Книги по истории искусства

From the ever-provocative author of The Naked Ape, a pioneering and lively exploration of the importance of body language in art

Every time an artist portrays a human subject, a decision has to be made about the posture of the figure. Will they be standing, sitting or reclining? Smiling, screaming or weeping? Will they be clasping their hands, crossing their arms or raising their fist?

For the first time, celebrated surrealist and bestselling author Desmond Morris brings together his two fields of expertise – art and science – in a single volume. As well as exploring such familiar actions as the handshake, the nose-thumb and the dominant elbow, he draws us into an absorbing story of art detection, tracing the roots of a number of gestures that have baffled and intrigued the art world for years. Why, for example, did Napoleon pose for official portraits with his right hand thrust into his waistcoat, and what is the meaning of the double-split hand gesture displayed in El Greco’s The Nobleman with his Hand on his Chest?

Encompassing a vast range of visual creativity, from prehistoric figurines, Roman artefacts and Renaissance frescoes to contemporary art and graffiti, Postures: Body Language in Art unlocks new ways of looking at art. Surprising similarities are uncovered, as well as now rarely used gestures, so that even the most familiar works are suddenly seen in a new light.

About the Author:

Desmond Morris is one of the last surviving Surrealists. His first solo exhibition was held in 1948 and in 1950 he shared his first London show with Joan Miró. He has since completed over 2,500 Surrealist paintings, and eight books have been published about his work. He has also written several books, one of which – The Naked Ape – ranks among the top 100 bestsellers of all time, with over 12 million copies sold. His title The Lives of the Surrealists was published in 2018 by Thames & Hudson

Drawing on a decade’s worth of pioneering photography and journalism, Punk Perfect Awful is an irreverent love letter to music and the passion that makes it happen.

Known for shedding new light on legends of popular culture and championing revolutionary voices, BEAT magazine reflects the depth and breadth of a playlist — bringing together high with low, mainstream with the underground, and mixing genres and styles with a few surprises thrown in.

Structured around themes drawn from artists’ own insights — from the fortune of being in the right place at the right time to the hustle and passion required to make it — the book reflects the eclecticism of pop’s new generation, where indie heroes like Devonté Hynes and St Vincent sit alongside pop megastars such as Lil Nas X and Neneh Cherry, and icons such as Debbie Harry and Nick Cave rub shoulders with Mykki Blanco and Charli XCX. BEAT has always ensured that it focuses on music to feel excited about, whatever that sounds like. The magazine published both Lizzo’s and Grimes’s first photo shoots, and the last piece of press David Bowie ever did.

With a parallel narrative by Hanna Hanra on a lifelong relationship with music and the inspiration behind founding BEAT, the book supplements portraits and interviews from the magazine’s archives with unpublished images — including photography by Alasdair McLellan, Ryan McGinley, Tyrone Lebon, Rosie Marks, Jack Davison, Clare Shilland, and Sue Webster — that illuminate the power of pop and the importance of meeting your heroes.

About the Author:

Hanna Hanra is a writer and brand consultant and the founding editor of Beat magazine. Her journalism appears regularly in publications including Vogue, New York Magazine and The Times.

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Пролистать книгу Punk Perfect Awful: Beat: The Little Magazine that Could ...and Did на сайте издательства.

On the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther's 95 Theses, this opulent book presents a colorful introduction to Renaissance art and history.

Featuring more than a hundred outstanding paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures, and treasures of the Age of the Reformation, this publication comprises masterpieces by Albrecht Durer, Lucas Cranach the Elder and Lucas Cranach the Younger, Hans Holbein the Elder and Hans Holbein the Younger, Matthias Grunewald, and Tilman Riemenschneider, among others. By placing these works in their historical context, this beautifully illustrated book uses art as a prism through which to consider the religious, social and political upheavals of the time.

The volume includes insightful texts that discuss pivotal subjects such as traditional imagery and devotion, Reformation and polemics, court life and culture, humanism and reality, as well as portraiture and representation. Biographies of the artists, an extensive bibliography and a glossary of central terms concerning the German Reformation make this a comprehensive study of a fascinating period in European art history.

