This nostalgic, humorous and richly illustrated volume celebrates the Somerset of years gone by. Syd Durston was seven when the Second World War broke out. As well as causing panic in Britain's cities, the war transformed life in the countryside in all sorts of ways. This is how one boy remembers life in rural Somerset during that time, where from 'the age of ten you were at school between 9 a.m. and noon, and then you could work on the land until 8 p.m.'. It is an elegy to the levels and the moors, and the rich diversity of wildlife that could once be found in the fields - 'thousands of grasshoppers, large and small, hopping everywhere, butterflies of all kinds feeding on the red clovers that were now in flower; the smell of the honeysuckle and the dog roses in the hedges' - and a lament for the landscapes and ways of life that we have now lost. From the outbreak of war to the drama of D-Day, Syd - whose watercolour paintings, many of which illustrate this collection, aim to show the reality of farming life as it was then - captures a moment in history as it really was. Containing more than 120 paintings, sketches and drawings, it will delight residents and visitors alike.

Originally a film by British avant-garde filmmaker Nichola Bruce, The Romance of Bricks is a portrait of the artist Liz Finch: a British painter, performer and poet. From her life-changing accident and rural solitude to the mad social whirl of 80s London anarchic performances and up to the present day, The Romance of Bricks sews together archival film over many years to produce an intriguing glimpse into the private world of the artist. Featuring commentary from Jools Holland, Christine Binnie, Jennifer Binnie, John Finch, Brian Clarke, Aubrey Fabing, Richard Strange, Nicola Bateman Bowery, Francesco Brusatin and Martin Harrison alongside an intimate dialogue with the artist herself.

This book presents four case studies that interrogate how German fifteenth-century painted triptychs engage with, and ultimately blur, various boundaries. Some of the boundaries are internal to the triptych format, for example, transgressed frames between narrative scenes on triptych interiors, or interconnections between imagery on triptych interiors and exteriors. Other blurred boundaries are regional ones between the Netherlands and Cologne; metaphysical ones between heaven and earth; and artistic distinctions between the media of painting and sculpture. The book's case studies-which shed new light on Conrad von Soest, Stefan Lochner, and the Master of the St. Bartholomew Altarpiece-illuminate the importance of German fifteenth-century painting, while providing a fresh assessment of relations between German triptychs and their more famous Netherlandish counterparts. The case studies also demonstrate the value of probing Medialitat, that is, the implications of format and medium for generating meaning. A coda assesses the triptych in the age of Durer.

This exhibition celebrates the historic moment in the history of modern art when Kazimir Malevich debuted his new non-objective paintings under the banner of Suprematism and Vladimir Tatlin introduced his revolutionary counter-relief sculptures. They were bitter rivals and diametrically opposed in their creative thinking, so when an exhibition in which their new works appeared, entitled 0,10: The Last Futurist Exhibition of Painting and organized by fellow artist Ivan Puni in Petrograd in 1915, the other 12 artists in the show chose sides. It was a stylistically diverse exhibition, with cubist-inspired works and the first non-objective paintings and reliefs. The Beyeler's presentation will include a large number of the works from the original exhibition. The catalogue will include essays by exhibition curator Matthew Drutt and other leading scholars, as well as documents gathered together and translated for the first time. (German edition ISBN 978-3-7757-4032-6) Ausstellung/Exhibition: Fondation Beyeler, Riehen/Basel 4.10.2015-17.1.2016

Caspar David Friedrich (1774-1840) is heralded as the greatest painter of the Romantic movement in Germany, and Europe's first truly modern artist. His mysterious and melancholy landscapes, often peopled with lonely wanderers, are experiments in a radically subjective artistic perspective--one in which, as Freidrich wrote, the painter depicts not "what he sees before him, but what he sees within him." This vulnerability of the individual when confronted with nature became one of the key tenets of the Romantic aesthetic. Now available in a compact, accessible format, this beautifully illustrated book is the most comprehensive account ever published in English of one of the most fascinating and influential nineteenth-century painters. "This is a model of interpretative art history, taking in a good deal of German Romantic philosophy, but founded always on the immediate experience of the picture. . . . It is rare to find a scholar so obviously in sympathy with his subject."--"Independent"

A countrywoman's illustrated ramble through the seasons on the South Downs. Written over a period of twenty years, as she witnessed the stunning natural world around her, Antonia Dundas' diary records the progress of twelve months over her beloved South Downs. Accompanied with her own beautiful and delicately observed watercolours, this book revels in the passing of the seasons. Her celebration of nature's finery has been lovingly created, and will appeal to anyone with a love of the Downs and the natural world.

