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This is the first book on Venetian mosaics of the nineteenth century. It illustrates work by both the Salviati Company and the Venice and Murano Glass and Mosaic Company. A carefully researched work, Venetian Glass Mosaics addresses the revival of the art of Venetian mosaic making in the mid-nineteenth century and discusses the complicity of both Antonio Salviati and Sir Austen Henry Layard in that revival. It is a comprehensive work, illustrating Salviati’s earliest surviving mosaics, the 1860 mosaic decoration of the Royal Mausoleum at Frogmore and continuing through his company’s last commission, the Stanford Memorial Church in Palo Alto, California. The recovered art of Venetian mosaic in the late-nineteenth- and early twentieth-century is now seen as one of the most important aesthetic achievements of the Victorian-Edwardian era. Neglected and unappreciated for decades, surviving mosaics are being cleaned and restored worldwide. Whether highly visible monuments in major cities or small achievements of Venetian manufacturers are now treasured for the splendid masterpieces they are.

Afro Libio Basaldella (Udine, 1912-Zurich, 1976) was perhaps the most renowned member of the Friuli Avant-garde Movement, which influenced his approach towards a more Expressionist sense of painting that had always been based on traditional Venetian Colorism. In the 1940s, Afro joined the Fronte Nuovo delle Arti, and following a visit to the United States, he joined the Gruppo degli Otto, with whom he exhibited at the Venice Biennale in 1952. Although in certain aspects his style seemed similar to American Action Painting, his harmonious tonal modulation and later research into abstract shapes and forms produced intellectually sophisticated results. This is the catalog of the first French retrospective of the artist, held at the Tornabuoni Art Gallery in Paris, showing works ranging from the 1930s to the 1970.

Contents:
Preface by Philip Rylands;
Afro, his work by Philip Rylands;
Afro and the New York art scene by Barbara Drudi;
Letters and writings selected by Barbara Drudi;
Critical anthology selected by Philip Rylands;
The exposition of 1949 at the MoMA by Davide Colombo;
The Garden of Hope by Anne Monfort.

This volume is a comprehensive monograph chronicling the personal and professional journey of the Indian architect and urban conservationist Brinda Somaya, from 1975 to the present. Belonging to the ‘Bridge Generation’, her work transcends stylistic vocabulary and draws its inspiration from Indian culture, the landscape of the subcontinent and principles of sustainable design and intervention.

The book explores a cross-section of Somaya’s diverse typology of projects, including housing, institutions, conservation, urban design, social design and industrial works that represent a unique ‘non-stylistic’ grammar that has a sense of ‘order and appropriateness’. Situating her work in a broader context, the essays in this volume offer multiple perspectives on Somaya’s accomplishments, while the dialogues outline the concerns central to her work.

Contents:
Foreword – James Stewart Polshek; Preface – Ruturaj Parikh; Acknowledgements; Introduction – Nandini Somaya Sampat; On India – Arun Shourie and Brinda Somaya; Bhadli village and Vasant Vidyalaya; Campus for Zensar Technologies; The Cathedral & John Connon School; Tata Consultancy Services Headquarters; Working from Mumbai – Kamu Iyer, Mary N. Woods and Brinda Somaya; The Street; The Community; Jubilee Church; Rajabai Clock Tower; Architecture and Culture – Saryu Doshi and Brinda Somaya; St Thomas Cathedral; Nalanda International School; Houses; Club Mahindra Kumbhalgarh; Campus for Goa Institute of Management; The Significance of Brinda Somaya’s Work in Post-Independence India – Jon Lang; Humility and Fierce Resolve: The Making of a Compleat Architect – Porus Olpadwala; The Empathetic Architect – Mary N. Woods; Brinda Somaya’s Practice and Contemporary Architecture in India – Ruturaj Parikh; Epilogue – Tod Williams and Billie Tsien.

• First such monograph on Brinda Somaya’s work

• Enhanced with 640 images

• Features essays by and conversations with several noted scholars

• Features many previously unseen photographs

This volume is a comprehensive monograph chronicling the personal and professional journey of the Indian architect and urban conservationist Brinda Somaya, from 1975 to the present. Belonging to the ‘Bridge Generation’, her work transcends stylistic vocabulary and draws its inspiration from Indian culture, the landscape of the subcontinent and principles of sustainable design and intervention.

