Category: Decorative Arts

All Good Things: A Treasury of Images to Uplift the Spirits and Reawaken Wonder by Stephen Ellcock

Post author By Art Ride
Post date December 30, 2019

This is our second post for the month because we just couldn’t resist the temptation to show this amazing new book to our readers. Stephen Ellcock is an image collector curator and somewhat of an internet sensation with huge fan following. This book is a collection of beautiful images from the past and the present. Read on…

In 2013 picture researcher and former publisher Stephen Ellcock began selecting imagery and posting them on his Visual Rapture Facebook page. Five years and 300,000 followers later, Ellcock has an international following who avidly await his daily uploads and his carefully curated and sequenced albums of images. His selections of little known and public domain imagery regularly attain thousands or shares or comments from all around the world. All give thanks for the uplifting nature of his selections.
Taking his title from the first ever Encyclopedia in the English language, All Good Things (Omne Bonum)this new compendium of art and photography inspired by both the natural world and human endeavour will appeal both to his digital followers and our image-focused, solace-seeking times. Providing meditative focus and visual exhilaration – Ellcock celebrates our humanity and inspires us to wonder once more.
All Good Things is structured to evoke the medieval tradition of exquisite, illuminated books – beginning with the universal and travelling through the realms of sky, sea, earth, science and humanity before ending amongst the angels and monsters that have so preoccupied artists over the centuries.
Using found artwork from archives, libraries and little-known collections of art, illustration, photography and textiles this is a glorious adventure; one that can be appreciated on many levels. There will be introductions to each chapter as well as recommended image lists for enjoyment, restoration, inspiration. Carefully selected quotes from poets from thinkers, writers and scientists will counterpoint images perfectly and add to the richness of this beautifully produced book.
From the book description

It feels nice to close the year with such a richly illustrated book. We wish you a wonderful new year 2020, and all good things!

Medieval Art by Marilyn Stokstad

Post author By Art Ride
Post date May 25, 2019

Art appreciation is a skill that can be learnt, with the right instruction and the right teacher. Marilyn Stokstad aims to do the same with her book on Medieval Art. This month we present to you this gem of a book on medieval art that covers a broad range of art and architecture topics. Read on…

This book teaches the reader how to look at medieval art–which aspects of architecture, sculpture, or painting are important and for what reasons. It includes the art and building of what is now Western Europe from the second to the fifteenth centuries.
From the book description

For the readers who don’t mind their growing library of Medieval Art, this is an excellent addition. Albeit expensive, and relatively scarce, this book walks the fine balance of teaching through demonstrating. Get it wherever you can.

Calligraphy Decorative Arts History

The World Encyclopedia of Calligraphy: The Ultimate Compendium on the Art of Fine Writing by Christopher Calderhead

Post author By Art Ride
Post date November 23, 2018

Continuing with our theme of arcane topics, this month we bring to you the only book that you will ever need to read about calligraphy – art of fine writing. If your familiarity with calligraphy goes beyond that college certificate on your wall, you will fall in love with this book. Amazing illustrations and an in-depth story. Read on…

Discover the sophisticated beauty of calligraphy from around the world with this comprehensive, one-of-a-kind resource.
This groundbreaking international tour of calligraphy now features a sumptuous new foil-stamped cover. Showcasing the work of a roster of international artists, it features more than 60 scripts drawn by experts from America and Armenia to Syria and Tibet. Reflecting the diversity of contemporary calligraphy, it includes lessons and exercises for learning to write 28 alphabets, including Arabic, Chinese, Hebrew, Japanese, Roman, and more. This unique volume offers an exploration of each script’s history, while beautiful step-by-step instructions and examples will inspire and guide calligraphy enthusiasts and experts alike.
From the book description

For the readers who admire fine writing, and would like to learn more, this is a fundamental book. A lot of research has gone into this book and you will appreciate the academic flavor. Widely available at leading book stores.

Colonial Decorative Arts Museums Pottery

Ceramics: 400 Years of British Collecting in 100 Masterpieces by Patricia F. Ferguson

Post author By Art Ride
Post date January 25, 2017

Happy New Year! Wow! What a treat! While the British Empire was busy plundering its colonies, they brought back all these artifacts which find places in various museums around the world, but of course, the most significant aspect is, plundering it was, and no nation has a right to forcefully remove from a people elements of their heritage. Not all were forcibly taken, admitted. This has been a widely accepted as a global principle. Regardless, the sad and unfortunate motivations for this collections should not stop you from enjoying this beautiful collection – an ode to the original creators of ceramics artwork around the world.