"There is scarcely one letter by Van Gogh which I, who am certainly no expert, do not find fascinating." -W. H. Auden In addition to his many remarkable paintings and drawings, Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) left behind a fascinating and voluminous body of correspondence. This highly accessible book includes a broad selection of 265 letters, from a total of 820 in existence, that focus on Van Gogh's relentless quest to find his destiny, a search that led him to become an artist; the close bond with his brother Theo; his fraught relationship with his father; his innate yearning for recognition; and his great love of art and literature. The correspondence not only offers detailed insights into Van Gogh's complex inner life, but also re-creates the world in which he lived and the artistic avant-garde that was taking hold in Paris. The letters are accompanied by a general introduction, historic family photographs, and reproductions of 87 actual pages of letters that contain sketches by Van Gogh. Selected from the critically acclaimed 6-volume set of letters published by the Van Gogh Museum in 2009, Ever Yours is the essential book on Van Gogh's letters, which every art and literature lover needs to own. Published in association with the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

This book offers nine new approaches toward a single work of art, Titian's Allegory of Marriage or Allegory of Alfonso d'Avalos, dated to 1530/5. In earlier references, the painting was named simply Allegory, alluding to its enigmatic nature. The work follows in a tradition of such ambiguous Venetian paintings as Giovanni Bellini's Sacred Allegory and Giorgione's Tempest. Throughout the years, Titian's Allegory has engendered a range of diverse interpretations. Art historians such as Hans Tietze, Erwin Panofsky, Walter Friedlaender, and Louis Hourticq, to mention only a few, promoted various explanations. This book offers novel approaches and suggests new meanings toward a further understanding of this somewhat abstruse painting.

Build your watercolor skills with confidence with these 25 beautiful and beginner-friendly new projects on premium watercolor paper!

This easy-to-use watercolor workbook is filled with unique and beautiful flower and nature sketches that are ready for you to watercolor--no drawing skills required! Each page is specially designed with simple step-by-step instructions so you can easily and confidently paint each project and create artwork that matches the quality of the author's example.

Watercolor Workbook features:

• An introduction to fundamental watercolor techniques
• 25 projects on thick, 200 gsm premium watercolor art paper—no color bleed-through!
• Easy-to-follow instructions that can be completed in 30 minutes or less
• Beautiful floral and plant artwork, including: wild roses, poppies, sunflowers, buttercups, dandelions, and more
• Easy-to-follow instructions, including suggested paint and paintbrush materials, so you can start painting today

Artist and author Sarah Simon, a.k.a. @themintgardener, has taught thousands of people how to paint with watercolor. Her first book Modern Watercolor Botanicals provides everything you need to know about the art of watercolor and, now in this new workbook, Simon offers 25 watercolor projects that you can sit down and enjoy painting today!

Diversifying the current art historical scholarship, this edited volume presents the untold story of modern art by exposing global voices and perspectives excluded from the privileged and uncontested narrative of “isms.” This volume tells a worldwide story of art with expanded historical narratives of modernism. The chapters reflect on a wide range of issues, topics, and themes that have been marginalized or outright excluded from the canon of modern art. The goal of this book is to be a starting point for understanding modern art as a broad and inclusive field of study. The topics examine diverse formal expressions, innovative conceptual approaches, and various media used by artists around the world and forcefully acknowledge the connections between art, historical circumstances, political environments, and social issues such as gender, race, and social justice. The book will be of interest to scholars working in art history, imperial and colonial history, modernism, and globalization.

