Accompanying a major travelling exhibition, this ambitious volume showcases more than 4,000 years of Peruvian art in approximately 350 diverse, exciting works. A large selection of pre-Columbian treasures, along with masterpieces dating from the colonial era and striking modern paintings and sculptures produced during the first half of the twentieth century, offer new perspectives on the rich cultural identity of the country. In this richly illustrated reference book, more than twenty international contributors explore the mythologies and rituals of ancient Andean civilisations; their perpetuation, concealment, or hybridisation with Catholicism during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries; and the rediscovery and valorisation of Peruvian popular traditions and faiths in the twentieth century.

One of the first people in Europe to consider the gifts which the Aztec ruler Montezuma gave to Hérnan Cortés as works of art was Albrecht Dürer: ‘Nothing I have yet seen has given me such joy as the objects brought to the king from the new gold countries […] Some pieces display an extraordinary skill; I have been astonished by the ingenuity of the inhabitants of those far distant lands,’ he wrote. It was 1520 and those works had been sent to Brussels.

The five centuries that have passed since the beauty of these objects was first noticed seem not to have been enough for the ancient cultures of Latin America to be fully understood. This catalogue of pre-Columbian art is a fresh attempt to examine and come to terms with artworks produced by a section of mankind that came to the attention of Europeans only after the voyages of Columbus and other explorers. It illustrates the collection of pre-Columbian art of Giancarlo and Inti Ligabue, one of the few collections of its kind in Italian hands: over 150 pieces from Mesoamerica and South America, an extraordinary corpus of objects which give testament to the excellence achieved by ancient artists. But it also tells the story of certain rare objects which belonged to the Medici Collection, one of Europe’s greatest treasures. Among these are two atlatls, spear-throwers covered in gold-leaf from the Aztec or Mixtec cultures, a Taíno necklace dating from the fourteenth or fifteenth century, and a Teotihuacan stone mask. These objects are accompanied by pieces from private European collections and a number of significant artworks from the Quai Branly Museum in Paris.

Essays by leading scholars and archaeologists, such as C. Phillips, C.F. Baudez, J.M. Hoppan, J.J. Leyenard, F. Kauffmann Doig, C. Cavatrunci, D. Domenica, and M. Polia, weave both scientific and humanistic interpretations of Amerindian thought. The Giancarlo and Inti Ligabue Collection of masterpieces of ancient Latin American cultures is part of a huge and broad-ranging hoard of objects gathered over a period of almost fifty years.

Founded probably in the 5th or 6th century, the Cathedral of Genoa was later rebuilt in Romanesque style and devoted to St. Lawrence the martyr. Money came from the successful enterprises of the Genoese fleets in the Crusades. After a fire in 1296, the building was partly restored, the inner colonnades rebuilt and matronei and frescoes added. In 1550 the Perugian architect Galeazzo Alessi was commissioned by the city magistrates to plan the reconstruction of the entire building, but the construction of the cathedral didn’t finish until the 17th century.

Among the artworks inside the church are ceiling frescoes, paintings and altarpieces by Luca Cambiaso, Federico Barocci, Lazzaro Tavarone and Gaetano Previati, while sculpture include works by Domenico Gagini, Andrea Sansovino, Giacomo and Guglielmo Della Porta. Impressive are also the works of art and silverware kept in the Museum of the Treasury which lies under the cathedral. One of the most important pieces is the Sacred bowl brought by Guglielmo Embriaco after the conquest of Cesarea and supposed to be the chalice used by Christ during the Last Supper.

Contributors include: Gianluca Ameri, Beatrice Astrua, Michele Bacci, Piero Boccardo, Antonella Capitanio, Marco Ciatti, Marco Collareta, Anna De Floriani, Clario Di Fabio, Grazia Di Natale, Gabriele Donati, Lucia Faedo, Marco Folin, Maria Flora Giubilei, Henrike Haug, Karin Kranhold, Anna Rosa Calderoni Masetti, Roberto Paolo Novello, Linda Pisani, Stefano Riccioni, Giorgio Rossini, Philippe Sénéchal, Carlo Tosco, Gerhard Wolf, Photographs by Ghigo Roli.

Text in English and Italian.

