LITMIR.BIZ

A pioneering work in the movement to free art from its traditional bonds to material reality, this book is one of the most important documents in the history of modern art. Written by the famous nonobjective painter Wassily Kandinsky (1866–1944), it explains Kandinsky's own theory of painting and crystallizes the ideas that were influencing many other modern artists of the period. Along with his own groundbreaking paintings, this book had a tremendous impact on the development of modern art.Kandinsky's ideas are presented in two parts. The first part, called «About General Aesthetic,» issues a call for a spiritual revolution in painting that will let artists express their own inner lives in abstract, non-material terms. Just as musicians do not depend upon the material world for their music, so artists should not have to depend upon the material world for their art. In the second part, «About Painting,» Kandinsky discusses the psychology of colors, the language of form and color, and the responsibilities of the artist. An Introduction by the translator, Michael T. H. Sadler, offers additional explanation of Kandinsky's art and theories, while a new Preface by Richard Stratton discusses Kandinsky's career as a whole and the impact of the book. Making the book even more valuable are nine woodcuts by Kandinsky himself that appear at the chapter headings.This English translation of Über das Geistige in der Kunst was a significant contribution to the understanding of nonobjectivism in art. It continues to be a stimulating and necessary reading experience for every artist, art student, and art patron concerned with the direction of 20th-century painting.

Подробнее

Like his contemporary, the English poet laureate Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Gustave Doré (1832–83) was highly regarded for his mastery of technique. One of the most prolific and successful book illustrators of the late nineteenth century, he provided a wealth of hauntingly beautiful illustrations for the first four parts of Idylls of the King, Tennyson's classic poetic treatment of the Arthurian legends. This volume contains meticulous reproductions of all 36 plates from rare English editions published in 1867–69.Like many of his other works, Doré's illustrations for the Idylls possess great drama, detail, and power, overlaid with a melancholy, otherworldly mood. His masterly technique is abundantly evident in splendid, idealized scenes illustrating the romantic involvements of four lovely ladies: «the fair Elaine,» much enamored of Lancelot; Guinevere, Arthur's perfidious queen; Enid, the wife of Geraint, one of Arthur's knights; and the «wily Vivien,» a scheming beauty who attempts to seduce the wizard Merlin.Accompanied by synopses and appropriate quotations from Tennyson's poem, Doré's illustrations bring these marvelous legends to vivid life.

Подробнее

From one of the biggest names in Art Nouveau design comes this splendid visual encyclopedia of superior artistic studies of plants and flowers. Its 120 images were selected from a rare, century-old, four-volume set of botanical illustrations. Cherry blossoms, clematis, crown imperial, and other specimens appear side by side in full-page plates that contrast magnificent color renditions with meticulous black-and-white drawings.A leading designer in the Art Nouveau movement, M. P. Verneuil was particularly interested in the decorative potential of flowers, and he created countless realistic and imaginative floral patterns. In this collection, he spotlights the work of such popular artists as Alphonse Mucha, M. Méheut, and other distinguished illustrators. Captions identify each image. A very useful, wide-ranging reference, this volume will delight artists and lovers of botanical illustration.

Подробнее

In the brief span of his life and career, Aubrey Beardsley (1872–98) galvanized public attention in 1890s London with his exotic renderings of subjects, which often projected the sensual and the grotesque. This splendid volume brings together the best of Beardsley's work — a rich selection ranging from illustrations for Laclos's Les Liaisons Dangereuses and Balzac's La Comédie Humaine to magazine cover designs, book plate silhouettes, title-page ornaments, and delightful mini-portraits of major composers. Also included are two photographs of the artist, consisting of private portrait studies by Frederick H. Evans.Over 180 beautifully reproduced black-and-white plates capture the uniqueness of Beardsley's vision and reveal the seductive power of his art. Among the illustrations are brilliantly conceived vignettes from Le Morte D'arthur, Venus and Tannhäuser, Salome, and Lucian's True History as well as enchanting creations for The Yellow Book (an influential British arts quarterly), and much more.Characterized by bold black masses, elongated shapes, and sensually provocative figures, these works are the product of a remarkable individual style that transformed the art of illustration. Reproduced here in an inexpensive high-quality format, they are certain to thrill not only Beardsley enthusiasts but anyone interested in the early years of modern graphic art.