A first look at the recently restored Rothko Chapel, a world-renowned destination for spiritual renewal, with all-new photography and scholarship of the renovated building and campus, published on the occasion of its 50th anniversary.

The Rothko Chapel -- home to 14 monumental modernist paintings by the pioneer Abstract Expressionist Mark Rothko--is an interfaith sacred space dedicated to global human rights, art, and spirituality, located in Houston. The Chapel was founded in 1971 by arts patrons and philanthropists Dominique and John de Menil, who placed their utmost faith in Rothko's vision to express the profound, the miraculous, and regard for the sanctity of the human spirit in this oasis for the intellect and the spirit.

Through photographic testimony and the insights of scholars, this large-format volume gives an intimate look at this sacred space, where visitors seek solace and inspiration within this truly ecumenical sanctuary featuring Rothko's iconic paintings. Pamela Smart discusses the spiritual side and Stephen Fox puts the architecture in the context of Houston.

The Chapel has been reworked within an expanded campus to enhance the experience for its many visitors. As viewers sit in stillness or move about the Chapel's serene octagonal enclosure, the reinstalled skylight better reveals the nuances of Rothko's powerful panels and allows for better connection to the outdoors as conditions shift, such as when clouds pass above.

About the Author:

Pamela Smart is Associate Professor of Anthropology and Art History at Binghamton University. Stephen Fox is an architectural historian and a Fellow of the Anchorage Foundation of Texas. Christopher Rothko is the second of Mark and Mary Alice Rothko's two children. He works to organize and present exhibitions of his father's work around the globe. David Leslie is the Executive Director of the Rothko Chapel.

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Пролистать книгу Rothko Chapel: An Oasis for Reflection

A stunning volume showcasing the magnificent court dress of the Russian Empire, culled from the authoritative collection at the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, photographed with the Winter Palace as a backdrop. Prerevolutionary Russia was renowned for the glamorous and luxurious lifestyles of the nobility, with their opulent palaces and glittering social life. Now, this lavish volume reveals the incredible clothing they wore, from everyday dress and ceremonial attire (traditional holidays outfits and military uniforms) to dress for special occasions, including elaborate evening wear for theater and musical events and fancy masquerade balls. Celebrated for luxurious materials and impeccable craftsmanship, the dress of the Russian nobility was haute couture at its finest. With beautiful photography and details highlighting the hand-spun silks and lace and jeweled embroideries, Russian Splendor highlights the glamour of this gilded age and offers a fascinating window into a vanished world. Essays by Hermitage Museum curators, alongside historic Russian paintings and photographs, place the clothing in a historical context, revealing the rich cultural layers and artistic influences of czarist Russia.

About the Author:

Mikhail Piotrovsky has been the director of the State Hermitage Museum since 1992 and has dedicated his career to making the treasures of the museum accessible to individuals and institutions around the world. Georgy Vilinbakhov, Evelina Tarasova, Tamara Korshunova, Nina Tarasova, and Julia Plotnikova are top researchers and curators at the Historic Costume Department of the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia.

What is the artistic impulse uniting Robert Hooke’s drawings of insects, George Stubbs’s studies of horses and Damien Hirst’s pickled shark? In this new and spirited account of British art, Jonathan Jones argues for empiricism. From the Enlightenment to the present, British artists have shared a passion for looking hard at the world around them. Jones shows how this zeal for precision and careful observation paved the way for Realism, Impressionism and the birth of modern art.

This essential art book is a must-read for fans of Gombrich’s The Story of Art and the perfect introduction to British art history.   

About the Author:

Jonathan Jones is the art critic for The Guardian newspaper. He was on the jury for the 2009 Turner Prize and is the author of The Loves of the Artists: Art and Passion in the Renaissance and The Lost Battles: Leonardo, Michelangelo and the Artistic Duel that Defined the Renaissance.