The Royal Palace of Palermo, today seat of the Sicilian Regional Assembly, is one of the symbols of Sicily and of the rich Sicilian and national patrimony. Formerly a fortress, then royal palace and finally building of government, the palace is today an extraordinary and fascinating monumental complex. A casket of artistic treasures like the Palatine Chapel commissioned by Roger II, testimony of the deep encounter between the cultures of the Normans, the Byzantines and the Arabs. The origins of the Palace go back to the xii century, while its present look is mostly due to the additions made by the Spanish viceroys during the Renaissance. Its history is rooted in the viii century B.C., when can be dated the Phoenician structures discovered during the digs of 1984. The scholarly essays of this book, together with the new photographic campaign realized by the photographer Ghigo Roli, are an indispensable guide to the history of the Royal Palace, its manifold functions and the timeless fascination of its rich artistic heritage. With texts by Maria Andaloro, Cinzia Cigni, Piero Longo, Ruggero Longo & Gianni Riotta.

Illustrating one of the great art treasures of the world, The Hours of Catherine of Cleves is a fifteenth century illuminated manuscript containing a series of some of the most beautiful illustrations of the Bible ever made. Many of the great scenes from the Old Testament and many more from the New Testament are included, besides the Stations of the Cross and portraits of the Saints. The work of an unidentified Dutch master painter, the manuscript was made for Catherine of Cleves on the occasion of her marriage to the Duke of Guelders. All the 157 surviving miniatures are reproduced to actual size and in exquisite colour with gold, together with three samples of pages containing the Latin prayers. Each page is accompanied by a descriptive and explanatory commentary by John Plummer. His introduction discusses the development of the Book of Hours as a liturgical form in general, and the history of the Cleves Hours specifically, and describes the place it holds in the history of Northern Painting.

Published on the occasion of an important international loan exhibition at The Azerbaijan National Museum in Baku, this multi-author book is much more than a mere catalogue. Containing previously unpublished research and a wealth of previously hidden material from museums and private collections around the world, and written by a team of international museum professionals and independent scholars, it is the first co-ordinated and detailed study of the West Caspian region’s characteristic silk embroideries. The book traces the history of embroidery in the Caucasus, the multi-cultural sources of domestic embroidery, iconography and designs in which the textile traditions of the Iranian and Turkic worlds meet, materials and needlework techniques, as well as the relationship between embroidery and the pile carpet weaving tradition in the region.

Contents:
1 Silk Treasures of Azerbaijan, Alberto Boralevi & Asli Samadova
2 Historical Azerbaijan, Murray L. Eiland III
3 Caucasian Embroideries in Context, Penny Oakley
4 Safavid-style Domestic Embroideries from Historical Azerbaijan, 1550-1800, Michael Franses
5 Silk Culture in the Caucasus, Irina Koshoridze
6 Azerbaijan Embroidery Techniques, Jennifer Wearden
7 What Went Before to Make It as It Was? Caucasian Embroidered Textiles from The Textile Museum Collection, Sumru Belger Krody
8 Busily Engaged on Embroidery : Collecting and Curatorship for the V&A, Moya Carey
9 An Early Museum Collection: Azerbaijan Embroideries in the V&A, Penny Oakley
10 A Shared Design Lexicon: Azerbaijan Embroideries and Rugs, Brian Morehouse

Letters, manuscripts, drawings and ancient books… many are unique documents that offer us a closer look at the men and women who have made history. These written treasures of cultural heritage and social history, patiently collected by the team of the Museum of Letters and Manuscripts in Brussels, are the very source material for historians and researchers, and often constitute the only link between the world of the remote past and the present time. Anthology, which was conceived to preserve and publicise what amounts to an exceptional overview of history, presents 120 documents signed by some of the most famous historical figures (Alexander III, Charles V, Louis XIV), statesmen (De Gaulle, Eisenhower, Leopold I), authors (Voltaire, Dickens, Hugo Claus ), scientists (Vesalius, Marie Curie, Einstein), artists (Delacroix, Van Gogh, Magritte) and musicians (Mozart, Strauss, De Greef).