Подробнее

French artist Hilaire Germaine Edgar Degas (1834&#8211;1917) is best known for his studies of the human figure, his ballet dancers, his portraits, and his occupational groups. In his drawings, Degas's working methods can be seen and studied, and his always-human figures can be enjoyed as much as in the finished works &#8212; if not more.<BR>Reproduced in this book are 100 of Degas's drawings, including eight in full color. They range from early studies to portraits of Manet, Madame Hertel, Madame Camus, Durnaty, and others to sketches of dancers and nudes, race track scenes, travel scenes, and other works from 1856 to 1900. The drawings reflect Degas's outstanding way of capturing scenes and his development of the careful casualness that was to make him foremost among the Realist-Romantic artists. The images also reveal his new uses of space and artistic focus, qualities he received from other artists in the Impressionist group. There are works in varied media &#8212; pencil, crayon, pastel, charcoal, and many others &#8212; and there are studies for paintings and sculptures that show his working methods.<BR>Most of these drawings cannot be seen anywhere else in published form. The edition from which these drawings were taken now commands high prices on the rare book market, when it can be found. Art students, collectors, and others who want to see the many styles of Degas will find that this collection contains many of his finest works.<BR>

Подробнее

To the general public, Alphonse Maria Mucha (1860&#8211;1939) is perhaps best known for his posters of Sarah Bernhardt and magnificent decorative panels such as «The Seasons» &#8212; works that continue to grow in popularity and value as the resurgence of interest in Art Nouveau increases. Among graphic artists and commercial designers, Mucha is praised for the innovative style books that pioneered the use of Art Nouveau in commercial packaging, design, and ornament.The most important of these style books was Documents D&#233;coratifs, published in 1901 at the height of Mucha's fame as the high priest of the Art Nouveau movement. While the artist's fame rests largely on his posters, it is in the smaller works of the style books, or design portfolios, that the refinement of his technique can best be appreciated. The present volume, carefully reproduced from an extremely rare and valuable set of originals, contains all 72 plates of the Documents D&#233;coratifs portfolio. Included are designs for jewelry, wallpaper, stained glass, furniture, and tableware; figure and botanical studies; and a selection of Mucha's famous panneaux d&#233;coratifs. Eighteen of the plates are in full color, while the remaining 54 are reproduced in two or more color tones.In addition to numerous innovative designs for practical and decorative objects, the elegant draftsmanship and meticulous execution that characterized all of Mucha's work is evident in studies of langorous nudes, portrait sketches, delicately rendered plant and animal motifs, exquisite modeling of drapery and cloth, and the flowing, fantastic forms created as experiments in pure design. In the Foreword by Gabriel Mourey, specially translated for this edition, Mucha's own philosophy of art, and the relation of the Documents to the rest of his work, receive an appreciative and informative discussion.Hitherto available only in scattered sources, or in the libraries of wealthy collectors, the complete Documents D&#233;coratifs is now available in this inexpensive one-volume edition. Lovers of Mucha's work, admirers of Art Nouveau, and the application of that style to the decorative arts, will want to own this fine royalty-free collection by one of the greatest masters of the technique."[Documents D&#233;coratifs is] . . . an encyclopedic source for Mucha's style in every branch of decorative and applied art and one of the few books on design where even individual plates are sought after by collectors." &#8212; Marina Henderson, The Graphic Style of Alphonse Mucha

