Featured books
Giotto
The definitive monograph on the greatest painter of the early Renaissance, now available in an affordable paperback edition
Giotto is traditionally considered a founder of the Italian Renaissance, praised for his understanding of space and the human body. Producing a series of commissioned works for the church and upper classes in his native Tuscany and surrounding regions, Giotto (c. 1267–1337) changed the course of European art by breaking away from the stiff, predictable figures of the Byzantine and medieval traditions. His great fresco cycles, most notably the lives of the Virgin and Christ in the Scrovegni (or Arena) Chapel, Padua, are filled with realistic depictions of three-dimensional figures set in dramatic, even revolutionary, perspectival spaces.
In this authoritative survey of Giotto's life and work, Francesca Flores d'Arcais draws on a broad range of sources, from fourteenth-century documents to recent art-historical investigations. Her research leads her to important reattributions of Giottesque paintings and to new conclusions regarding the execution and dating of both famous and lesser-known works. In this second edition of her study, d'Arcais also discusses the earthquake of September 26, 1997, that damaged the frescoes of the Upper Basilica of San Francisco in Assisi, some of which are attributed to the young Giotto. Now available in a paperback edition at an irresistible price, Giotto combines splendid images and d'Arcais's insightful text in the definitive monograph on the greatest of trecento masters.
Wristwatch Annual 2019
The Catalog of Producers, Prices, Models, and Specifications
By Peter Braun and Marton Radkai
Complete information on over 1,400 models from 130 international brands—the essential guide for the collector of fine mechanical watches.
With Wristwatch Annual, collectors have at hand a wealth of information on the latest offerings from today’s most important watch producers, from Swiss mainstays like Rolex and Patek Philippe to the maverick independent brands springing up across Europe and the U.S. The book is arranged alphabetically by producer, and the movement, functions, case, band, price, and variations of each pictured watch are fully described.
This year’s edition, like its predecessors, will feature a variety of additional articles on independent watchmaking, key personalities in the watch world, and the technical aspects of horology. An illustrated glossary and a primer on watch care help acclimate the reader to the world of fine timepieces.
Peter Braun is editor-in-chief of the renowned German wristwatch magazine Armbanduhren.
Marton Radkai, an independent journalist, has edited the English-language edition of Wristwatch Annual since 2011.
Literary Chickens
By Beth Moon
From the best-selling photographer of Ancient Trees, an arresting collection of black-and-white chicken portraits paired with quotations from classic literature.
Fierce, funny, and flamboyant, fifty-two heritage-breed chickens assess the camera with a keen gaze. By focusing on the faces of her avian subjects, Beth Moon reveals them to us not just as beautiful and exotic creatures, but as individuals in their own right.
Moon’s intimate portraits capture a startling range of emotions and personalities, underscored by excerpts from literature. A martial Spanish White Face is flanked by a passage from Beowulf; a fantastical Buff-Laced Polish, by a line from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland; and a refined Blue Polish, by a character sketch from Swann’s Way.
Essays by chicken keeper and best-selling author Melissa Caughey and cultural critic Collier Brown shed additional light on this fresh and remarkable body of work, which will appeal to animal lovers and literature buffs alike.
Beth Moon, a New York–based photographer, has gained international recognition for her large-scale, richly toned platinum-palladium prints. Her other books include Ancient Trees: Portraits of Time and Ancient Skies, Ancient Trees.
Tea Sommelier
A Step-by-Step Guide
By François-Xavier Delmas and Mathias Minet
A fun and simple approach to becoming a tea expert, from the founders of the international tea brand Palais de Thés.
Tea, in all its varieties, offers just as much subtlety and complexity as fine wine. In many countries, the tea service is one of the highest expressions of culture, and in the U.S., the tea shop is taking its place alongside the coffee shop. Tea Sommelier will provide the knowledge and practical tips you need to feel at home in the world of tea, in 160 easy lessons.
No matter how much time you have—ten minutes or an hour—this book will always teach you something new and interesting about tea. Topics include the varieties of tea and where they are grown, how to select and prepare tea, how to taste and serve it, how to pair tea with food, and how to cook with tea. Stylish illustrations on every page add extra enjoyment to the process of becoming a true tea sommelier.
François-Xavier Delmas and Mathias Minet are partners in Le Palais des Thés, an international chain of tea boutiques. In 1999, they founded L’École du Thé in Paris to share their knowledge of tea with the public; a second location of the school opened in New York in 2016.
The Art of Rock
Posters from Presley to Punk
The best-selling visual history of the rock concert poster, now available at an irrestible price
Electric, outrageous, erotic, rebellious—rock concert posters are the visual equivalent of the music they advertise. The Art of Rock traces the history of this energizing art form from the bold letterpress posters advertising Elvis's early shows, through the multicolored fantasies of the psychedelic era, to the avant-garde collages of new wave and punk. More than 1,500 posters and other graphics—tickets, backstage passes, buttons, handbills—are presented in their original blazing color (or their stark black and white, as the case may be). The text features dozens of exclusive interviews with musicians, concert promoters, and the poster artists themselves, including legends like Stanley Mouse, Alton Kelley, or Wes Wilson—who also designed the cover of this book. A visual journey through thirty years of rock and roll, as well as a valuable reference, The Art of Rock is an essential volume for every music lover (and art lover).
The Art of Tarot
A palm-sized visual history of tarot cards, from hand- painted Renaissance decks to the creations of modern artists like Salvador Dali.
Originally used by northern Italian aristocrats in complex games resembling bridge, tarot cards became more popular with the spread of printing in the sixteenth century and were eventually used by Freemasons, fortune-tellers, and mystics to reveal hidden truths about the past, present, and future. More recently, artists have used the imagery and potency of tarot as a springboard for creativity.
As a path to revelation or simply as a pastime, tarot is fascinating. A carefully curated selection of decks from the past six centuries—showing the chief turning points in their development—make this little book an indispensable guide to the history of tarot.
Christina Olsen, an art historian and museum director, wrote her PhD thesis on the history of tarot cards.
STATIONERY AND POSTCARDS
TINY FOLIO
COLLECTIONS AND GIFT GUIDES