“Sensations presents a radically new story of British art. It connects the artists of today with British culture more than three hundred years ago as it finds an unexpected thread that links William Hogarth and Tracey Emin, Thomas Gainsborough and Lucian Freud. What they share is an eye for the real world. I hope this book will change how you see Britain, and its art.” – Jonathan Jones

A stunning collection of homes and studios of 15 extraordinary artists, from painter Georgia O’Keeffe’s Abiquiú home and sculptor Isamu Noguchi’s Japanese retreat to new discoveries such as Gordon Onslow Ford’s California haven.

Noted photographer Leslie Williamson’s latest book presents the homes and studios from a group of renowned artists, ranging from Barbara Hepworth to Joan Miró. Documented in her inimitable atmospheric style, the images capture how these artists lived and worked.

Williamson’s images reveal not only these artists’ creative process as viewed through their studios, but also shows how they manifested their creativity in the stylish interiors and the personal touches in the spaces they called home. The spaces featured range from Vanessa Bell’s proto–shabby chic home Charleston in southern England to Andrew Wyeth’s Yankee-chic farmhouse in Pennsylvania. Taken together, Still Lives is a must-have document to inspire and illuminate for art lovers, interiors enthusiasts, and the cultured reader.

About the Author:

Leslie Williamson has garnered numerous accolades for her unique and personal approach to photographing interiors, seeing beyond the clutter of the everyday into the soul of a space. She travels often, splitting her time between her own books and fine art projects and shooting for design and editorial clients around the world, such as World of Interiors, T: The New York Times Style Magazine, Apartamento, Maharam, StudioIlse, and Commune Design.

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Пролистать книгу Still Lives: In the Homes of Artists, Great and Unsung

There has never been — and will never be — another nightclub to rival the sheer glamour, energy, and wild creativity that was Studio 54. Now, in the first official book on the legendary club, co-owner Ian Schrager presents a spectacular volume brimming with star-studded photographs and personal stories from the greatest party of all time. From the moment it opened in 1977, Studio 54 celebrated spectacle and promised a never-ending parade of anything goes. Although it existed for only three years, it served as a catalyst that brought together some of the most famous and creative people in the world. It quickly became known for its celebrity guest list and uniquely chic clientele. From the cutting-edge lighting displays to its elaborate sets, it was the beginning of nightclub as performance art. Now, Studio 54 explores this cultural zeitgeist and gives us Schrager’s personal firsthand account of what it was like to create and run the most famous nightclub of our age. With hundreds of photographs, many of which have never been seen before, of the celebrities and beautiful people and engaging stories and quotes from such cultural luminaries as Liza Minelli, David Geffen, Brooke Shields, Pat Cleveland, and Diane von Furstenberg, this exciting volume depicts the wild energy and glittering creativity of the era. One of the most important cultural landmarks of the twentieth century, Studio 54 continues to inspire with its legendary glamour. This exhilarating volume is a must-have for style and fashion aficionados today.

About the Author:

Ian Schrager is an entrepreneur, hotelier, and real estate developer associated with the creation of boutique hotels. He gained fame as co-owner and cofounder, with Steve Rubell, of nightclub Studio 54 in 1977 and then the Palladium in 1985. Bob Colacello, a special correspondent for Vanity Fair, was the editor of Interview magazine for 12 years and is the author of several books, including Holy Terror: Andy Warhol Close Up.

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Пролистать книгу Studio 54

This beautifully illustrated new volume on the Surrealist movement uncovers the influence magic, myth and the occult had on its development.

Like no other 20th-century movement, Surrealism was keenly inspired by tropes of magic, myth and the occult. In their engagement with the irrational and the unconscious, numerous of its members looked to magic as a poetic and deeply philosophical discourse, related to both arcane knowledge and individual self-empowerment. In their works, they heavily drew on esoteric symbols and cultivated the image of the artist as a magician, visionary, and alchemist. This catalog explores the myriad ways, in which magic and the occult informed the development of the Surrealist movement in international perspective, from the “metaphysical paintings” of Giorgio de Chirico through to works of the post-war period. Lavishly illustrated, it combines longer research essays with focused chapter introductions, all penned by leading scholars in the field.