Подробнее

The Children's Dream of Fairy-Land (1893) . . . Living Statues on Horseback (1890s) . . . Real Roman Hippodrome, Five Continent Menagerie (1890s) . . . Uno, Queen Supreme of the Serpent Kingdom (1894) . . . Dancing Girls, Mounted Guards and Truly Lavish Displays (1903) . . . «Twisting Double Somersault,» A Feat Never Before Attempted by the Most Intrepid Aerialists (1904) . . . Desperado's Terrible Leap for Life, A Terrific Descent of 80 Feet Through Space Landing Upon His Chest on a Skid (1909) . . . The Imperial Chinese Circus Stars (1914) . . . An Army of Clowns (1920s) . . . Pallenberg's Wonder Bears (1920s) . . . Gargantua the Great (1938).Originally put in store windows and posted on sheds, barns, buildings, walls and fences, these 18 extremely rare posters, most not previously reproduced, are collected together for the first time. The quality of reproduction is superb: reproduced in full color directly from the originals, these posters have been printed in an extra large format and on coated stock so that every detail is clear. They are an exciting visual history, capturing the pageantry and color that the circus was and is. They are also extremely fine examples of almost 50 years of poster art and American advertising. There are acrobats, elephants, tigers, lions, parades, tents, trains, and many specialized acts: May Wirth, the Riding Rooneys, the Astounding Clarkonians, etc. The posters date from the 1890s to the 1940s, and include one by Norman Bel Geddes. They feature many American circuses: Ringling Bros., Barnum &amp; Bailey, Sells, Sparks, Hagenbeck-Wallace. The historical introduction and captions are by Charles Philip Fox, Director of Research and Development with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum &amp; Bailey Circus.

Подробнее

According to legend, a resourceful bride won a stay of execution by captivating a sultan with a series of fantastic tales&#8212;and after 1,001 nights, the sultan could not bear to part with his storyteller. More than a thousand years later, readers continue to fall under the spell of the romantic adventures known as the Arabian Nights. This original collection features rare and unusual illustrations inspired by the traditional tales of Sinbad, Aladdin, Ali Baba, and a host of other exotic characters.Spanning the decades between the 1890s and the 1920s, this volume draws upon images from the Golden Age of Illustration, when technological advances in printing led to a boom in the publication of artwork. Drawings and paintings by Maxfield Parrish, Edmund Dulac, Charles Folkard, and other acclaimed artists of the era appear here, in more than 185 color and black-and-white illustrations with captions. Abounding in mystery and excitement, these scenes from the timeless tales of heroism will captivate all lovers of fantasy and fairy tales, as well as collectors of rare books and art and illustration enthusiasts.

Подробнее

"In a picture I want to say something comforting as music is comforting," Vincent van Gogh confided to his friend and fellow artist, Emile Bernard. «I want to paint men and women with that something of the eternal which the halo used to symbolize and which we seek to give by the actual radiance and vibration of our colorings.» Written in the years 1887 to 1889, these letters are among the most important and relevant sources of insight into van Gogh's life and art. Apart from their fascinating content, they are among the most sensitive and perceptive studies ever published about the man and the artist.On his decision to make the letters public, Barnard commented, «After reading them one could not doubt his [van Gogh's] sincerity, his character, nor his originality; there, pulsating with life, one would find the whole of him.» Indeed, these 23 letters, eloquently translated into English, radiate with their author's impulsiveness, intensity, and mysticism. In one van Gogh admits: «I can't disguise from you the fact that I like the country, having been brought up there &#8212; floods of memories of the past, aspirations towards that infinity, of which the sower and the sheaves are symbols, enchant me now as then. But I wonder when I'll get my starry sky done, a picture which haunts me always.» Complemented by handsome black-and-white reproductions of some of van Gogh's major paintings and facsimiles from his letters, this volume is essential reading for scholars and students of art and will be treasured by artists and art lovers alike.

Подробнее

At the age of 16, Gustave Dor&#233; was the highest-paid illustrator in France. Twenty years later, in 1868, at the peak of his artistic genius, he produced magnificent illustrations for Jean de La Fontaine's witty and high polished Fables&nbsp;&#8213; poems and timeless tales with charming images of country folk and animal life, as well as heroes from Greek mythology and creatures from fables by Aesop. This collection includes all 84 full-page plates plus 39 vignettes from a rare, early edition and includes, among others, scenes from «The Wolf and the Lamb,» «The Lion and the Gnat,» «The Hare and the Tortoise,» and «Ulysses' Companions.»

Подробнее