In The Aesthetics of Qiyun and Genius: Spirit Consonance in Chinese Landscape Painting and Some Kantian Echoes, Xiaoyan Hu provides an interpretation of the notion of qiyun, or spirit consonance, in Chinese painting, and considers why creating a painting-especially a landscape painting-replete with qiyun is regarded as an art of genius, where genius is an innate mental talent. Through a comparison of the role of this innate mental disposition in the aesthetics of qiyun and Kant's account of artistic genius, the book addresses an important feature of the Chinese aesthetic tradition, one that evades the aesthetic universality assumed by a Kantian lens. Drawing on the views of influential sixth to fourteenth-century theorists and art historians and connoisseurs, the first part explains and discusses qiyun and its conceptual development from a notion mainly applied to figure painting to one that also plays an enduring role in the aesthetics of landscape painting. In the light of Kant's account of genius, the second part examines a range of issues regarding the role of the mind in creating a painting replete with qiyun and the impossibility of teaching qiyun. Through this comparison with Kant, Hu demystifies the uniqueness of qiyun aesthetics and also illuminates some limitations in Kant's aesthetics.

Describes the nature of birds of prey (where they live, feed, and hunt), why these species are endangered, and what can be done to protect and preserve them.

John James Audubon is arguably America's most widely recognized and collected artist. His Birds of America has been reproduced often, beginning with the double elephant folio printed by Havill in England, followed by a much smaller "Octavo" edition printed in Philadelphia and sold by subscription. After Audubon's death, his family arranged with the New York printer Julius Bien to produce another elephant folio edition, this time by the new chromolithographic process. It too would be sold by subscription, but the venture, begun in 1858, was brought to an abrupt end by the Civil War. Only 150 plates were produced, and the number remaining today is slight; they are among the rarest and most sought after Audubon prints. Bound in cloth with a full cloth slipcase, this beautifully produced book is the first complete reproduction of Bien chromolithographs and will become the centerpiece of any bird lover's library.

From domestic cats and dogs to wild lions and giraffes, best-selling artist and author Jean Haines shows the reader how to bring a vitality of life to their animal artwork. Known for the vibrant colours and exciting, innovative painting techniques that she brings to her work, Jean's latest book invites beginners and more experienced artists alike to share a journey through painting animals from around the world. Painting animals requires a delicacy of touch. Jean starts with simple monochrome artworks and progresses on to more vivid paintings that incorporate exciting textural effects. Using lessons from nature to help bring the reader closer to the animals, Jean shows how to portray the animal's spirit and bring vitality to the reader's artwork. Suitable for all abilities, from first-time painters to experienced artists, Jean shares all the materials and unique techniques she uses, and provides a wealth of expert tips and advice inspired by the animals themselves, helping the reader to progress and find their own path. Scattered throughout the book are dozens of Jean's wonderful paintings, showcasing a veritable Noah's Ark of different animals to inspire the reader on their artistic journey.

The Artist as Animal in Nineteenth-Century French Literature traces the evolution of the relationship between artists and animals in fiction from the Second Empire to the fin de siecle. This book examines examples of visual literature, inspired by the struggles of artists such as Edouard Manet and Vincent van Gogh. Edmond and Jules de Goncourt's Manette Salomon (1867), Emile Zola's Therese Raquin (1867), Jules Laforgue's "At the Berlin Aquarium" (1895) and "Impressionism" (1883), Octave Mirbeau's In the Sky (1892-1893) and Rachilde's L'Animale (1893) depict vanguard painters and performers as being like animals, whose unique vision revolted against stifling traditions. Juxtaposing these literary works with contemporary animal theory (McHugh, Deleuze, Guattari and Derrida), zoo studies (Berger, Rothfels and Lippit) and feminism (Donovan, Adams and Haraway), Claire Nettleton explores the extent to which the nineteenth-century dissolution of the human subject contributed to a radical, modern aesthetic. Utilizing these interdisciplinary methodologies, Nettleton argues that while inducing anxiety regarding traditional humanist structures, the "artist-animal," an embodiment of artistic liberation within an urban setting, is, at the same time, a paradigmatic trope of modernity.