Albrecht Durer (1471-1528), perhaps the most famous of all German artists, embodies the modern ideal of the Renaissance man--he was a remarkable painter, printmaker, draftsman, designer, theoretician, and even a poet. More is known about his thoughts and his life than about any other Northern European master of his time, since he wrote extensively about himself, his family's history, his travels, and his friends. His woodcuts and engravings were avidly collected and copied across Europe, and they quickly established his reputation as a master. Praised in life and elegized in death by such thinkers as Martin Luther and Erasmus, he served Emperor Maximilian and other leading church and secular princes in the Holy Roman Empire.Although there is a vast specialized literature on the Nuremberg master, "The Essential Durer" fills the need for a foundational book that covers the major aspects of his career. The essays included in this book, written by leading scholars from the United States and Germany, provide an accessible, up-to-date examination of Durer's art and person as well as his posthumous fame. The essays address an array of topics, from separate and detailed studies of his paintings, drawings, printmaking, and sculpture, to broader concerns such as his visits to and interactions with Venice and the Netherlands, his personal relationships, and his relationships with other artists. Collectively these stimulating essays explore the brilliance of Durer's creativity and the impact he had on his world, exposing him as an artist fully engaged with the tumultuous intellectual and religious challenges of his time.

An historic publishing event Endorsed by the Louvre and for the first time ever, every painting from the world's most popular museum is available in one stunning book. All 3,022 paintings on display in the permanent painting collection of the Louvre are presented in full color in this striking, slipcased book. Comes with an enclosed, supportive DVD-ROM.The Louvre is the world's most visited art museum, with 8.5 million visitors annually, and houses the most celebrated and important paintings of all time. For the first time ever, "The Louvre: All the Paintings" collects all 3,022 paintings currently on display in the permanent collection in one beautifully curated volume.Organized and divided into the four main painting collections of the museum-- the Italian School, the Northern School, the Spanish School, and the French School-- the paintings are then presented chronologically by the artist's date of birth.Four hundred of the most iconic and significant paintings are illuminated with 300-word discussions by art historians Anja Grebe and Vincent Pomarede on the key attributes of the work, what to look for when viewing the painting, the artist's inspirations and techniques, biographical information on the artist, the artist's impact on the history of art, and more.All 3,022 paintings are fully annotated with the name of the painting and artist, the date of the work, the birth and death dates of the artist, the medium that was used, the size of the painting, the Louvre catalog number, and the room in the Louvre in which the painting is found.The DVD-ROM is easily browsable by artist, date, school, art historical genre, or location in the Louvre. This last feature allows readers to tour the Louvre and its contents room by room, as if they were actually walking through the building.DVD-ROM System Requirements: DVD-ROM runs on a PC (Windows 2000/XP or later) and MAC (OSX 10.4.8 or later) running the following browser software Internet Explorer 7 or 8; Firefox 3.6 and above; or Safari 5.0 and above.

Diego Rivera (1886-1957) is a loud presence on the art historical stage. With devout political principles and a turbulent romantic history, he was at once husband and paladin of Frida Kahlo, advocate and adversary of Stalin's Soviet Union, and liberator and traitor of Leon Trotsky. Vibrant, graphic, and often monumental, Rivera's paintings carry the same live political and passionate charge as his personal biography. Fusing European influences such as Cubism with a socialist ideology and an exaltation of Mexico's indigenous and popular heritage, he created a new iconography for art history and for his country. He became one of the most important figures in the Mexican mural movement and won international acclaim for his public wall paintings, in which he presented a utopian yet accessible vision of a post-revolutionary Mexico. In 1931, Rivera was the subject of MoMA's second ever monographic exhibition. This book explores the unique blend of influence and ideology which secure Rivera's place as both a unique and a universal painter, bound to the particular turbulent experience of early 20th century Mexico, and yet preoccupied with subjects such as revolution and class inequity which continue to speak to us today. About the series Born back in 1985, the Basic Art Series has evolved into the best-selling art book collection ever published. Each book in TASCHEN's Basic Art series features: a detailed chronological summary of the life and oeuvre of the artist, covering his or her cultural and historical importance a concise biography approximately 100 illustrations with explanatory captions

There are some areas of watercolour painting that beginners often have trouble with, and one of these is skies. A sky can make or break a landscape painting. In this invaluable guide, Stephen Coates leads you through some highly effective techniques that will demystify sky painting and turn a good watercolour landscape into a brilliant one. Stephen takes a unique, no-fuss approach to watercolour, emphasizing the importance of planning, preparation and practise and explaining clearly which tools and materials you need, and how to prepare your palette before embarking on a painting. He then guides you through seven awe-inspiring skies, from blue summer skies to dramatic sunsets and storm clouds, introducing new skills and techniques as you progress through the book. With numerous handy tips and many examples of Stephen's stunning landscapes throughout, this book will both instruct and inspire you to create beautiful, realistic skies with confidence.

