For this work, editor Rolf Toman gathered contributions from nine renowned authors with profound expertise in the fields of architecture and art history whose competent knowledge clearly elucidates the art of the Romanesque period.

At the mention of Vienna, many visitors think of Sachertorte, romantic open carriage trips and an evening in one of local wine taverns. But the old imperial city has much more to offer: this book presents a comprehensive, richly illustrated view of the art treasures to be found in the Danube metropolis. The main focus is on the baroque era with its magnificent church buildings and palaces including the Hofburg, Schonbrunn and Belvedere; historicism with its architectural highlights on the new Ringstrasse; and Viennese art nouveau including artists Gustav Klimt and Oskar Kokoschka, the Wiener Werkstatte und Sezession. Well-founded essays on the beginnings of the history of art in Vienna and on the state of contemporary Viennese art round off the book.

Housing the largest collection of impressionist and post-impressionist masterpieces in the world, the Musee d'Orsay is arguably one of the most beautiful museums in Europe, with its immense central space inherited from its original role as a grand railway station built in 1900. Immerse yourself in the world of Monet, Degas, Cezanne, Renoir, Gauguin and van Gogh thanks to this comprehensive guide to the museum.

The Prado is without doubt for Madrid what the Louvre is for Paris and the Uffizi for Florence. A guidebook through this museum with a knowledgeable commen-tary is therefore essential for really getting to know Madrid. However, this richly illustrated book not only portrays the city and its art in a dynamic relationship, it also relates a long and checkered history — from its be-ginnings and its charms as a residence, to the Civil War and modern times — expressed in countless churches, buildings, and squares. With this competent and visually discerning book, simply browsing through its pages becomes a culturally pleasant stroll through Madrid's streets.

This marvelously illustrated volume takes us to a journey throughout Europe s most beautiful and magnificent sacred buildings. As the very heart and centre of most cities and villages, churches, cathedrals and basilicas have shaped the regional landscape in Europe to a great extent. Their architecture bears witness to the matchless skills of craftsmen and the mystic fervor that led to their building. Their century-old stone and stained glass tell the story of power and glory, sacrifice and devotion. Sorted by country and region, there is one chapter for every important area in Europe. The beautiful photographs by Achim Bednorz show the stunning details of richly ornamented ceilings, lead glass windows, colorful carpets and solid stone walls. The accompanying maps guide lovers of churches and cathedrals to the portrayed monuments. Throughout its 12 fascinating chapters, this book reveals some interesting details about the buildings, their architecture, the interior, their artful embellishments and their sacral and historical meaning. This book is a must-have for people interested in Christian sacral monuments, their history, architecture and interior.

The Italian Renaissance is among the most glamorousepochs of European art. Art historians as well as a widepublic are fascinated by three centuries of exceptionallyprolific artistic creation that produced works ofinternational fame such as Michelangelo's frescos in theSistine Chapel. The cityscapes of the great centers ofthat time would be vastly different without theirRenaissance architecture — cities like Florence, Rome, and Venice are veritable museums of an epoch whose art remains vital and influential even today. Impressive illustrations of works from every branch ofthe fine arts feature prominently in this book, which not only competently explains various aspects of Renaissance art, but also invites readers to observethem closely with its fabulous pictures.

Beautiful, constantly changing yet endangered: this is what our planet looks like from the skies. Beautiful Earth offers a completely new viewpoint on our well-known globe. From fascinating cloud formations caught by weather satellites to erupting volcanoes, sand storms or urban developments with all environmental issues they cause, no activity on our planet can be hidden from the heavenly eyes. This book pays tribute both to the splendour of Earth with its ever-changing facets, and to human genius, which made the observation of each and every corner of the planet possible. Beautiful Earth does not only contain captivating and intriguing pictures, it also provides a wealth of information on how to predict the weather, use data in aviation, geophysics, nutritional predictions, and many other sciences.

For 100 years, BMW's blue and white propeller logo has been associated with top-technology, sophisticated design, comfort and reliability. BMW cars give you wings, not so surprisingly, as the company was established in March 1916 as an aircraft engine manufacturer. Its reputation of constant innovation and timeless elegance has conquered generations of drivers around the globe. In this jubilee edition, car photographer Rainer W. Schlegelmich pays tribute to the tradition of excellency that made BMW's brand stand out among the world's great carmakers. All car models, presented in chronological order, are beautifully photographed and described, from the early and legendary models such as the pre-war 328, the 507 from the 1950s, or the M1 of the 1970s through to the brand-new releases and prototypes. This book invites for a fascinating tour of BMW's unique car style. It will ravish car collectors and BMW fans alike.