The book explores a cross-section of Somaya’s diverse typology of projects, including housing, institutions, conservation, urban design, social design and industrial works that represent a unique ‘non-stylistic’ grammar that has a sense of ‘order and appropriateness’. Situating her work in a broader context, the essays in this volume offer multiple perspectives on Somaya’s accomplishments, while the dialogues outline the concerns central to her work.

Contents:
Foreword – James Stewart Polshek; Preface – Ruturaj Parikh; Acknowledgements; Introduction – Nandini Somaya Sampat; On India – Arun Shourie and Brinda Somaya; Bhadli village and Vasant Vidyalaya; Campus for Zensar Technologies; The Cathedral & John Connon School; Tata Consultancy Services Headquarters; Working from Mumbai – Kamu Iyer, Mary N. Woods and Brinda Somaya; The Street; The Community; Jubilee Church; Rajabai Clock Tower; Architecture and Culture – Saryu Doshi and Brinda Somaya; St Thomas Cathedral; Nalanda International School; Houses; Club Mahindra Kumbhalgarh; Campus for Goa Institute of Management; The Significance of Brinda Somaya’s Work in Post-Independence India – Jon Lang; Humility and Fierce Resolve: The Making of a Compleat Architect – Porus Olpadwala; The Empathetic Architect – Mary N. Woods; Brinda Somaya’s Practice and Contemporary Architecture in India – Ruturaj Parikh; Epilogue – Tod Williams and Billie Tsien.

Nicknamed ‘the French Borromini’, Gilles Marie Oppenord (1672-1742) was born in Paris, the son of a royal cabinet maker. He was a royal pensioneer at the Academie de France in Rome. There he devoted much of his studies to Mannerist and Baroque architecture and ornament and the Louvre’s carnet (acquired in 1972) is a testament to this period of intense study. Only three sketchbooks of this period survive. When he returned to Paris he was trained as an architect by Jules-Hardouin Mansart and he soon became the architect of Philippe II Duke of Orleans, later Regent of France, for whom he decorated and designed the interiors of the Palais Royal. For the reception of the King in 1723, he was entrusted with the restoration and decoration of the Château de Villers Cotterets. Oppenord also carried out important church commissions, among them the completion of the church of Saint Sulpice in Paris. A talented draughtsman, he published two books of his engraved designs.

Text in French.

New York City’s Cathedral of St. John the Divine has been built stone by stone, story by story for over 125 years. Now collected for the first time in one stunning volume, this oral biography gathers stories behind the still unfinished Cathedral. Over 175 voices, compiled from new interviews and archived material, speak to the fascinating reasons why church and city leaders decided to build the world’s largest Gothic Cathedral, the meaning behind the building’s architecture, and an inside look at some of the world’s most noteworthy events. New photos and freshly unearthed snapshots of the majestic structure punctuate this tome. The words of Bishops and Deans are collected alongside those of Cathedral Artists in Residence Phillipe Petit and Judy Collins, public figures David Dinkins and Al Gore, artists Madeleine L’Engle and Jessye Norman, Cathedral employees, neighborhood residents, and more, illustrating the vibrant life that fills this colossal building.

This book documents the project Radio Carabuco of the Bolivian artist Andrés Pereira Paz, which he created during his residency at Künstlerhaus Bethanien in Berlin. A podcast (www.radiocarabuco.com) developed in collaboration with international artists, researchers, and activists forms the centerpiece of the project.

Pereira Paz’s critical reflections were inspired by José López de los Ríos’s painting of a vision of hell, commissioned by the Catholic Church during the colonial era. Created in the Andes town of Carabuco in 1664, the work is still on display at the local church. Like many paintings from that period, the Christian motif was brought to Latin America by the Spanish colonial rulers to convert the indigenous population from paganism to Christianity and to peddle propaganda for Catholicism’s message of salvation.

The episodes of Pereira Paz’s podcast investigate the methods and consequences of religious and cultural colonialism and scrutinise various political and societal perspectives, in particular with regard to his native country of Bolivia. The rejection and suppression of everything that is perceived as ‘other’ is a key theme of his work, which also addresses the question of whether the traditional Western idea of ‘hell’ has potentially become a symbolic place of active resistance against propaganda, censorship, and discrimination that should be defended as effectively as possible.

As architecture increasingly became digitized, Heinz Bienefeld (1926-1995) remained analog. Guest editor Wilfried Wang, presents original drawings from 5 projects and conversations visiting them with Bienefeld’s son Nikolaus.

Bienefeld was known to design through a series of drawing scales, starting small and conceptual, then getting client approval at a medium level. Finally, details would be worked out in charcoal at his favorite scale of 1:10, then transferred by pencil and ink. Some of the drawings would be painted, giving the impression of paintings.