Following on from his successful book Watercolour Trees, Terry presents a new edition of this award-winning title, and includes a great selection of clear, detailed step-by-step demonstrations along with extra tips to show how to paint beautiful trees quickly and easily. He teaches how to paint an impression of trees, rather than showing how reproduce each leaf, and illustrates the importance of understanding shapes, perspective, light and shade, and the way foliage changes with the seasons. This is a book for all landscape artists whatever their skill levels, and anyone who wants to learn more about painting trees whether they are magnificent in their winter habitat, gloriously bedecked in spring foliage, splendid in their summer raiment or stunning when their leaves turn to russet reds and spun golds.

This book presents a selection of the dramatic etchings and brilliant water colours of the Mediterranean countries produced by Lindsay in the 1920s and 1930s. 'The best compliment my work ever received was from Spanish artists who told me that I saw Spain truly, and that I was muy Espanol--one of themselves.' Lionel Lindsay. Lionel Lindsay--brother of the more celebrated Norman Lindsay--spent six months in Spain. Thus began a lifetime passion: Spain was the single most formative influence on his artistic vision and inspired Lindsay's most breathtaking work. This book presents a selection of the dramatic etchings and brilliant water colours of the Mediterranean countries produced by Lindsay in the 1920s and 1930s. Images of churches, landscape and street scenes not only evoke the essence of the region but highlight its connections with Australia. Colin Holden draws on Lindsay's extensive diaries, correspondence and other material to provide fascinating insights into the processes of printmaking, how Lindsay chose and interpreted his subject matter and the techniques he used to present them.

In this, the only up-to-date critical work on still life painting in any language, Norman Bryson analyses the origins, history and logic of 'still life', one of the most enduring forms of Western painting. The first essay is devoted to Roman wall-painting while in the second the author surveys a major segment in the history of still life, from seventeenth-century Spanish painting to Cubism. The third essay tackles the controversial field of seventeenth-century Dutch still life. Bryson concludes in the final essay that the persisting tendency to downgrade the genre of still life is profoundly rooted in the historical oppression of women.
In "Looking at the Overlooked," Norman Bryson is at his most brilliant to date. These superbly written essays will stimulate us to look at the entire tradition of still life with new and critical eyes.

"Wylie fearlessly tackles the thorniest topics head-on, committing her thoughts and questions about politics, religion, fame, love, history, money and nature to canvas." - Charlotte Brook, Harper's Bazaar Inspired by film, pop culture, and the history of fashion as she experienced personally, Wylie harnesses a union of high and low culture with a bold technique of mark making. Her unique practice of material overlay and erasure creates fantastic compositions. Creating conceptual tensions between formal and informal aesthetics, Wylie employs the visual elements of text as formal details in her paintings. With a beautiful swiss binding, this monograph compiles the work of four exhibitions at David Zwirner offering a full breadth of Wylie's most recent work to date. Giving insight and compassion to Wylie's feminist and rebellious impulses, Judith Bernstein writes an accompanying text on how she relates to Wylie's ambitious and playful energy. With a foreword by Nicholas Serota, this publication also features new essays by Barry Schwabsky and David Salle and an enlightening interview between the artist and Hans Ulrich Obrist.

15 stunning wildflower templates with guidance from the artist behind RHS Flowers: The Watercolour Art Pad and RHS Botanical Art: The Watercolour Pad. Create beautiful wildflower paintings using template outlines from the artist, printed on art-quality watercolor paper. Each outline includes a finished painting to copy and a recommended color palette, as used by the artist. The book includes step-by-step tutorials on essential techniques and advice and tips on painting different kinds of plants and flowers, from fleshy bluebells to delicate blossom. Perfect for absolute beginners in botanical art, the ready-to-use outlines allow readers to focus on painting, avoiding the difficulty of accurate composition drawings. RHS Wildflowers: Watercolour Art Pad is an ideal gift for watercolor fans at all stages, whether they're looking to take up botanical art for the first time or refreshing their skills. Featured templates include: - Bluebells - Cowslips - Bee Orchids - Aconites - Meadow Flowers

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 only the disinterest of his contemporary audiences but also devastating bouts of mental illness, with episodes of depression and paralyzing anxiety which would eventually claim his life in 1890, when he committed suicide shortly after his 37th birthday. This comprehensive study of Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) pairs a detailed monograph on his life and art with a complete catalogue of his 871 paintings. About the series Bibliotheca Universalis - Compact cultural companions celebrating the eclectic TASCHEN universe!