The Story of Inventions provides concise and reliable information on key cultural and historical topics. Highlights: — Chronological presentation of the most important themes; — More than 150 illustrations with detailed explanations; — Supplementary cards on special related themes and the history of the events; — Time lines, illustrations, and maps; — Index of subjects and names.

The Story of World Religions provides concise and reliable information on hinduism, buddhism, religions of China and Japan, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The Story of World Religions provides concise and reliable information on key cultural and historical topics. Highlights: — Chronological presentation of the most important themes; — More than 150 illustrations with detailed explanations; — Supplementary cards on special related themes and the history of the events; — Time lines, illustrations, and maps; — Index of subjects and names.

Fashion that means glamour, creativity, and always the expression of a certain attitude toward life. This book is devoted to the legendary world of fashion, from its origins in the nineteenth century until our own time. Which social, historical, and cultural developments coalesced to allow fashion to become what it is today? Which designers had especially significant impact on their fashion eras, and what did their creations look like? Informative chapters that introduce each era coupled with extensive portraits of the groundbreaking fashion icons and countless expressive photographs work together to form a comprehensive portrayal of the rapid development that took fashion from the liberation of women from the corset all the way to the creations of modern designers.

What is the fitting wrapping for which gift? This book gives the answer and even provides the wrapping material at the same time. Choose from the variety of themes that these beautiful high-quality gift-wrap papers offer from flowers and ornaments to abstract patterns and with simple step-bystep instructions learn the optimal way to wrap your gifts. The variety of motifs will more than meet your demands, and turn this booklet itself into an ideal gift.

During the baroque period, architecture and the other fine arts were the instruments of a staging of worldtheater on a grand scale. The baroque art of the popes in Rome, the displays of power and opulence in the court of the Sun King, Louis XIV, and Dutch painting -they all reflect different aspects of the underlying tension between pleasure in life and fear of death that was such a prominent feature of the baroque world view. This volume portrays the entire span of the fine arts ofthe baroque era, from rich splendor to religious asceticism.

Designed to provide a detailed exploration into the exceptional array of art and architecture in Andalusia, this captivating volume will surely enthral anyone interested in the region's buildings, art and history. This brand new edition is in lightweight softcover and features over 600 full-colour illustrations and town plans.

«Berlin — as Prussion royal residence city once called «Spree-Athens», later deemed the most «American» metropolis on the continent, finally devided by the Wall into two worlds: No other city has seen so much change. The new Berlin is young, fast and full of contrasts, a unique treasury of culture.»

Designed to provide a detailed exploration into the exceptional array of art and architecture in Egypt, this captivating volume will surely enthral anyone interested in the country's art and history. This brand new edition is in lightweight softcover and features over 600 full-colour illustrations and town plans.

This captivating volume provides a detailed exploration into the exceptional array of art to be discovered in the Musee d'Orsay including information on the impressive building itself. This brand new edition is in lightweight softcover and features over 600 full-colour illustrations and detailed floor-plans.

«The volumes from the «Art and Architecture» series pack a wallop. They give many a hefty volume a run for its money as far as impact and density of information are concerned. Each volume is beautifully illustrated with over 600 colour illustrations. The highly readable texts have been written by experts and give you concentrated information on accessing well-known and less known sites in the word of art. An image of every piece of art that is described is included, allowing readers to easily recognize the original on-site. Insets on cultural-historical topics and illustrated glossaries, summaries, and timelines supplement the body text — leaving a deeper, more lasting impression of the material that is covered. The volumes from the «Art and Architecture» series are wonderful travel guides and mementos and even make for great bedtime reading.»

Designed to provide a detailed exploration into the exceptional array of art and architecture in Tuscany this captivating volume will surely enthral anyone interested in the city's buildings, paintings, sculptures and history. This brand new edition is in lightweight softcover and features over 600 full-colour illustrations and town plans.

These small books are quite something! Packed with information, the most important facts and background stories are presented at a glance. In-depth texts on the most exciting themes in the history of art compiled by scholars and specialists provide the necessary overview for both the expert and the layman alike. The most important stages in the lives of famous personalities such as Giotto, Monet or Klimt, as well as the important movements in art, are summarised in colourful text boxes to enable every reader to find the required information easily and effectively. The most important works of architecture, sculpture, and painting are brought to life through high-quality photographs and top-quality colour reproductions. Explanatory picture cations offer additional information and invite the reader to browse at leisure.