“We make treasures for people who long for beauty, wonder and spectacle” – Jeroen Lemaitre “Stuffed animals have become the lingia franca of a contemporary Game of Thrones-ish design evocation of the mythical, the eldritch and the cabinet of curiosities” – The Guardian Aren’t we all rendered speechless by the ultimate beauty that nature has to offer? Don’t we all want to capture it and indulge in these images forever? To capture animals in all their glory in such a way that it shows every flamboyant, scintillating detail is a delicate art. This book gives an overview of the history, the myths and the symbolism, the process, the most wonderful collections and interiors, decorated as true Wunderkammers, and the craftsmen and artists from past and present who elevated taxidermy to fine art. The standard edition is also availble: Wonders are Collectible ISBN 9789401434652

Excellent food, sublime wines, a unique cultural heritage and magnificent countryside – all this and more is what you can expect to find in France, one of the most popular countries to visit in Europe. Attractions range from the tall peaks of the Alps and the Pyrenees, to the lovely Loire Valley, and the sophisticated Côte d’Azur. Then there are the great cities – the capital, Paris, and a number of enchanting regional centres, such as Strasbourg, Lyon and Marseille. France invites you to discover its glorious treasures by car. This big travel handbook shows you the highlights along twelve beautiful routes – from ancient pilgrimage routes to remote country lanes, from the Massif Central to the famous regions and landscapes like Normandy, Champagne and the Alsace. This volume is supplemented by a guide to all French UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage sites. In addition, there are plans of all the major towns and a 176-page road atlas, making Discover France a unique combination of picture book, travel guide and atlas.

With vivid memories of his first visit to the Scottish National Gallery in the 1970s and his initial encounter with Hugo van der Goes’ The Trinity Altarpiece, Rembrandt’s A Woman in Bed, Velázquez’s An Old Woman Cooking Eggs and Degas’ Diego Martelli, Robert Storr discusses the shifting balance of museum collections from historically ‘certified’ classics to art whose status and significance remains in active contention and from singular ‘treasures’ to ensembles that speak to the larger scope of an artist’s endeavour. Also available: Unfinished Paintings: Narratives of the Non-Finito Watson Gordon Lecture 2014 ISBN 9781906270919 ‘The Hardest Kind of Archetype’: Reflections on Roy Lichtenstein The Watson Gordon Lecture 2010 ISBN 9781906270384 Picasso’s ‘Toys for Adults’ Cubism as Surrealism: The Watson Gordon Lecture 2008 ISBN 9781906270261 Sound, Silence, and Modernity in Dutch Pictures of Manners The Watson Gordon Lecture 2007 ISBN 9781906270254 Roger Fry’s Journey From the Primitives to the Post-Impressionists: Watson Gordon Lecture 2006 ISBN 9781906270117

Thomas R. Schiff’s vivid panoramic photographs capture the iconic buildings and landscapes of San Francisco and the Bay Area in new and surprising ways. From the Golden Gate Bridge to Coit Tower, they offer a refreshing perspective on familiar places and reveal unexpected treasures in everyday ones. With essays on photography, perception, and architecture by Susan Ehrens, Wendy Lesser, and Tim Culvahouse, and an author interview by Dave Christensen, The Poetics of Distortion: Panoramic Photographs of the San Francisco Bay Area is a mind-bending, eye-opening, very San Franciscan journey.

Each year between 1819 and 1825, John Constable submitted a monumental canvas to the Royal Academy of Arts in London for display in the annual Exhibition. These so-called ‘six-footers’ vividly captured the life of the River Stour in Suffolk, where Constable grew up and where he returned to paint each year. The Leaping Horse, the last of these, is now a major work in the Academy’s collection, and is the subject of this fascinating new book, the latest in the Royal Academy’s studies of its masterworks. The art historian Richard Humphreys explores Constable’s often avant-garde working methods, as well as his struggle to gain full acceptance within the art establishment of the early nineteenth century. With reproductions of the artist’s full-scale preliminary sketches as well as brand new photography of the painting itself, this book is the ideal companion for art lovers who seek a deeper appreciation of Constable’s iconic depictions of the English countryside.

