the work is diverse, sometimes shocking, utterly memorable. Profiles and critiques of thirty of the hottest careers in fashion photography, an Introduction that considers the evolution of the art form, and provocative images that speak for themselves, make Fashion Photography Next the roster of rising stars for the industry to watch and aspiring photographers to emulate.

Shipping containers are the most conspicuous symbol of the globalized world economy 20 or 40 feet of pure steel reduced to the essentials. They are robust, standardized, inexpensive, universally available, and quickly assembled. Whether as single units, piled on top of each other, or placed in a row, covered or cut open contemporary architecture uses containers as extremely versatile elements for a great variety of contexts. Their aesthetic of practicality accommodates minimalistic temporary solutions, experimental design concepts, as well as highly demanding and complex building structures. The contemporary projects presented in this volume showcase the many functional and creative faces of the utilization of containers. Almost everything seems possible in the developing field of container architecture.

This is the first volume to consider comprehensively the role of architectural education in the 21st century. Many students come to architecture relatively late in their education, so it is in college where they come into contact with those who will influence their entire careers. Many top schools are run by leading global practitioners, who, some might argue, have more lasting influence as educators than as architects. The wide range of pedagogical philosophies and practical lessons, set out in specially commissioned essays, creates a fascinating picture of how our ideas and practices of architecture are formed, nurtured and ultimately built for the world to see. Through both the professional and educational experience of the contributors, we discover many unexpected and unorthodox methods for teaching those who will build our world.