Искусство

Brilliant Plumage. An unsurpassed monument in the history of scientific illustration

Edward Lear may be best known for his nonsense verse, but in his early years he excelled as an illustrator of birds and reptiles. This set of 42 hand-colored lithographs, originally entitled Illustrations of the Family of Psittacidae, or Parrots, was the finest achievement of his relatively brief career as a natural history draftsman, before failing eyesight led him to concentrate on his writing.

During Lear’s time, live parrots were rare and much sought-after, bought and sold for large sums by wealthy amateurs of natural history, and prized by 19th century European aristocracy for their astonishing plumage and mimickry of the human voice. Naturally, fine drawings of them were also highly prized. One of the first collections entirely dedicated to the species, Parrots includes African, Australian, and American parrots bred by eminent ornithologists such as Sir William Jardine and Prideaux John Selby, who sponsored Lear, inspiring and directing his work.

Unlike other avian illustrators who often worked with stuffed birds, the young and prodigiously talented Lear (1812–1888) made his drawings from live parrots, capturing their expressions and movements in remarkably lifelike illustrations. The new medium of hand-colored lithography facilitated the vivid elegance of Lear’s work.

This exquisite collection was originally reproduced in only 175 precious sets and sold by subscription to Britain’s most eminent scholars and wealthy collectors of living parrots. The Psittacidae established Lear as a celebrated illustrator, and professor of drawing to the young Queen Victoria. With a brief zoological introduction and written descriptions of each bird, this title revives TASCHEN's XL-sized edition to a more accessible, optimized format, bringing Lear’s parrots back to life for all to admire.

The author:

Francesco Solinas, born in Rome and educated at the University of Pisa, is Maître de Conférences at the Collège de France, Paris. He is the author of numerous books, catalogues and essays on 17th century Roman art and culture, as well as works on Italian aristocratic collections of the Medici, Barberini, Frescobaldi and Theodoli.

Now available in an attractive flexicover format, this visually stunning collection of landscape paintings and drawings by Egon Schiele brings to light a little-known aspect of this famous painter's oeuvre.

Best known for his depictions of the human form, Schiele was also interested in portraying the beauty and structure of the world he inhabited. In fact, Schiele's paintings of the countryside and his native Vienna comprise a large portion of his body of work. Nearly one hundred of the artist's landscapes are exquisitely reproduced in this handsome book and presented alongside photographs of the scenes he depicted, taken from the vantage point of the original works.

This volume proves that Schiele's mastery extends beyond his radical renditions of the human figure and reveals themes that appear throughout his work. Schiele's landscapes represent an important facet of his career and are a valuable contribution to the school of European nature painting.

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Twisted Brilliance. Obsessive, radical, disturbing: Egon Schiele

With his revolutionary and liberated view of the naked body and sexuality, Egon Schiele emphatically wrote himself into the history of art at the beginning of the last century. Even today, the women and self-portraits painted by the enfant terrible of the Viennese modern age still have an exciting and bold effect. They were all created during the last decade of his short life.

After Egon Schiele (1890–1918) freed himself from the shadow of his mentor and role model Gustav Klimt, he had just ten years to inscribe his signature style into the annals of modernity before the Spanish flu claimed his life. Being a child prodigy quite aware of his own genius and a passionate provocateur, this didn’t prove to be too big a challenge.

His haggard, overstretched figures, extreme depiction of sexuality and self-portraits, in which he staged himself with emaciated facial expressions bordering between brilliance and madness, had none of the decorative quality of Klimt’s hymns of love, sexuality and yearning devotion. Instead, Schiele’s work spoke of a brutal honesty, one that would upset and irreversibly change Viennese society.

Although his works were later defamed as “degenerate” and for a time were almost forgotten altogether, they influenced generations of artists — from Günter Brus and Francis Bacon to Tracey Emin. Today, his then misunderstood oeuvre continues to fetch exorbitant prices on the international art market.