Amongst the many fascinating artists included in the volume are Victor Brauner, Leonora Carrington, Salvador Dalí, Paul Delvaux, Enrico Donati, Max Ernst, Leonor Fini, Wifredo Lam, René Magritte, Roberto Matta, Roland Penrose, Kay Sage, Kurt Seligmann, Dorothea Tanning, Yves Tanguy, and Remedios Varo.

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Пролистать книгу Surrealism and Magic: Enchanted Modernity на сайте издательства.

A compelling exploration of Tantric rituals and spirituality, published to coincide with a once-in-a-generation exhibition at the British Museum

Tantra: enlightenment to revolution explores the radical force that transformed the religious, cultural and political landscape of India and beyond.

A philosophy originating in medieval India, Tantra has been linked to successive waves of revolutionary thought – from its sixth-century transformation of Hinduism and Buddhism, to the Indian fight for independence and the rise of 1960s counterculture.

Centring on the power of divine feminine energy, Tantra inspired the dramatic rise of goddess worship in medieval India and continues to influence contemporary feminist thought and artistic practice.

Presenting masterpieces of sculpture, painting, prints and ritual objects from India, Tibet and around the world, this publication offers new insights into a philosophy that has captured our imagination for more than a millennium.

Contents List:

1. The Rise of Tantra in Medieval India 2. Tantric Yoga in the Court 3. The Spread of Tantra Across Asia 4. Tantra and Revolution in Colonial India 5. Reimagining Tantra in the 20th Century

About the Author:

Imma Ramos is a curator of the South Asia collections at the British Museum.

Visit the world’s most comprehensive and compelling museum in a single book – the ultimate gallery in your own home

Housing the finest art collection ever assembled, this classic format of Phaidon’s bestselling The Art Museum offers the ultimate museum experience without the boundaries of space and time. The rooms and galleries that live within this volume display more than 1,600 artworks, expertly selected from the original collection, including paintings, sculpture, textiles, photographs, installations, performances, videos, prints, ceramics, manuscripts, metalwork, and jewelwork.

The artworks included were carefully selected by a team of 28 curators, critics, art historians and artists who contributed their expertise to create this revolutionary 'virtual' museum. These experts came from such institutions as: the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; The British Museum, London; the Museum of Fine Art, Boston; the J. Paul Getty Museum, Malibu; the University of California, Berkley; LaTrobe University, Melbourne; the School of African and Oriental Studies, University of London; and the Courtauld Institute of Art, London.

Works originate from the Palaeolithic era to the present and come from all around the globe and include both iconic and lesser-known pieces. This extraordinary book takes the reader on a tour around the world and through the ages, presenting the finest examples of human creativity within its covers – a dream museum without the boundaries of walls.

About the Authors:

Twenty-eight curators, critics, art historians, and artists contributed their expertise to create this art-lover's ideal museum. They come from such institutions as: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; the British Museum, London; the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; the J. Paul Getty Museum, Malibu; the University of California, Berkeley; La Trobe University, Melbourne; the School of African and Oriental Studies, University of London; and The Courtauld Institute of Art, London.

A magnificent visual history of Decadence, Aestheticism and Symbolism presented by Hiroshi Unno 

From the foil-stamped cover to the reversible images printed onto the page edges and the mix of paper stocks inside, this is an amazing example of why we still love the book as an object

Across time and space, the motifs and images of Decadence are repeatedly depicted in literature, fine arts, music and other art forms. This book presents numerous historically important artworks spanning from the 19th century to Surrealism, including notable European illustrators such as Odilon Redon, Gustav Klimt, Gustave Moreau, Aubrey Vincent Beardsley and much more. 

Each chapter comprehensively showcases such artworks, grouping them by stylistic category or artistic movement: Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood; Symbolism in France, Germany and Belgium; Wiener Secession; Art Nouveau and Art Deco; Eroticism; book illustrators; Surrealist artists and so on. This collection also explores the theme of the femme fatale through representations of Sirens, mermaids and witches, as well as characters from Greek mythology, modern literary works, and so on.

Approximately 370 great artworks are presented in a stylish layout designed by Reiko Harajo, the renowned book designer and creator of the gorgeous book designs of past PIE titles: George Barbier, William Morris and Harry Clarke. These art titles are available in English and include columns on themes related to these works. 

