Rosalind Ormiston – författare

Hans Holbein the Younger's life is discovered through his artworks, his family, his patrons and the people who met him. Born into a family of talented artists, Holbein learnt to be a draughtsman, a painter, a portraitist, and a designer for woodcuts. What could not be taught was his remarkable skill as a portrait painter. From an Augsburg workshop as a youth, he would achieve high status as Painter to the King at the English court of Henry VIII. Holbein had a talent to engage with his clients, proven by repeated commissions. He could capture a moment in time, from Erasmus sitting in his study in Basel, to rich Hanseatic merchants seated in their London offices. His gift as a painter was grounded in a sound knowledge of pigments, practical costings and time required to complete a work. In his lifetime he created a unique portfolio of ground-breaking art, predominantly in portraiture. This glorious and comprehensive volume is both a biography and gallery of his work

The rise of the Art Nouveau style across Continental Europe and the US in all forms of art was remarkable and is explored in this beautifully illustrated book. Discussing the movement first as a whole, then from the angle of the graphic arts and finally as manifested in the fine arts, it focuses on the style in two dimensions. From the work of well-known figures such as Toulouse-Lautrec, Gaudí and Tiffany to beautiful posters and illustrations advertising everything from coffee to costumes, and even including an exploration of the links to Synthetism and Symbolism among other movements, the book is a treat from start to finish.

Hieronymus Bosch lived and worked over 500 hundred years ago in the Netherlands’ town of ’s Hertogenbosch, from which he takes his name. One of a long line of artists and craftsmen, Bosch is best-known for his fantastical, wondrous art full of strange creatures both grotesque and heavenly, which has earned him the reputation of being ‘the devil’s painter’. Up to date with new research about his work, Hieronymus Bosch Masterpieces of Art gives an overview of what is known of this elusive painter and draughtsman, providing the reader with a glimpse into the long-ago world that he inhabited, through a discussion of his life and work, followed by a selection of his best-known and most fascinating works, from his apocalyptic Four Visions of the Hereafter and hellish Last Judgement to the hidden messages in The Garden of Earthly Delights and some stunning line drawings such as The Wood Has Ears, The Field Has Eyes and The Tree Man.

Though very much an individual and spiritual artist, Alphonse Mucha was a defining figure of the Art Nouveau era and is loved for his distinctive lush style and images of beautiful women in arabesque poses among the plethora of paintings, posters, advertisements and designs he produced. Admire a whole range of his work here in its full glory with succinct accompanying text.

Albrecht Durer (1471-1528), Renaissance genius - artist, poet, writer, and theorist - was acknowledged across Europe. He was praised as the Apelles Germaniae ('German Apelles'), honoured by noble patronage, commissioned by the Elector of Saxony, Frederick the Wise and Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I. He worked in many mediums - woodcut, etching, and engraving, drawing, watercolour and oil painting and after his death there was a mania for his work (or many forgeries of it) for another half century. This glorious and comprehensive volume is both a fascinating biography of his life and of the period, and a gallery of his work. Insightful captions give background to the works as well as specifications of date, size, medium and where it is exhibited.

Picasso was arguably the most influential artist of the 20th century. Over the course of a career that spanned seven decades—and included thousands of paintings, sculptures, ceramics, drawings, prints, and tapestries—his work continued to evolve in response to his own life and to events in the world around him. This elegant introduction to Picasso offers lively artistic and biographical commentary, as well as beautiful reproductions of key works. Readers will discover why Picasso’s work is often categorised by “periods” and his masterful achievements in the realms of neoclassicism, surrealism, and sculpture—in short, how his tremendous body of work reflected the development of modern art in the 20th century.

An illustrated exploration of the artist, Rembrandt van Rijn, his life and context, with a gallery of 300 of his finest works. This is a fascinating biography that explores his early years, his personal life and the historical context of the early 17th century. It analyzes his creative progress and the artistic influences that led him to develop his work from the grand Baroque to a less exuberant style.

This comprehensive new book is an essential volume for anyone who wants to learn more about Leonardo and to survey his greatest works in one beautifully illustrated collection. The first part contains a detailed exploration of Leonardo's life. It details his childhood, family life and education, and then explores his interests in architecture, engineering and science as well as his career as a painter. The second part of the book contains a gallery of over 300 of Leonardo's major paintings, drawings and designs. These superb reproductions are accompanied by thorough analysis of each artwork and its significance within the context of his life, his technique and his body of work as a whole.

The first half of this stunning new book explores Michelangelo's fascinating life through his family, friends, patrons and commissions. Born near Florence in 1475 Michelangelo grew up surrounded by new forms of architecture, painting and sculpture. His influences and achievements are explained clearly and comprehensively with informative and attractive illustrations throughout. The second half of the book contains a comprehensive gallery of over 300 of his major works of sculpture, painting and architecture. These superb reproductions are accompanied by thorough analysis of each artwork and its significance with the context of Michelangelo's life, his technique and his body of work as a whole.