From millennia-old cave art to world-famous internet sensations, dogs have inspired artists to strive to capture their loyal personalities and antics for as long as they've been our furry friends. This joyous collection celebrates dogs in art, spanning eras, styles and continents, from the brushes of masters such as Manet, Toulouse-Lautrec, Sargent, Gauguin, Klee, Picasso and more.

Claire is not your everyday practitioner of "urbex," the modern underground passion for "urban exploration" that lures 21st-century adventurers into the hidden labyrinths and decaying chambers of disused buildings and urban spaces. Claire is, you see, a bull terrier. And with her photographer companion, Alice Van Kempen, she has created the canine expression of the art . . . "furbex." Furbex is a dazzling photographic record of Claire's adventures among the abandoned spaces of Europe. It captures her ghostly presence in ruined hotels and grand houses; crumbling castles and palaces; forgotten theaters and cinemas. Fascinated by shadows and light, past and present, and the mysterious, dark worlds of abandoned places, Alice van Kempen uses thrift shop props and long exposures to create photographs with the air of Old Master paintings; while Claire's tragi-comic presence imbues every image with the pathos and comedy of a silent movie. The result is a haunting and hilarious gift book of unique photographs, which will appeal to urban explorers, dog lovers (most particularly the cult following of the bull terrier breed), and all lovers of the Gothic, the mysterious and the absurd.

John James Audubon was an American ornithologist, naturalist, and painter. The Birds of America contains 435 life-size watercolours of North American birds, some of which reproduced here in our QuickNotes notecard set. 20 notecards and envelopes, 5 each of 4 images. Packaged in a sleek, sturdy flip-top box with magnetic closure. Cards printed on coated paper stock to bring out their full colour. Cards and envelopes bundled together with a paper belly band inside each box. Box measurements 143 x 120 x 34mm.

Our Butterflies QuickNotes collection of full colour notecards are a selection of beautifully reprinted watercolour paintings from the very talented Becca Stadtlander. Our QuickNotes boxed notecards are full colour, collectable greeting / notecards that are blank inside and can be used to convey personal greetings, thank-yous and invitations. 20 5x4 notecards and envelopes 5 cards each of 4 images Packaged in a keepsake box with magnetic lid Measures 140 x 114 x 38mm. We choose the best images from well-known classic and contemporary fine artists, plus talented emerging illustrators and designers from around the globe.

Nuno Oliveira began his riding career with maestro Jonquin Gonzales de Miranda, Master of the Horse to the King of Portugal. In the 1940's he opened his own riding school and soon became an international name in the world of classical equitation. In the 1950s and 1960s he gave exhibitions in Geneva, Brussels, Paris and London, followed by clinics in Saumur, Belgium, Holland, Italy, Australia and the USA. His pupils include the most talented dressage riders, officers of the Cadre Noir, and riders of the Portuguese School. First published in France in 1957, it was translated into English by Phyllis Field in 1976. Times change but classical principles remain. Over 30 years may have passed, but this book remains one of the most relevant descriptions of Nuno Oliveira's work.

The Bird explores the fascinating world of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century ornithological illustration. This was a period of scientific, artistic and geographic discovery, when people began to fully appreciate the immense variety of form and colour within the natural world. This book celebrates this beauty through the lavish illustrations produced at that time. Each chapter focuses on a category of birds, from shorebirds to birds of prey. Feature sections on key ornithological artists such as John James Audubon, Elizabeth Gould and Edward Lear demonstrated how technology, travel and ambition shaped these amazing images, and how their work transformed our understanding of the wonderful world of birds.

This book, published to coincide with a major exhibition at the National Maritime Museum, explores and celebrates Turner's lifelong fascination with the sea. It also sets his work within the context of marine painting in the 19th century. Each chapter has an introductory text followed by discussion of specific paintings. Four of the chapters conclude with a feature essay on a specific topic.

