In today’s world of instant snapshots, 24-hour news, and round-the-clock connectivity, an illustrated press where the images are as important as the text has become an increasingly rare art form. This far-reaching compendium celebrates the golden age of graphic journalism as a distinct and unique genre and a laboratory for developing avant-garde aesthetics. Spanning from 1819 to 1921, the collection covers a broad range of news graphics and political and satirical cartoons. Alongside the works of renowned artists such as Jean Cocteau, Juan Gris, and Käthe Kollwitz, the most famous illustrators of the time are also well represented. Thomas Nast, Honoré Daumier, Gustave Doré, and the numerous relatively unknown press graphic artists, the so-called “special artists,� whose work is rediscovered here. Their rich and varied press work is considered not only in connection to the genre and the historical painting of the 19th century but also in its capacity as a pioneering influence on modern art. With striking examples of proto-cinematic narrative thinking, disruptions of the single image space, and daring forays into abstraction, this material is shown to have laid the groundwork for much of the avant-garde artistic expression that followed. The book also explores Vincent Van Gogh's careful attention to the illustrated press of his time. He was inspired not only by the artistic aspect of it but also by the spirit of social reform that it represented. An avid collector, he owned a large number of press graphics and went so far as to consider it a "Bible for Artists".

The Hermetic Museum takes readers on a magical mystery tour spanning an arc from the medieval cosmogram and images of Christian mysticism, through the fascinating world of alchemy to the art of the Romantic era. The enigmatic hieroglyphs of cabalists, Rosicrucians, and freemasons are shown to be closely linked with the early scientific illustrations in the fields of medicine, chemistry, optics, and color theory. Even for those with no knowledge of the fascinating history of alchemy, this book is a delight to explore. Each richly illustrated chapter begins with an introduction and quotes from alchemists by specialist Alexander Roob. The roots of surrealism and many other more recent artistic movements can be found in this treasure trove. About the series Bibliotheca Universalis - Compact cultural companions celebrating the eclectic TASCHEN universe!

Le Musaeum Hermeticum emmene ses lecteurs dans un voyage magique et mysterieux qui debute avec le cosmogramme medieval et des images du mysticisme chretien, avant de traverser l'univers fascinant de l'alchimie jusqu'a l'epoque romantique. Les enigmatiques hieroglyphes des cabalistes, des rosicruciens et des francs-macons apparaissent etroitement lies aux premieres illustrations scientifiques dans les domaines de la medecine, de la chimie, de l'optique et de la theorie des couleurs. Meme pour ceux qui ignorent tout de la fascinante histoire de l'alchimie, ce livre se revele un vrai tresor a explorer. Chaque chapitre abondamment illustre debute par une introduction signee par le specialiste Alexander Roob, enrichie de citations d'alchimistes. Et, dans cette mine inepuisable, se dessinent les origines du surrealisme et de bien d'autres mouvements artistiques plus recents. A propos de la collection Bibliotheca Universalis: la compilation culturelle indispensable qui rend hommage a l'eclectisme de l'univers TASCHEN !