The Image Archive of the main library at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH-Bibliothek) is home to a vast collection of photographs. It includes material collected by professors and other staff at the ETH, images created and collected by institutes and chairs within the ETH, but also the entire archives of companies or other institutions, such as Switzerland s legendary former national airline Swissair (1931 – 2001), or private collections bequeathed to ETH-Bibliothek. The aim of the new book series Pictorial Worlds. Photographs from the ETH-Bibliothek’s Image Archive is to build a bridge between analytical treatment of historical image sources and the interest in individual photographs for any possible reason. One of the collections held at the Image Archive has been put together by Swiss entrepreneur Adolf Feller (1879 – 1931) and his daughter Elisabeth (1910 – 1973). Unique in size, scope and period covered, it comprises 54,000 postcards from 1889 – 1980. It documents comprehensively what can be called the ‘Golden Age’ of picture postcards before World War I, with its enormous diversity of motifs, radical changes of style in design and of the era when postcards had their heyday as a communication medium. The collection’s main focus is on images of individual sites, places and landscapes in 140 countries. Around 15,000 motifs are from Switzerland. The period best represented in the collection is from 1893 – 1930. The World in Pocket-size Format is a documentation of this magnificent collection. The book is also an illustrated history of this means of communication that has had its time of utmost importance in human relationships. Text in English and German.

Ethiopia is an amazing and mysterious country. People are moved by its rich nature, culture and history, which are linked both with the Western and Islamic worlds. Ethiopia is the home of coffee and khat, the place where the oldest human being in the world was found. It harbours the source of the Blue Nile in the west and numerous treasures of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Rock hewn churches and their relics lie hidden in the majestic mountainous landscapes of the north. In the east, people and landscapes blend into different customs, scents and colours, almost unnoticeably. In this warm fertile lowland, the impressive Harar is found: the city of a hundred mosques. Further south, there is a land of promise with lush meadows, glittering lakes and natural parks. This is the region of many colourful peoples with their centuries-old values and customs. In this country of rich traditions much is changing. In Ethiopia, modernisation has begun, not only in terms of construction, technology and education, but also in the minds of its inhabitants. With its diversity of peoples, landscapes, cultures and traditions, this creates a stimulating force. Ethiopians are proud, friendly and religious. Regardless of whether they are Christian or Muslim, or worship ancient nature gods, religion provides most Ethiopians harmony, a foothold and hope. Ethiopia: Footsteps in Dust and Gold is an amazing journey through an incredible landscape, beautifully illustrated with evocative text and illuminating photographs that fully capture its colourful diversity.

Living Buildings celebrates the 50th Anniversary of Donald Insall Associates, the Practice founded by distinguished British architect Donald Insall, a leading exponent in the field of Architectural Conservation. Probably best known for the restoration of Windsor Castle after a devastating fire in 1992, the team’s dedicated work has ensured the longevity of many of Britain’s national treasures. This book presents a detailed examination of a painstaking approach to architectural conservation, comprehensively illustrated by case-studies, drawings, plans and in-depth descriptions. It is designed for a wide readership among all those who love and care for old buildings and appreciate good new design in sensitive areas.

London Secrets unlocks the city’s most fascinating secrets. Janelle McCulloch strips away bricks, mortar and tarmac to uncover parts of the capital that even born and bred Londoners may never have seen. In the shadow of the Gherkin, Cheesegrater and Walkie-Talkie skyscrapers are medieval churches, crypts and the curios of Postman’s Park – proof that altruism can exist in the Square Mile. In St James’s, a stone’s throw from the glitz and glamour of Soho are hidden squares and shops dating from a gentler age – purveyors of fine wine, gentleman’s apparel and bowler hats. The cobbled mews of Marylebone and Hampstead Village reveal unexpected treasures, rarely seen interiors and a rural idyll amid the urban hum. While the esoteric collections at the Horniman, Sir John Soane’s Museum and exotica of Leighton House make you feel you are in an entirely different country altogether. The author reveals the traditions and quirks that have survived to this day, from the freedom of the City of London allowing you to herd sheep through the town, to the “market ouvert” of Bermondsey Market, original home of the London wheeler-dealer. Lavishly photographed and researched, London Secrets will shed a whole new light on this most vibrant – and surprising – of cities.