These designs were frequently discussed with the craftsmen who would work on the project. Their input led to the construction of special, customized details unique to the structure. He favored building methods that proved long lasting, delivering projects that would serve multiple generations of users.

Text in English and Japanese.

Contents:
Introduction: Heinz Bienefeld – Drawing Collection – Wilfried Wang; Essay: Modern Interpretations of Classical Ideals – Five Buildings by Heinz Bienefeld – Wilfried Wang; Wilhelm Nagel House; Parish Church of St. Willibrord; Parish Church of St. Bonifatius; Heinze-Manke House; Essay: Sketches – Notes on the Four-Year-Long Project for the Heinze-Manke House – Norbert Heinze; Babanek House; Essay: A Silent Master Builder – Hansjörg Göritz; Chronological List of Projects by Heinz Bienefeld.

Impressive monograph of artist Nick Ervinck

Nick Ervinck (b.1981) is an artist primarily interested in the field of tension between nature and culture, between tradition and innovation. In his work, he strives to push the boundaries of digital possibilities, always with respect for (art) historical heritage. Nick Ervinck – Works, GNI_RI_2022 brings together Ervinck’s well-known monumental sculptures and 3D prints, as well as drawings, ceramics and new work in brick and bronze.

Publication accompanying the exhibition Nick Ervinck – GNI_RI_may2022 in St James’ Church in Ghent from 23 May to 24 July 2022.

Includes a text contributed by writer and curator Jon Wood, a specialist in modern and contemporary sculpture, who led the Henry Moore Institute’s research programme for many years. Freddy Decreus, Professor Emeritus at Ghent University, and Michael Hübl also contributed texts.

Text in English and Dutch.

Inspired by poets, draftsmen and printmakers, painters also discovered Haarlem and its beautiful surroundings as rewarding subjects for their work. Jacob van Ruisdael and Gerrit Berckheyde both repeatedly pictured the city – the former with his ‘Haerlempjes’, where heavy cloudy skies dominate the landscape and the unmistakable St Bavo’s Church stands on the horizon. Berckheyde is known for his atmospheric cityscapes: the Grote Markt, with St Bavo’s as the focal point, the Weigh House on the River Spaarne and the city gates.

When African-American music broke out of the church in the early 1960s and singers such as Ray Charles and Sam Cooke added secular lyrics to gospel in order to tap into a new audience, the 7″ single was the medium of the hour. The early soul LPs were mostly compilations of successful singles, enriched with cover versions, but this was to change radically in 1971 when Marvin Gaye released “What’s Going On” against the resistance of his label Motown. After that, there was no stopping him.
Sly & The Family Stone, Stevie Wonder, Isaac Hayes, The Temptations, James Brown and countless criminally ignored groups used the medium to comment on grievances and experiment. Songs stretched over ten minutes and left the radio-friendly three-minute format. The music was also given a visual aesthetic, the musicians were given a face and told their story on the backs of the covers. Anyone who had previously raved about Al Green’s voice could now hold him in their hands as an LP, reclining on a wicker chair in a white suit.
Today, original LPs are traded for sometimes dizzying sums. Record shops and online exchanges are booming. The feel of the record, the crackling when the needle grips the groove, analogue playback and, last but not least, DJ culture have simply defied the logic of technological progress. They say that the dead live longer. This certainly applies to the LP. This calendar is dedicated to the aura that only an original pressing can have.

The definitive photographic guide to discovering the beauty of Rome. A historical-archaeological introduction immerses the visitor in the Eternal City. The 15 itineraries explore the main riches of the historic center of the Urbe, with its fountains, squares, churches, palaces, museums and parks, also include precious gems, far from the traditionally visited routes. Each itinerary features a map, a rich corpus of descriptive images, historical information, curiosities and tips for enjoying an authentic Roman stay.
QR codes at the opening of chapters get to digital contents that enrich the experience of getting to know the Eternal City, from paper to digital.

The definitive photographic guide to discovering the beauty of Rome. A historical-archaeological introduction immerses the visitor in the Eternal City. The 15 itineraries explore the main riches of the historic center of the Urbe, with its fountains, squares, churches, palaces, museums and parks, also include precious gems, far from the traditionally visited routes. Each itinerary features a map, a rich corpus of descriptive images, historical information, curiosities and tips for enjoying an authentic Roman stay.
QR codes at the opening of chapters get to digital contents that enrich the experience of getting to know the Eternal City, from paper to digital.