Winner of the 2017 American Ceramics Circle Book of the Year Award
The aim of this publication is to introduce the rich and varied ceramics in the National Trust’s vast and encyclopedic collection, numbering approximately 75,000 artifacts, housed in 250 historic properties in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. One hundred key pieces have been selected from this rich treasure trove, each contributing to our knowledge of ceramic patronage and history, revealing the very personal stories of ownership, display, taste, and consumption.
The selection includes the following Continental wares: “Red-figure” wares, Italian armorial tablewares, Dutch Delft from the Greek A factory – owned by Adrianus Kocx – Chinese Kraak ware, Dehua ware, Japanese Kakiemon-style and Imari-style tablewares and garnitures, Meissen table sculpture by Johann Joachim Kändler and tablewares attributed to Adam Friedrich von Löwenfinck, Castelli fayence from the Grue workshop, and wares from the following porcelain manufactories: Doccia, Vienna, Vincennes, Sèvres, Dihl, and Feulliet.
English pottery and porcelain includes delftware, salt-glazed stoneware, creamware, Wedgwood Black Basalt and Etruscan ware, Chelsea, Bow, Worcester, and Derby porcelain, Minton China, De Morgan, and Martin ware.
And from the Americas, Pueblo ware.
Many are published for the first time, sometimes illustrated in their original interiors. Collectively, the selection surveys patterns of ceramic collecting by the British aristocracy and gentry over a four hundred year period.
From the book description

Readers fond of collectors’ items are sure to enjoy looking at the stunning pictures and holding back the desire to touch, own, and possess these works of art. A desire that the looters could not resist. Available at select book stores.

Decorative Arts Religious Stained Glass

Chagall: The Stained Glass Windows by Sylvie Forestier

Post author By Art Ride
Post date December 28, 2016

Happy New Year in advance! Hope you has a wonderful Christmas. This month we bring to you, appropriate of this season, an wonderful treat for those who enjoy stained glass designs. This collection is broad in scope and shows a huge variety of stained glass art. Read on more about it under:

Marc Chagall, as other famous artists of the twentieth century, has worked in various genres of the visual arts, but no one has launched the monumental art of stained glass like Chagall. Windows in Metz, Saarburg, Mainz, Reims, Pocantico, Jerusalem, Nice, and Zurich are highlighted here, along with documentation of the enormous preparatory work and the various stages of designing and coloring the windows. This extraordinarily illustrated book, edited by Chagall’s granddaughter Meret Meyer, is a triumph of beauty and technique, showing the many details of windows and all the preparatory drawing to help the reader understand the big picture. It is a book to savor and treasure.
From the book description

Clearly, as the publishers point out, this is a book to savor and treasure and we hope that the readers will thoroughly enjoy exploring this wondrous piece of art. Now widely available.

Culture Decorative Arts Europe Food Society

The Edible Monument: The Art of Food for Festivals by Marcia Reed

Post author By Art Ride
Post date February 18, 2016

For the food lovers! Did you know that early modern Europe had developed food display as an art form paralleled only by the aristocracy’s voracious appetite for all things luxury? This is an amazing book that presents a collection of edible arrangements. Appetizing!

The Edible Monument considers the elaborate architecture, sculpture, and floats made of food that were designed for court and civic celebrations in early modern Europe. These include popular festivals such as Carnival and the Italian Cuccagna. Like illuminations and fireworks, ephemeral artworks made of food were not well documented and were challenging to describe because they were perishable and thus quickly consumed or destroyed. In times before photography and cookbooks, there were neither literary models nor a repertoire of conventional images for how food and its preparation should be explained or depicted.
Although made for consumption, food could also be a work of art, both as a special attraction and as an expression of power. Formal occasions and spontaneous celebrations drew communities together, while special foods and seasonal menus revived ancient legends, evoking memories and recalling shared histories, values, and tastes.
Drawing on books, prints, and scrolls that document festival arts, elaborate banquets, and street feasts, the essays in this volume examine the mythic themes and personas employed to honor and celebrate rulers; the methods, materials, and wares used to prepare, depict, and serve food; and how foods such as sugar were transformed to express political goals or accomplishments.
This book is published on the occasion of an exhibition at the Getty Research Institute from October 13, 2015, to March 23, 2016.
From the book description

Hope the readers will be able to, um, savor, this collection with joy! Widely available.