Switzerland is well-known for its host of remarkable collections of 18th century European porcelain. Exemplary representatives include renowned collectors such as Dr Albert Kocher and Dr Marcel Nyffeler. A number of these magnificent collections can be found today – as a result of endowments or gifts – in Switzerland’s renowned institutions. Today, the ‘white gold’ from Saxony still fascinates Swiss connoisseurs: this publication is dedicated to their passion for collecting and for exceptional treasures, and is enriched with articles by renowned art historians and porcelain experts. An impressive overview of the gems from the most sumptuous Meissen porcelain of the early period.

Bruges City Guide 2016 is THE most comprehensive guide to visiting the ‘Venice of the north’; this guide contains up-to-date information (opening hours etc.) on ALL places of interest, museums and attractions, and will be revised every year. The convenient address guide will help you find the best shops, hotels, bed and breakfasts, cafés and restaurants, while the fold out street map will help you get to your destination. This definitive little guide includes three atmospheric walks, as well as cycling routes, through the city, helping you discover the incredibly diverse museums, from the Groeninge Museum, featuring fine art from the 15th to the 21st century, to the Hospital Museum – two medieval hospital buildings in the centre of Bruges, enjoying a new lease of life as art galleries; monuments, such as The Belfry, with its carillon that has rung every quarter hour for over 700 years; well-known locations, such as the historic city centre – A UNESCO World Heritage Site; and picturesque, hidden alleyways. It also includes tips from locals, letting you in on the secrets that only those native to Bruges would know, and features information on cultural events. Bruges City Guide 2016 illustrates how this historic city, with its cherished architecture and artistic treasures – and its breweries and 50 or so chocolate boutiques – really does have something for everybody, whether you’re planning a daytrip or a weekend getaway. Text in Italian.

This Tiny Folio takes readers on a fascinating tour of New York City history – from the land of the Lenape to today’s metropolis – as illustrated by some 250 diverse items from the incomparable collections of the Museum of the City of New York. These include paintings, photographs, drawings, manuscripts, decorative arts and fashion, and unique artefacts such as a lock of George Washington’s hair, ‘Boss’ Tweed’s tiger-headed cane, and the famous Stettheimer Dollhouse, adorned with miniature works of art by the 1920s avant-garde. An insightful text places these objects in their historical context and relates them to the broader forces that have shaped New York into a world city. This little book is a perfect gift for first-time visitors and lifelong New Yorkers alike.

Greenwich is the one London district whose name resonates around the world. As ‘the place where time began‘, everyone has heard of it, so naturally everyone wants to come here when they visit the capital.

With a memorable and picturesque Thames-side location, its maritime history means that there‘s more to see here per square foot than any other outer London neighbourhood, and this new guide tells you how to do it.

111 Places not only tracks down the most interesting nuggets among Greenwich’s mainstream sights, from the Cutty Sark to the Meridian Line, it also lifts the lid on the area’s lesser-known attractions – from haunted Jacobean houses and mudlarking in Deptford Creek to classic pie and mash shops and famous riverside pubs. It explores beyond the confines of Greenwich town centre, turning up treasures like Henry VIII’s favourite residence, Eltham Palace – now an Art Deco gem – and nearby engineering feats like the Thames Barrier.

You could come to London and spend half your time in Greenwich, and we wouldn’t blame you if you did. This book tells you how to make the most of London‘s maritime borough.

Newcastle is England’s most northerly city and shares a long history with Gateshead, its neighbour on the south side of the River Tyne. The two, city and town respectively, are a heady mix of the old and new; both were industrial powerhouses during the 19th Century that have successfully embraced recent change, reinventing themselves as vibrant places of entertainment and culture. With this book in hand, journey over and under the Tyne to discover treasures such as the steam turbine ship Turbinia, a sleekly streamlined example of north-eastern mechanical know-how; wander across the wide-open space of the Town Moor, where President Jimmy Carter has the right to graze cattle; take in Saltwell Towers, an eccentric castle in the leafy surroundings of Saltwell Park; then top it all off with a pint in a pub where the ghost of Charles I may well make an appearance. Written by a Geordie, this book will help you explore the quirkier side of both Newcastle and Gateshead, and discover their hidden gems.