This monograph, first published in an XL edition, is now available in a slightly abridged, more compact edition to celebrate TASCHEN’s 40th anniversary and features the paintings and drawings that retrace the fertile last decade of Schiele’s life. These works are accompanied by essays introducing his life and oeuvre, situating the Austrian master in the context of European Expressionism and charting his extraordinary legac

The editor:

Tobias G. Natter is an internationally acknowledged expert on art in “Vienna around 1900.” For many years he worked at the Austrian Belvedere Gallery in Vienna, latterly as head curator. He also worked as guest curator at the Tate Liverpool, the Neue Galerie New York, the Hamburger Kunsthalle, the Schirn in Frankfurt am Main, and the Jewish Museum in Vienna. From 2006 to 2011, he directed the Vorarlberg Museum in Bregenz, and from 2011 to 2013 was director of the Leopold Museum in Vienna. In 2014 he founded Natter Fine Arts, which specializes in assessing works of art and developing exhibition concepts. He is the author of TASCHEN’s Gustav Klimt. Complete Paintings, Art for All. The Colour Woodcut in Vienna around 1900 and Egon Schiele. The Complete Paintings 1909–1918.

About the series:

TASCHEN is 40! Since we started our work as cultural archaeologists in 1980, TASCHEN has become synonymous with accessible publishing, helping bookworms around the world curate their own library of art, anthropology, and aphrodisia at an unbeatable price. Today we celebrate 40 years of incredible books by staying true to our company credo. The 40 series presents new editions of some of the stars of our program — now more compact, friendly in price, and still realized with the same commitment to impeccable production.

Egon Schiele (1890-1918) was one of the greatest artists of the twentieth century.

A superb draftsman and colourist, he produced images of startling emotional power. Following the lead of his mentor, Gustav Klimt, Schiele created figurative works of uncanny intimacy and brought a new openness to the art of his time. Schiele's premature death at the age of 28 has added a mythic quality to his artistic achievements. Egon Schiele: Portraits focuses on five groupings of the artist's work: family and academy, fellow artists, sitters and patrons, lovers and allegory. In addition, it features a special section on a traumatic and pivotal period in Schiele's life: his arrest and imprisonment during the summer of 1912. Documenting the artist's changing style, both pre- and post-imprisonment, the book features many key works that have been assembled for this exhibition from both American and European museums and private collections.

About the Author:

Alessandra Comini is University Distinguished Professor of Art History Emerita at Southern Methodist University and a specialist in the work of Egon Schiele.

The most comprehensive and up-to-date book about the vibrant public art program of New York’s global destination, the High Line

The High Line, New York City’s famed elevated rail line-turned-greenway, hosts millions of visitors annually, providing a unique space for encountering art and performance. Elevated surveys the rich, multifaceted offerings of its public art program, High Line Art, presenting works and projects from the last decade by key artists from around the world.

The book features a world-class array of projects by artists including Simone Leigh, Paola Pivi, Sam Durant, Jordan Casteel, Cecilia Vicuña, Sheila Hicks, El Anatsui, Phyllida Barlow, Faith Ringgold, Barbara Kruger, Zoe Leonard, and many others. It documents the creative evolution and vibrant cultural programming of High Line Art, which offers a city-scale canvas for artists and performers to interact with, seen in abundant photographs that chronicle the projects across the passage of seasons in the park.

Through voluminous photographs and unique conversations with the participating artists, as well as essays by key critics such as Julia Bryan-Wilson and Aruna D’Souza, this book surveys the dozens of open-air installations, billboards, murals, video projects, and participatory events that demonstrate the unique and vibrant impact High Line Art has had on both New York City and the art world.

About the Author:

Cecilia Alemani is the Donald R. Mullen, Jr. Director & Chief Curator of High Line Art, the public art program presented by the High Line in New York City, and a leading expert in commissioning and producing ambitious artworks for public and unusual spaces. From 2020 to 2022, she served as artistic director of the 59th Venice Biennale, where she curated the acclaimed exhibition The Milk of Dreams and will be the curator of the 2025 edition of SITE SANTA FE International.

A unique and beautifully produced celebration of the iconic and beloved rock star, Elton at 75 features a slipcased hardcover with a gatefold timeline, gatefold artwork, frameable pull-out gig poster, and a pull-out photo print!