Part of a series of exciting and luxurious Flame Tree Notebooks. Combining high-quality production with magnificent fine art, the covers are printed on foil in five colours, embossed, then foil stamped. And they're powerfully practical: a pocket at the back for receipts and scraps, two bookmarks and a solid magnetic side flap. These are perfect for personal use and make a dazzling gift. This example features Nel Whatmore's 'Up Up and Away'. Nel Whatmore is a fine artist, well known for her floral paintings and abstracts. A contemporary colourist, her paintings are both expressionist and evocative. She seeks to constantly explore mediums and their ability to convey emotion. Her work is varied and encapsulates her interest in expressionist painting.

Whether you need to draw a cat, a flying squirrel, or a sea horse, How to Draw Almost Every Animal is your ultimate go-to guide! Not sure how to start your drawing of a flamingo or slippery slug? Boggled by how to draw an antelope, an armadillo, or a cheetah? How to Draw Almost Every Animal is here to help! Need to draw a hippopotamus? A lazy, brown dog? A quick, red fox? Then this collection of over 75 adorable animals to draw and doodle is just the book for you! This teaching tool does more than just show you completed pictures of the animals. Each illustration is broken down with step-by-step diagrams and helpful tips to truly teach you how to draw. Plus, we've included extra images to teach you how to draw animals relaxing in their natural habitats and on the move. A helpful how-to section includes valuable coloring tips and techniques for mastering fur and feather, spots, stripes, scales, spines, and everything else animals are covered in. Each book in the Almost Everything series offers readers a fun, comprehensive, and charmingly illustrated visual directory of ideas to inspire skill building in their creative endeavors.

This stunning edition of one of the most celebrated and highly valued natural history books of all time features impeccably reproduced images of Audubon's original watercolors, along with an introduction by world-renowned ornithologist David Allen Sibley. First published in installments between 1827 and 1838, John James Audubon's collection of life-sized watercolors of North American birds is the standard against which all wildlife illustration is measured. Fewer than 120 copies survive today, locked away in museums and private collections around the world. For this volume, the Natural History Museum in London disbound one of the two original editions it owns, and each of the 435 exquisite hand-colored prints of the original watercolours were photographed using the latest digital scanning technology. From an avocet grazing in a tidal pond to a zenaida dove perched on a flowering branch, each of Audubon's subjects is depicted with the grace and beauty of a living bird in its natural habitat. An avid outdoorsman and explorer, Audubon traveled from Florida to Labrador to Texas and the Dakotas to study and collect his specimens. Straddling the line between science and art, this book mesmerized 19th-century audiences around the world; today it stands as a reminder of the spectacular biodiversity of the North American continent, and of the pioneer spirit that Audubon himself revered.

An epic visual story of wildlife photography's pioneers and world firsts. From some of the very first pictures of wild lions and tigers on record and the first-ever underwater colour photograph, right up to the spectacular images from the wildest corners of the earth that modern-day technology allows, Into the Wild is an extraordinary collection of over 250 images and 150 years of our efforts to document the natural world. Now, more than ever, these are the photographs and stories that matter. "Gemma Padley takes us on a fascinating journey through 150 years of the wildlife photography that has informed and delighted us. The text tells us not only about the images themselves, but describes how cameras gradually got faster shutter speeds, longer lenses, greater resolution and are now mostly digital. But it is the patience and endurance of the photographer who waits for hours or even days in tropical heat or arctic freeze to capture these special shots: taken at just the right moment in just the right light and from just the right angle. Into the Wild is a must-have coffee table book." Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute & U.N. Messenger of Peace

Originally published in 1971, Animals in Art and Thought discusses the ways in which animals have been used by man in art and literature. The book looks at how they have been used to symbolise religious, social and political beliefs, as well as their pragmatic use by hunters, sportsmen, and farmers. The book discusses these various attitudes in a survey which ranges from prehistoric cave art to the later Middle Ages. The book is especially concerned with uncovering the latent, as well as the manifest meanings of animal art, and presents a detailed examination of the literary and archaeological monuments of the periods covered in the book. The book discusses the themes of Creation myths of the pagan and Christian religion, the contribution of the animal art of the ancient contribution of the animal art of the ancient Orient to the development of the Romanesque and gothic styles in Europe, the use of beast fables in social or political satire, and the heroic associations of animals in medieval chivalry.