The Art of Decadence is sure to become a most treasured book for artists and illustrators, especially those with a keen interest in 19th century European Art. 

About the Author:

Hiroshi Unno was born in 1939 in Tokyo. Unno writes on art, cinema, music, urbanism, novels, flower arranging and more. Unno recent titles released by PIE International - Avant-Garde Graphics in Russia, The Art of Fantasy, Sci-fi and Steampunk, Harry Clarke, William Morris: Master of Modern Design, The World of Mucha, A Thousand and One Nights - have gained recognition worldwide.

The Art of Passover is the ideal presentation as a hostess gift at a seder. Full of ritual riches, The Art of Passover is an exquisite compilation of a cherished celebration to be passed down from generation to generation.

For thousands of years, Jewish families have gathered to celebrate the eight days of Passover and commemorate the liberation of Jews from slavery in Egypt by reading the Haggadah at the seder. Illustrated with dozens of stunning artifacts representing hundreds of years of this special observance, The Art of Passover resonates with the joyful spirit of the holiday and the devotion of those who celebrate it.

Gathered from across the centuries and around the world, this collection of Passover art and objects is at once a breathtaking visual treasury and a fascinating chronicle of Jewish life from the Middle Ages to the present day. Featured are illustrations from some of the most beautiful Haggadahs ever crafted, from the German Bird's Head Haggadah and the Spanish Golden Haggadah of the fourteenth century to those illustrated by contemporary artists such as painter Ben Shahn. A seder plate used in the concentration camp at Terezin is a moving reminder of the darkest period in Jewish history.

Rabbi Stephen O. Parnes offers insightful explanations of the religious, biblical, and historical symbols found in the pieces. Entertaining and informative commentaries by Bonnie-Dara Michaels and Gabriel M. Goldstein examine the works from an artistic perspective, complementing the illustrations and enhancing our appreciation and understanding of this very special holiday.

About the Author:

Rabbi Stephen Parnes is a practicing rabbi with a congregation in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Bonnie-Dara Michaels and Gabriel M. Goldstein are curators at Yeshiva University Museum in New York City.

A new book by the Keeper of Manuscripts at Trinity College Library that represents the glories of The Book of Kells for today’s readers, revealing the astounding detail and richness of one of the greatest treasures of medieval Europe.

One of the most remarkable manuscripts to survive from the early Middle Ages in Europe, The Book of Kells was probably painted around 800 in a monastery at Iona in Scotland or Kells in Ireland, or perhaps in both places.

Extraordinarily inventive and intricate imagery accompanies the texts of the four Gospels: full-page depictions of Evangelists and their symbols, lavish honorific openings to the Gospels, extraordinary initials, and decoration that combines complex interlace, animals, and human figures.

This newly photographed book explores The Book of Kells through its historical background; a display of the elements of the book at their actual size; the spectacular openings of the texts that precede the Gospels; a study of earlier and comparable manuscripts; detailed examination of symbols and themes, with special enlarged details; a look at the scribes and artists who worked on the manuscript; and a consideration of technical aspects, illuminated by recent scientific research.

The rich illustrations feature more than fifty full-size reproductions of complete pages of the manuscript plus enlarged details that allow one to relish the intricacy of elements barely visible to the naked eye. Supplementary images place the manuscript in its setting and provide comparisons for its iconography and style.

'An ideal introduction to one of the world’s great classical sites' Sunday Times

Pompeii is the best known and probably the most important archaeological site in the world. This book is the most up-to-date, authoritative and comprehensive account for the general reader of its rise, splendour and fall. The drama of Pompeii’s end has been handed down by Roman writers, its paintings and mosaics have astonished visitors since their discovery, and its houses and public buildings still present a vivid picture of life, disaster and death in a Roman town.

About the Author:

Joanne Berry is a Roman historian and archaeologist, and a lecturer in Ancient History in the School of Arts and Humanities at Swansea University. Much of her research to date has focused on the ancient site of Pompeii. In 2008 she founded Blogging Pompeii, a news and discussion site for Pompeii and the archaeological sites of the Bay of Naples.