Few rock artists continue to gather more and more adulation with age. Sir Elton Hercules John is an exception who proves the rule. In Elton John at 75, veteran rock journalist Gillian Gaar presents a unique and beautifully produced celebration of the iconic and beloved rock star, examining Sir Elton through the lens of 75 career accomplishments and life events. Key studio albums are featured, of course, as are a curated selection of his earworm singles. But Gaar delves deeper to reveal the events that helped chart the course of Elton’s career:

- Key performances such as his breakthrough performance at LA’s Troubadour, and the historic Soviet Union and Dodger Stadium concerts
- Legendary collaborations with the likes of George Michael, Billy Joel, and Kate Bush
- His many film and television roles, including Tommy and The Muppet Show
- Tireless work on behalf of AIDS research
- Notable awards and honors, including knighthood
- And of course his collaboration with longtime cowriter Bernie Taupin

Beginning with his 1969 debut LP, Elton John is regarded as one of the most influential musicians and performers of the previous five decades. In examining 75 touchstones, Gaar provides a unique presentation of Elton’s career arc, from his first steps as a solo artist to the breakthrough album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road to his flamboyant stage presence, and beyond.

Every page is illustrated with stunning concert and candid offstage photography, including gig posters, 7-inch picture sleeves, and more. This incredible package also includes a gatefold Elton John timeline, a previously unpublished gatefold artwork, an 8×10-inch glossy print, and a pullout poster.

The result is a stunning tribute to one of the most admired stars in rock — in a milestone year.

About the Author:

Gillian G. Gaar has written for numerous publications, including Mojo, Rolling Stone, and Goldmine. Previous books include She’s a Rebel: The History of Women in Rock & Roll; Entertain Us: The Rise of Nirvana; Return of the King: Elvis Presley’s Great Comeback; The Doors: The Complete Illustrated History; and Boss: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band — The Illustrated History. She lives in Seattle.

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Пролистать книгу Elton John at 75 на Google Books

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A gloriously illustrated overview of angels across art, religion, and literature

Ineffable, invisible, inscrutable – angels are enduring creatures across Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and human experiences of the divine as mediated by spiritual emissaries are an aspect of almost every religious tradition. In popular culture, angels are often reduced to the most gauzy, sentimental, and saccharine of images – fat babies with wings and guardians with robes, halos, and harps. By contrast, in scripture whenever one of the heavenly choirs appears before a prophet or patriarch they first declare "Fear not!" for terror would be the most appropriate initial reaction to these otherworldly beings. Angels are often not what we'd expect, but it's precisely in that transcendent encounter that something of the strangeness of existence can be conveyed. Elysium: A Visual History of Angelology is a follow-up volume to Pandemonium: A Visual History of Demonology, and like that earlier title, this book will offer an account of the angelic hierarchies as they've been understood across centuries and cultures, of the individual personages like the archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Uriel who have marked the mythology of the West.

About the Author:

Ed Simon is staff writer for literary site The Millions and has contributed his characteristically engaging cultural criticism to almost every major American literary publication, including The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Paris Review Daily, The New Republic, and The Washington Post. With a PhD in English, Simon is an expert on the literature and religion of Renaissance Britain and early America, but he has developed a reputation among editors, critics, and readers for introducing complex subjects in an accessible manner. In fall 2021, Abrams Books released his latest book, Pandemonium: A Visual History of Demonology, which has since become the standard text on the subject for popular readers.

The first art collection by Entei Ryu, the concept artist who is active in the gaming and video industries!

Entei Ryu is a creator who makes full use of 2D and 3D media, from digital painting to sculpture, 3D printing and more. This book is a carefully curated collection of 2D (analog) and 3D computer-generated design works other than 3D objects such as figures. We hope readers enjoy Entei Ryu’s various works, including rough sketches, character designs, and 3D computer-generated digital works. Her works are depicted and reproduced in detail and are of overwhelming quality.

Ryu is a 5-dimensional artist from the 22nd century who can manipulate the magic of analog and digital!
―Hideo Kojima, game creator

Experience new forms of digital illustration with this art book! This book is recommended not only for gaming fans but also for creators working in the gaming and video industries.

About the Author:

Entei Ryu has previously provided art for various titles, including the ASSASSIN’S CREED and FINAL FANTASY series, and is currently working as a Kojima Productions concept artist involved in the development of works such as DEATH STRANDING 2. 

A joyful and celebratory gift book devoted to the work of the much-loved English artist Eric Ravilious (1903–1942) and the influence of natural forms and themes in his work.

Eric Ravilious was a designer, painter, printmaker and illustrator best known for his depictions of the English landscape, particularly the South Downs. Often described as a particularly ‘English’ artist, key to his style was an ability to convey in watercolour the mild vagaries of the British climate. His engagement with nature, though romantic rather than precise, pervades his works in many different techniques. This book explores his appreciation of the natural world and the techniques he used in a variety of media to convey those elements.