Africa Coloring Decorative Arts Design Zoology

101 Animals To Color: Adult Coloring Book Packed With Owls, Elephants, Lions, Butterflies, Cats, Dogs, Horses, Eagles, And So Much More! by Savanna Magic

Post author By Art Ride
Post date August 23, 2015

Dear Readers, sorry about the long hiatus on account of summer travels. We are extremely overwhelmed with the response to our sharing of Savanna Magic’s previous book. Therefore, we have decided to feature their another book which, like the last one, is a visual treat for those who enjoy coloring.

101 Unique Images To Color
Enjoy a large array of beautiful animals and relaxing exquisite patterns with this easy coloring book from Savanna Magic
This “101 Animals to Color” coloring book is a relaxing way to show your love of animals while your stress fades away. Each animal features simple patterns that allow you to effortlessly fill pages with any of your favorite colors. This book is packed with a variety of favorite animals with close-up animal portraits and full-body animal designs so you will have an abundance of options of what to color next.
You get to color a variety of fun animal designs from all across the animal kingdom. You can color lovable farm animals, wild jungle animals, mysterious animals of the sea, and so much more! Take time from your busy schedule and choose an animal you feel like coloring whether wild, exotic or adorable. You can challenge yourself and color each animal with realistic colors or have fun and let your imagination run wild and use whichever colors you choose.
From the book description

This home grown artist continues to amaze us. Hope you will enjoy this collection of coloring images. Available at many book stores now.

Botanical Decorative Arts Floral Landscapes

Emil Nolde: My Garden Full of Flowers by Emil Nolde

Post author By Art Ride
Post date May 7, 2015

An excellent new collection featuring Emil Nolde’s floral work.

Emil Nolde was a German-Danish painter and printmaker. He was one of the first Expressionists, a member of Die Brücke, and was one of the first oil painting and watercolor painters of the early 20th century to explore color. He is known for his brushwork and expressive choice of colors. Golden yellows and deep reds appear frequently in his work, giving a luminous quality to otherwise somber tones. His watercolors include vivid, brooding storm-scapes and brilliant florals.

This is a very beautiful collection for those who appreciate the simple yet eternal beauty of flower designs.

This new title in DuMont’s themed Emil Nolde series is devoted to the painter’s garden and flower pictures. Wherever he settled, Nolde always planted a flower garden. Nolde’s garden at Seebüll is a particular focus of this volume, and one of the artist’s most marvelous creations, designed as it is around motifs using the initials A and E (for his wife Ada and his own name). A sumptuous compilation, this new edition of My Garden Full of Flowers includes larger plates.
From the book description

Readers will absolutely fall in love with this collection. Available at most leading book stores.

See you next time!

Architecture Decorative Arts History

Vital Art Nouveau 1900: From the Collection of the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague by Otto Urban

Post author By Art Ride
Post date December 22, 2014

Here is a book with a selection of Czech and European Art Nouveau masterpieces.

Vital Art Nouveau 1900 presents a selection of the most outstanding works of Czech and European Art Nouveau style from the collection of the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague, all of which are on permanent display at the Prague Municipal House. This volume establishes the Art Nouveau arts and crafts as part of the forward-looking trends and emancipation efforts that evolved in the late nineteenth century; as a reformist art movement, Art Nouveau strove to achieve a unity between art and life, aspiring to overcome the Romantic duality of beauty versus reality, or “the truth of life.” These rebellious artists not only forced a break with the rigidity of existing art practices, but also regenerated forms of artistic expression that many considered to be stagnant. Infused with the popular aesthetic theories of the times, such as Vitalism and Spiritism, the Art Nouveau aesthetic answered and responded to the new zest for life that swept nineteenth-century society as a whole. Masterpieces of decorative art exhibited at the famous Paris World’s Fair of 1900 are reproduced in this volume in color, alongside a variety of works ranging from paintings, poster art, magazines and ceramic works to jewelry, glassware and furniture.
Book description

For those who enjoy Art Nouveau, this is a great visual treat. Available at all leading book stores.

Wishing all our readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2015. We will see you next month with another amazing art book.