Most commonly associated with the birth of the Impressionist movement in mid-19th-century Paris, Edgar Degas (1834-1917) in fact defied easy categorization and instead developed a unique style, strongly influenced by Old Masters, the body in motion, and everyday urban life. The elder scion of a wealthy family, Degas cofounded a series of exhibitions of "Impressionist" art, but soon disassociated himself from the group in pursuit of a more realist approach. His subjects centered on the teeming, noisy streets of Paris, as well as its leisure entertainments, such as horse racing, cabarets, and, most particularly, ballet. With often ambitious, off-kilter vantage points, his images of ballerinas numbered approximately 1,500 works, all deeply invested in the physicality and the discipline of dance. Through illustrations of Foyer de la Danse (1872), Musicians in the Orchestra (1872), and many more, this book provides an essential overview of the artist who created a category all his own, a world of classical resonance, bold compositions, and an endless fascination with movement, which together produced some of the most striking and influential works of the era. About the series Born back in 1985, the Basic Art Series has evolved into the best-selling art book collection ever published. Each book in TASCHEN's Basic Art series features: a detailed chronological summary of the life and oeuvre of the artist, covering his or her cultural and historical importance a concise biography approximately 100 illustrations with explanatory captions

Getting messy is the best part of creating! Get Messy Art gives you the freedom, inspiration, and ideas to experiment and play with art techniques and projects to create perfectly imperfect art. We're always told that play and experimentation is the foundation of growing as an artist. But where do you start? Where to find new techniques to try? How do you bring them all together? Get Messy Art has all the guidance, instruction, and inspiration you need. Based on the popular online class and community website Get Messy Art, this book brings together tons of creative art techniques and projects, including painting with watercolor and acrylic, mark-making, drawing with markers and pen and ink, sketching faces, and much more. The fun doesn't stop there. You'll also learn how to make your own art journals and trendy junk journals-easy handmade books to work in that are personalized and one of a kind. In Get Messy Art you'll discover: A welcoming environment that encourages play and experimentation, to help you become the artist you always wanted to be. How to use no-rules, no-stress art techniques as a creative outlet to express feelings. Actionable inspiration that will keep you going, even when motivation is scarce. Fresh techniques that will show you innovative ways to use low-cost supplies such as paint and mediums, stencils, pens, and paper. Easy background techniques that will get you started and banish fear of the blank page. The satisfaction of making your own unique journals using simple methods. Ultimately, art is all about creating for the sake of creating. It's powerful, it's cathartic, it's messy-and it's all yours. It's time to get messy!

Bringing to life the gorgeous, inspiring art of Monet, Manet, Renoir, Pissarro and their group, Impressionists takes the reader back to Nineteenth Century Paris to explore one of the most influential, and popular art movements in the history of painting. A careful selection of the period's most enduring artworks sits alongside some lesser known, but equally impressive images to convey the spirit and passion of the era.

Explore and create expressive palettes and paintings with Color Harmony for Artists. Watercolor author, artist, and teacher Ana Victoria Calderon guides you through choosing, mixing, and using color with watercolor and mixed media to create the most expressive and appealing combinations and effects for a wide range of moods and subjects. You'll explore a variety of subjects and themes, including flowers, foliage, landscapes, skies, cities, figures, art movements, and historical eras. Begin with a quick overview of the basics of color, color mixing, and mixed media. Explore a variety of color and media combinations, including brilliant brights, muted neutrals, high-contrast complements, and special effects. Find inspiration in evocative photos, abundant palettes, and beautiful paintings. With Color Harmony for Artists, every artist, from beginner to advanced, will be inspired to embrace the creative possibilities of color and paint!