Old-fashioned fans are today mostly appreciated for the craftsmanship and delicacy with which they were produced. But in former times they had their own special function in the hands of women in certain ranks of society. Not just useful articles, they were powerful transmitters of messages in their own unique code. With deft movements of their fans corresponding to this code, women were able to signal their thoughts and their intentions to their admirers without the necessity of a single word s being spoken. Philippe Mesmer endeavors anew to decipher the language of the fan, a mode of communication unhappily no longer in use. Over 100 beautiful full-color illustrations.

Fan Tales

Philippe Mesmer

Parkstone Press

Art Nouveau (Art of Century)

The Art Nouveau movement is distinguished as the decorative and architectural style that began, in response to the Industrial Revolution. The primary objective of this movement was the creation of a new aesthetic of nature through a return to the study of natural subjects. Designs from this movement are often characterized by plant or floral inspired patterns, and highly-stylized, detailed depictions countering the broad swooping curvatures of a piece in the Art Nouveau style.
In order to achieve this, such artists as Gustav Klimt, Koloman Moser, Antoni Gaudí, Jan Toorop, and William Morris favoured innovation in technique and novelty of forms. Art Nouveau attempts to integrate art into all facets of life including materials from furniture, to decorative items in a home, to architecture; building on the movement’s philosophy of incorporating art into everyday life. After its triumph at the Paris Universal Exposition in 1900, the trend continued and has inspired many artists since, as well as the Art Déco movement, the successor of Art Nouveau which appeared after World War I. It is fair to say Art Nouveau was at the heart of a “renaissance” in decorative arts.

Art Nouveau (Art of Century Collection)

Jean Lahor

Arts & Photography

Behind Frida Kahlo’s portraits, lies the story of her life – a body of work drawn from cries of anger and fury, blended into a potent and artistically exceptional combination. At six years of age, she suffered a bout of polio, and she was just 18 when a terrible bus accident changed her life forever, leaving her handicapped and burdened with constant physical pain. But her explosive character, raw determination, and hard work helped to shape her artistic talent. Kahlo managed to forge a place for herself in the macho society of Mexico, despite the double handicap of her crushed body and her sex. Frida Kahlo’s work plays an important part in the artistic heritage of Mexico, her native country, with both its novelty and its multi-cultural values. The story and the paintings that Frida created provide a rare and courageous account of a woman on a voyage of constant self-discovery. This book offers a valuable overview of her work in a convenient format, making it the perfect gift.

Kahlo (Mega Square)

SOUTER, GERRY

Themes

Albrecht Dürer’s (1471-1528) work stands out as one of the most innovative of the Northern Renaissance, revolutionising landscape and portraiture techniques in both religious and secular painting. This book offers a wide selection of Dürer’s works, and its compact format makes it the ideal gift for every art lover.

Durer (Mega Square)

Charles, Victoria

Erotische Kunst (temporis) (german Edition)

Hans-juergen Doepp

Many great writers like Manzoni, Chateaubriand or Rilke saw, in Michelangelo, an undisputed mastery of the renewal of Western art. His superhuman genius and creative energy qualify Michelangelo as the embodiment of the Italian Renaissance artist; his work unequalled, save only by Leonardo Vinci. His masterpieces the Pietaand David that adorn the Sistine Chapel are evidence of his skill

Michelangelo (Art Gallery)

Carl, Klaus H.

From the time he set up his first studio at the tender age of sixteen, Sir Anthony Van Dyck (1599-1641) was a legend in the art world. Rubens, whom he studied with as a child, said that he was his most talented pupil, and he went on to spectacularly fulfill this promise with a career as a celebrated court painter in England and Spain. Historians, scholars, and art lovers alike continue to recognize the sophistication and timeless beauty of his works. In this fascinating compendium of Van Dyck’s decades-long career, Natalia Gritsai highlights the best of the artist’s many masterpieces.

Van Dyck (Mega Square)

Gritsai, Natalia

Lacan, the last owner of Courbet’s The Origin of the World, loved the painting so much that he couldn’t even bring himself to look at it. Instead, he hid it behind a “safer” painting.
The Chinese called it the “valley of the roses” (watch out for the thorns!), the Persians, the “honey-pot” (watch out for the bees!), and the Greeks, “the mound of Venus” (mind the steep climb!); to each era its fantasies and its theories about the feminine mystique. Then there are the testimonies of poets, painters, and even of some famous psychiatrists. The Origin of the World is a work of art only suitable for lovers of intrigue.

The Origin of the World (Mega Square)

Calosse, JP

Long thought of as the neglected stepchild of painting, the art of drawing has recently begun to enjoy a place in the sun. With major museums around the world, from the Met to the Uffizi, mounting exhibitions focused on the art of draughtsmanship, drawing is receiving more critical and academic attention than ever before. This captivating text gives readers a sweeping analysis of the history of drawing, from Renaissance greats like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, to Modernist masters like M.C. Escher, Pablo Picasso, and everyone in between.

1000 Drawings of Genius (Book)

Drawing

Félix Vallotton (1865-1925) was active at the turn of the century. Although he is best known for his striking and elegantly composed Japanese-inspired woodblock prints, Vallotton was also a skilled painter, creating works that arrestingly combined technical perfection with emotional realism. This seminal text provides readers with a fascinating assessment of the career of this revolutionary artist.

Felix Vallotton (Best of)

Brodskaïa, Nathalia

VALLOTTON, Félix

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