Drawing on the V&A’s collections, more than 100 beautiful images capture Ravilious’s deep enjoyment of everything in nature, from dewponds, cockerels, grassy hills, owls, greenhouse geraniums, cornsheaves and snow, to the rainy seas, airport-runway puddles and tideswept beaches of his later work as a war artist. The book includes sections on weather, plants, landscape, animals and birds, and ends with a section devoted to man in the landscape, showcasing Ravilious’s love of rusting machinery and other signs of human presence within nature, not least his famous depictions of hillside chalk figures.

This book will appeal to those with a love of English landscapes, flora and fauna or an interest in British art and design in the interwar period.

About the Author:

Ella Ravilious is Curator of Architecture and Design at the Victoria and Albert Museum, having worked there in various roles since 2005. She is the granddaughter of Eric Ravilious and Tirzah Garwood.
 

Well-known watercolour painter Ann Blockley presents flowers through a variety of interpretations, from traditional to unconventional in both technique and concept. In this exciting new book, she really pushes the boundaries of watercolour, showing how to paint a stunning range of flowers throughout the seasons.

Everyone loves to paint flowers in spring and summer but Ann inspires you to paint dramatic seedheads, foliage, fruit and berries in winter, as well as the more traditional flowers and blossoms. She also demonstrates how to create exciting textures by using collage materials like glitter, sequins, salt and gold paint.

Divided by seasons into four sections, Experimental Flowers in Watercolour is a practical and inspirational book aimed at the more experienced flower painter who wishes to take their painting to the next level. 

About the Author:

Ann Blockley is a well-known watercolourist with an international reputation. She is a member of the RI (Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour) and the author of seven bestselling practical art books, including Experimental Flowers in Watercolour and Experimental Landscapes in Watercolour, both published by Batsford. Ann runs her own very popular watercolour courses, teaches at international workshops, has made three DVDs of her painting techniques and regularly writes for The Artist magazine. She lives in Devon.

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Пролистать книгу Experimental Flowers in Watercolour: Creative Techniques for Painting Flowers and Plants на Google Books

Artist Ann Blockley is renowned for her innovative approach to traditional subjects. Following the huge success of her previous book, Experimental Flowers in Watercolour, she now explores ways to interpret landscape. Packed with stunning examples of her colourful, expressive work, this book encourages you to experiment with the same techniques in your own watercolour painting to develop a personal style. 

Techniques covered include combining water-based paint and ink with other media such as gesso and collage to create dramatic effects; manipulating paint with materials such as plastic wrap (clingfilm); tearing, layering and reassembling paintings into watercolour collages; and developing textures and marks made using fabrics and other found objects. Throughout the book Ann offers her personal commentary on how her paintings were created, giving us a unique insight into the mind of the artist.

Both practical and inspirational, this glorious book is the ideal companion for watercolour painters who want to take their work a step further.

About the Author:

Ann Blockley is a well-known watercolourist with an international reputation. She is a member of the RI (Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour) and the author of seven bestselling practical art books, including Experimental Flowers in Watercolour and Experimental Landscapes in Watercolour, both published by Batsford. Ann runs her own very popular watercolour courses, teaches at international workshops, has made three DVDs of her painting techniques and regularly writes for The Artist magazine. She lives in Devon.

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Пролистать книгу Experimental Landscapes in Watercolour: Creative Techniques for Painting Landscapes and Nature на Google Books

This richly illustrated new book by Victor Escandell is devoted exclusively to the infinite creative possibilities of drawing and painting in black and white. Traditional and current materials, techniques and applications (Indian ink, pencil, pen, bamboo, water-soluble graphite, different types of felt-tip pens for various supports, grattage) are described clearly so that readers can experiment with what they have learned and develop their creativity with a range of materials. Each chapter deals with a specific technique and contains useful information such as methods used, types of material and illustrated examples, including interesting anecdotes about the origin of the technique, tricks of the trade and references to other classic and contemporary authors. Everything is illustrated with photographs of the final result and images of the process to make sure readers don't get lost along the way. Different black-and-white mixed techniques are also presented in a specific chapter while the last chapter examines applications beyond paper (textiles, glass, vinyl). Víctor Escandell is also comfortable working with gouache, ink, charcoal, pen and pencil. In his hands, these tools take on a new dimension while everyday products such as salt, bleach and even a hair dryer become essential companions on this adventure. With this book, the apparently simple and limited combination of black and white acquires a new level of expressiveness and drama.