A gorgeous new edition with the cover printed on silver. Vincent van Gogh is considered one of the world's greatest painters, his work having had a huge and far-reaching influence on 20th-century art as well as remaining visually and emotionally powerful to this day. We all know of Van Gogh's troubled genius, but now through his letters to his brother Theo, as discussed in this beautifully illustrated and fascinating giftbook, you will discover the true depth of the artist's thoughts, beliefs, ambitions and his struggle with his mental illness. Containing translations of some of the most revealing letters and insightful commentary, alongside photographs of the letters themselves and his best-loved artworks, this is a real treat.

"For lovers of art history, this lavishly illustrated and well-written book is an absolute gem." – Italia! MagazineLeonardo da Vinci was the epitome of the Renaissance humanist ideal, a logical polymath of epic proportions who excelled and had interests not just in art but in invention, anatomy, architecture, engineering, literature, mathematics, music, science, astronomy and more. His oeuvre is astounding and he is rightly famed for his masterpieces of painting such as the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, and his astonishingly technical and graceful drawings. The phenomenon that was Leonardo would not of course have flourished to such an extent had it not been for the patronage and sponsorship of the Medici family, who commissioned a large proportion of the art and architecture of the era and fostered a fertile climate for creativity. This sumptuous new book offers a broader view of this master artist in the context of this environment, alongside the work of other key artists who benefited from the Medicis, from Brunelleschi through Donatello to Michelangelo and Raphael.

Gauguin began his artistic life as an Impressionist in Paris, but yearning for a wider world view he experimented with decorative art and bright colours to create what some have termed Symbolism. He painted briefly with Van Gogh but was strongly drawn by the “otherness” of the South Pacific to which he travelled frequently, and finally settled far away from his origins and early influences to create a unique and intensely personal body of work. The new edition of this beautiful new book revels in the scenes of Tahiti, the sunlit bodies, the shapes and styles of the South Pacific each of which have secured him a unique place in the history of art.

A gorgeous new edition with sprayed edges. Vincent van Gogh is considered one of the world's greatest painters, his work having had a huge and far-reaching influence on 20th-century art as well as remaining visually and emotionally powerful to this day. We all know of Van Gogh's troubled genius, but now through his letters to his brother Theo, as discussed in this beautifully illustrated and fascinating giftbook, you will discover the true depth of the artist's thoughts, beliefs, ambitions and his struggle with his mental illness. Containing translations of some of the most revealing letters and insightful commentary, alongside photographs of the letters themselves and his best-loved artworks, this is a real treat.

The English Romantic painter Joseph Mallord William Turner (23 April 1775–19 December 1851) was a brilliant landscape artist, a watercolourist and printmaker. His style, powerful and fierce, melding the elements with humankind are thought by many to have prepared the way for Impressionism. In his time he was controversial, but his focus on land and seascapes widened the palette of artists and their audience, and his impressionistic brushwork prepared the way for the fragmentation of the modern era. This wonderful new book brings to life his greatest achievements, with such paintings as The Fighting 'Temeraire’, Inside Tintern Abbey and Rain, Steam and Speed (The Great Western Railway).

The story of modern art begins with a revolution-when the realists started rejecting romanticism in favor of depicting life as it really was. Since that movement began in the mid-19th- century, painters have been rebelling, rethinking, deconstructing, and challenging notions of what art is. Filled with stunning reproductions of some of the world's greatest masterpieces, this reference book offers a chronological journey through artistic revolutions. Each movement is presented in a series of informative presentations-a concise definition and description; full-page and smaller detailed color illustrations; and in-depth profiles of the artists crucial to the style's development. Covering a wide range of movements both familiar and obscure, this accessible and informative volume is a perfect introduction for readers interested in art's constantly evolving story.

This compact, beautifully designed, and affordably priced volume is the perfect introduction to French Impressionism and to the luminous world of Claude Monet—a visionary artist whose work transformed the way we perceive and interpret nature.From the iconic water lilies and shimmering haystacks to the vibrant scenes of bustling train stations and serene gardens, Monet’s achievements are thematically presented in 55 stunning reproductions that highlight the depth, texture, and vibrancy of his artistry. Essential works such as Impression, Sunrise; Woman with a Parasol; Bordighera; The Palazzo Contarini; The Water Lily Pond in the Evening; and Poplars in the Sun are accompanied by insightful commentary that explores his innovations and masterful ability to capture the transient interplay of light and atmosphere.A concise yet richly detailed biography traces his journey from early struggles to his emergence as one of the most celebrated painters of his era. Rich contextual details illuminate the cultural and historical influences on his work, offering readers a deeper appreciation of his legacy.Perfect for both seasoned art enthusiasts and those discovering Monet for the first time, this book offers an engaging and enlightening experience of one of art history’s most enduring icons, making it a must-have for any art lover’s collection.

Revised edition of the bestselling backlist title. William Morris was an outstanding character of many talents, being an architect, writer, social campaigner, artist and, with his Kelmscott Press, an important figure of the Arts and Crafts movement. Many of us probably know him best, however, from his superb furnishings and textile designs, intricately weaving together natural motifs in a highly stylized two-dimensional fashion influenced by medieval conventions. Following on from the bestselling success of Art Nouveau, Art Deco and Alphonse Mucha, of the same series, this delightful new book offers a survey of his life and work alongside some of his finest decorative work. It is a richly beautiful book.