From Edouard Manet’s portrait of naturalist writer Émile Zola sitting among his Japanese art finds to Van Gogh’s meticulous copies of the Hiroshige prints he devotedly collected, 19th-century pioneers of European modernism made no secret of their love of Japanese art. In all its sensuality, freedom, and effervescence, the woodblock print is single-handedly credited with the wave of...

Tamara Łempicka. Za kulisami – to kolejna książka wydawnictwa BoSz poświęcona Tamarze Łempickiej, która tym razem nie skupia się na życiu artystki, ale na jej obrazach i to z całkowicie odmiennego punku widzenia niż przedstawiono to dotychczas. Autorka – Anne Paddy – kolekcjonerka zakochana w malarstwie Łempickiej odkrywa przed czytelnikami okoliczności powstania obrazów, ich bohaterów,...

Did you know that the ultramarine that shimmers at the centre of Vermeer’s Milkmaid connects that masterpiece with 6th-century Zoroastrian paintings found on the walls of cave temples in Bamiyan, Afghanistan? Or that the surging waves that crest and curl in Hokusai’s perilous Great Wave off Kanagawa owe their absorbing blue lustre to an alchemist who was born in Frankenstein’s Castle in...

A colourful biography of one of the world's greatest living artists told in a unique 'graphic novel' style. Follow the journey of David Hockney's exceptional life in a unique graphic novel format. From his childhood in Bradford and early years making it as an artist, to his sun-drenched Los Angeles period, his triumphal return to the UK and his recent iPad drawings that proudly exclaim that...

Independent photojournalism and documentary photography are indispensable tools of political education for a democratic society and an essential part of shaping public opinion―especially in our so-called ‘post-factual’ times. In recognition of this, the independent non-profit organization World Press Photo Foundation, based in Amsterdam, has been presenting the World Press Photo Award for...

Over the past few years, the world of coffee has kickstarted a movement of cultural and creative influence. From unique jute bags, logos, or merchandise—cafes, roasters, and coffee shops around the globe are experimenting with new ways to provide spaces and product packaging that stand out from the crowd. Designing Coffee explores what it takes to curate some of the most innovative and...

Under the burning Tuscan sun roll marvelous hills, vineyards, and olive groves-all postcard-perfect landscapes nestling centuries-old towns, rural villas, and contadino farmhouses. We've tracked down the best examples of such havens to paint a warm-hued picture of the look and feel of Tuscan living. Follow in Michelangelo's footsteps to the Eremo Santa Maria Maddalena, a medieval hermitage...

This handy pocket book brings together a wealth of useful information that architects need on a daily basis – on-site or in the studio. It provides clear guidance and invaluable detail on a wide range of issues, from planning policy through environmental design to complying with Building Regulations, from structural and services matters to materials characteristics and detailing. This sixth...

Haiku - seventeen-syllable poems that evoke worlds despite their brevity - have captivated Japanese readers since the seventeenth century. Today the form is practiced worldwide and has become established as part of our common global heritage. This beautiful traditionally hand-bound volume presents new English translations of classic poems by the four great masters of Japanese haiku - Matsuo...

The Hobbit as first printed had ten black and white pictures, two maps, and binding and dust-jacket designs by its author. Later, Tolkien also painted five scenes for colour plates which are some of his best work. His illustrations for The Hobbit add an extra dimension to that remarkable book, and have long influenced how readers imagine Bilbo Baggins and his world. The Art of The Hobbit by...

New York–based stylist Colin King shares his wisdom and insights for cultivating beauty in our everyday surroundings—composing objects into simple, sophisticated vignettes that enrich our homes and our lives. We all desire our rooms to look attractive and reflect a considered approach. Now we have the mastery of Colin King to help us elevate our spaces into environments of personal...

Vincent van Gogh’s story is one of the most ironic in art history. Today, he is celebrated the world over as one of the most important painters of all time, recognized with sell-out shows, feted museums, and record prices of tens of millions of dollars at auction. Yet as he was painting the canvases that would subsequently become these sell-out modern masterpieces, van Gogh was battling not...

The second book in the best-selling Palette Perfect series focuses on the inventive use of colour in graphic design and illustration, and is both a practical and inspirational volume filled with colour combinations and stories about the meaning of colour in different cultures. The volume is illustratred with projects by renowned international graphic designers, and organized by the time of...

No other artist, apart from J. M. W. Turner, tried as hard as Claude Monet (1840-1926) to capture light itself on canvas. Of all the Impressionists, it was the man Cezanne called "only an eye, but my God what an eye!" who stayed true to the principle of absolute fidelity to the visual sensation, painting directly from the object. It could be said that Monet reinvented the possibilities of...

The life and times of Pieter Bruegel the Elder (c. 1526/30–1569) were marked by stark cultural conflict. He witnessed religious wars, the Duke of Alba’s brutal rule as governor of the Netherlands, and the palpable effects of the Inquisition. To this day, the Flemish artist remains shrouded in mystery. We know neither where nor exactly when he was born. But while early scholarship emphasized...

This thoughtful book includes new and extraordinary water-crystal photographs that provide convincing reasons for all of us to choose positive words and strive for perfect resonance for a more healthy, peaceful, and happy life. Masaru Emoto has photographed thousands of water crystals throughout his years of research, yet few have been as beautiful and life affirming as those...

The British Museum watch collection is unsurpassed anywhere in the world, and tells the story of the watch which spans an incredible 500 years. Within the collection are examples ranging from sixteenth-century early stackfreed watches made in south Germany to exquisite decorative watches of the seventeenth century. Everyday watches from the eighteenth century and precision-made chronometers...

Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571 1610) was always a name to be reckoned with. Notorious bad boy of the Italian Baroque, the artist was at once celebrated and controversial, violent in temper, precise in technique, a creative master, and a man on the run. Though famed for his dramatic use of color, light, and shadow, it was above all Caravaggio's boundary-breaking naturalism which...

Modernist aesthetics in architecture, art, and product design are familiar to many. In soaring glass structures or minimalist canvases, we recognize a time of vast technological advance which affirmed the power of human beings to reshape their environment and to break, radically, from the conventions or constraints of the past. Less well-known, but no less fascinating, is the distillation of...

Across small cottages and lavish villas, beach houses and forest refuges, discover the world’s finest crop of new homes. This cutting-edge global digest features such talents as Shigeru Ban, MVRDV, and Marcio Kogan alongside up-and-coming names like Aires Mateus, Xu Fu-Min, Vo Trong Nghia, Desai Chia, and Shunri Nishizawa. Here, there are homes in Australia and New Zealand, from China and...