About the Author:

Renowned illustrator Víctor Escandell was born in Ibiza and graduated in Graphic Design from the prestigious Massana School of Barcelona. He has worked for companies such as MacCann-Erickson, TBWA, Bassat & Ogilvy and most of the Spanish national newspapers. In 2007 his work was selected for the exhibition of Catalan illustrators at the Frankfurt Book Fair. He is the author of The Resourceful Artist, A Wonderful World of Animals, Dinosaurs and Sweet Monsters of the World, all published by Promopress.

This original work introduces readers to the drawing and painting techniques of the hyperrealist movement, a style applied to painting whose techniques aspire to photographic exactitude in drawing.

From the first action before viewing the piece – the search for information and reference images – to different drawing and sculpture techniques, the book offers a step-by-step explanation of the creative process and shows readers how to illustrate in black and white and with colored pencils, how to work with watercolors and oil, how to create a trompe l’oeil and how to create a realistic-looking 3D model. Readers will find all the techniques and suggestions they need to make their own hyperrealist creations, all explained in a pleasant and fun way.

It is an original and creative way to introduce different drawing techniques that will awaken the artist inside of us all and whose results will strike most readers as surprising given the degree of realism achieved, as if they were photographs. The book includes references to contemporary artists who have used each of the techniques described, curiosities in the world of art and other tricks of the trade.

About the Author:

Mart Cormand was born in 1970 in Barcelona and has lived and worked in Brooklyn, New York since 2002. He is an artist who uses hyperrealist techniques. His drawings and paintings are known for their minute and meticulous attention to detail, with impressive mastery of light, shadow, transparencies, textures and trompe l'oeil techniques. He is represented by the Josee Bienvenu Gallery in New York and has had numerous solo exhibitions throughout the world. His work is included in the MoMA collection in New York, and he has been the recipient of numerous awards and artistic grants including the New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship.

Sharp angles, strange forms, lurid colours, and distorted perspectives are classic hallmarks of Expressionism, the twentieth-century movement that prioritized emotion over objective reality. 

Though particularly present in Germany and Austria, the movement's approach flourished internationally and is today hailed as one of the most influential shifts in art history. 

With leading groups Die Brucke (The Bridge) and Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider), and key players such as Wassily Kandinsky, Egon Schiele, and Emil Nolde, the Expressionists disowned Impressionism, which they regarded as "man lowered to the position of a gramophone record of the outer world, to depict instead a raw and visceral experience of life as it was felt, rather than seen on the surface. Their paintings brim with emotive force conveyed in particular through intense and non-naturalistic colour palettes, loose brushwork, and thick textures. 

Covering the group's stylistic tendencies, influences, and most important protagonists, this introductory book explores the Expressionist panorama of moods, ideas, and emotions and their abiding quest for deep authenticity.

About the series:

Each book in TASCHEN's Basic Genre series features:

- a detailed illustrated introduction plus a timeline of the most important political, cultural and social events that took place during that period
- a selection of the most important works of the epoch, each of which is presented on a 2-page spread with a full-page image and with an interpretation of the respective work, plus a portrait and brief biography of the artist
- approximately 100 colour illustrations with explanatory captions

The name Fabergé has long been a byword for luxury. Combining an entrepreneurial vision for craftsmanship with innovative material sourcing and technical ability, Carl Fabergé created an astonishing array of bespoke jewelled and enamelled objects at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century.

This beautifully illustrated book explores the history and legacy of the House of Fabergé, from its origins in Russia – and its role in the glamorous world of the Romanovs – to global recognition. Much of the story is familiar, but less well-known is the important part played by the London branch. Opened in 1903, and the only one outside Russia, it became a choice destination for Edwardian high society and an international clientele. Featuring over 120 pieces, from delicate flowers to Imperial Easter eggs, and with contributions from leading experts Fabergé: A Russian Love Affair celebrates the enduring fascination with this master craftsman’s works.

Fabergé in London: Romance to Revolution

This exhibition explores master goldsmith, Carl Fabergé – whose internationally recognised firm symbolised Russian craftsmanship, luxury and elegance – and the Anglo-Russian relationship which saw the opening of a London branch in 1903.

About the Authors:

Kieran McCarthy is the Managing Director at Wartski.

Hanne Faurby is Project Curator of the Fabergé: a Russian Love Affair exhibition at the V&A.