This is a sumptuous catalog of regional landscape paintings and the talented, living artists who create them, including Robert J. Barber, Denise Dumont, Michael Godfrey, Hai-Ou Hou, Abigail McBride, and Sam Robinson. It is packed with over 400 eye-catching color reproductions of work by some of today's finest plein air artists, including spectacular beach scenes, pastorals, cityscapes, and harbor scenes. This informative volume also includes a concise history of landscape painting in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia, showing examples of great art of the past by some outstanding Mid-Atlantic painters, including the Pennsylvania Impressionists, the New Jersey Manasquan Art Colony, the Egelis, and much more. This volume fills an empty niche in the rich history of American art. It is an ideal book for anyone, who loves plein air landscape painting, and a wonderful introduction to traditional art of the region. It will appeal to art historians, dealers, and collectors alike.

Beginning with the very origins of life on Earth, Woolfson considers pre-historic human-animal interaction and traces the millennia-long evolution of conceptions of the soul and conscience in relation to the animal kingdom, and the consequences of our belief in human superiority. She explores our representation of animals in art, our consumption of them for food, our experiments on them for science, and our willingness to slaughter them for sport and fashion, as well as examining concepts of love and ownership. Drawing on philosophy and theology, art and history, as well as her own experience of living with animals and coming to know, love and respect them as individuals, Woolfson examines some of the most complex ethical issues surrounding our treatment of animals and argues passionately and persuasively for a more humble, more humane, relationship with the creatures who share our world.

This dazzling collection showcases the very best of the British Wildlife Photography Awards, presenting over 150 of the winning, commended and shortlisted images from the 2017 competition. Featuring a range of photography from world-leading professionals as well as inspired amateurs, it is a book that captures the magnificent diversity of the British Isles. Now in its eighth year, the annual competition has a long tradition of supporting conservation. It provides a platform for the finest examples of British nature photography, revealing its wonders to a wide audience and engaging with all ages through its evocative and powerful imagery. With a 20,000 prize from lead sponsor Canon, it is one of the most prestigious photography competitions, attracting major sponsors and culminating in an exhibition at London's Mall Gallery. British Wildlife Photography Awards 9 is divided into the competition's fifteen categories, from Animal Portraits through to the Young People's Awards. Every photograph is beautifully reproduced in a large format, with detailed technical information alongside the photographer's personal account, to appeal to both photographers and natural historians. Featuring a fresh new design, and supported by a major media campaign, this is a book that will bring every reader closer to the often unseen and always surprising world of British nature.

"Have you ever experienced the peace of walking through the woods or the excitement of a storm gathering on a beach? Artwork provides the ability for us to capture those moments and share them with others."

"Drawing Nature for the Absolute Beginner" offers a great beginner's course on drawing nature. In their fun and friendly teaching style, Mark and Mary Willenbrink show you how to realistically capture the world around you.

All you need to get started are some simple supplies, basic techniques, and inspiration. From field to forest, beach or mountain, begin with a structural sketch, apply values and textures, and, before you know it, you'll be drawing everything you see. You'll even learn how to render favorite wildlife such as chipmunks, deer and eagles

• Follow along with easy step-by-step demonstrations to draw rocks, seashells, butterflies and even more developed nature scenes.
• Gain a working understanding of key concepts such as perspective, value and composition.
• Discover simple tools and tips you can use right away to improve your art.

Artists can master a shorthand way to capture the movement and attitudes of birds--not always the most cooperative of models Birds have been featured in art for many thousands of years, but they pose a challenge to paint. By understanding their anatomy and recognizing their type, the artist can learn to capture movement and attitude. With technique and color mastered, style develops, and a special scene can be captured uniquely forever. This artists' resource explains bird types, and how identifying specific similarities can help the artist. It advises on painting in the field, using photographs, and working in the studio; describes how to paint plumage and birds in flight; and demonstrates how to compose a painting with emphasis on the birds' habitat. Thirty leading artists give their insights into painting birds, along with illustrations of their work, including John Busby--the author of "Drawing Birds"--Ontario's Robert Bateman, and Charles Tunnicliffe.