In Pigments of English Medieval Wall Painting, the author demonstrates that the techniques of wall painting in medieval England were far more complex than had previously been supposed. This is the first systematic analysis of the pigments employed in medieval wall paintings in northern Europe, covering an extensive selection of schemes from a variety of sites including parish churches, cathedrals and abbeys (Canterbury, Westminster, Norwich, Winchester, St Albans, Sherborne and Durham). The nature and extent of the palette used is revealed as well as the sophistication with which pigments were applied to achieve differing effects. Thirty pigments are detected including four previously unknown in the context of English medieval wall paintings – vivianite, salt green, kermes lake and madder lake. Also discovered are three alterations of pigments: the lightening of red lead; alteration of vivianite to a yellow form and the transformation of verdigris to a blue chloride-based alteration product. The use of different binding media employed for particular pigments in a single paint layer demonstrates the complex manner in which paintings were executed. The findings, discussed in the context of wall painting, sculptural polychromy and panel painting techniques in medieval northern Europe, show the broad chronological development in the choice, fabrication and application of materials linked to changes in artistic intent, technology and workshop practice. Beautifully illustrated with more than 200 color plates, Pigments of English Medieval Wall Painting has significant implications for the conservation methods of such paintings and is an important source of information for all those interested in pigments and paintings.

With a penchant for painting and an appreciation for the well-designed home since he was a child, Gary McBournie has perfected the art of creating interior spaces with an impeccable eye for color. He established his design firm in Boston in 1993 and has since created warm, elegant, and timeless classic American homes, always with a twist on tradition. Finely attuned to his environment, McBournie develops each interior with a color palette that matches its surrounding exterior, splashing cool and restful hues for a cottage in New England, shades of lime and papaya in the tropics, and warm sunset tones for a ski house in Montana. Featuring personal photographs and the inspirations behind his color choices, Living Color is a must-have for anyone looking to be tickled pink by gorgeous, twenty-first-century renditions of the comfortably chic American home. Contents: Introduction; Cityscape; Rich Reds and Browns for a New York Loft Spring: Cool and Restful Hues for a Cottage; A Soft and Romantic Palette in Palm Beach; Accents of Yellow and Orange for a Range of Blues; Butter-Yellow Walls, Pale Colors, and Jewel-Toned Trims Summer: Yellows, Reds, and Pinks for a Southern Locale; Bougainvillea, Lime, and Papaya for the Tropics; Crisp Blues, Sharp Whites, and Stripes; Classic Blue and White for a Sailor’s Retreat; Saturated Colors and Vibrant Prints Autumn: A Dramatic Pied-a-Terre in Orange and Brown; Fall Colors for a Well-Patinated Patchwork; Deep Tones of Silks, Mohairs, and Cashmeres; Winter: Subtle Oranges and Reds of a Sunset Sky; Grandeur Defined by a Soft Palette and Floral Chintz; Pale, Leafy Greens and Earthy Browns for a City Loft
·Featuring stunning photographs of the unique, colorful, and inspired interiors of Gary McBournie
·Discover the never-before-seen inspirations behind McBournie’s designs

With a penchant for painting and an appreciation for the well-designed home since he was a child, Gary McBournie has perfected the art of creating interior spaces with an impeccable eye for color. He established his design firm in Boston in 1993 and has since created warm, elegant, and timeless classic American homes, always with a twist on tradition. Finely attuned to his environment, McBournie develops each interior with a color palette that matches its surrounding exterior, splashing cool and restful hues for a cottage in New England, shades of lime and papaya in the tropics, and warm sunset tones for a ski house in Montana. Featuring personal photographs and the inspirations behind his color choices, Living Color is a must-have for anyone looking to be tickled pink by gorgeous, twenty-first-century renditions of the comfortably chic American home.

Contents:
Introduction; Cityscape; Rich Reds and Browns for a New York Loft
Spring: Cool and Restful Hues for a Cottage; A Soft and Romantic Palette in Palm Beach; Accents of Yellow and Orange for a Range of Blues; Butter-Yellow Walls, Pale Colors, and Jewel-Toned Trims
Summer: Yellows, Reds, and Pinks for a Southern Locale; Bougainvillea, Lime, and Papaya for the Tropics; Crisp Blues, Sharp Whites, and Stripes; Classic Blue and White for a Sailor’s Retreat; Saturated Colors and Vibrant Prints
Autumn: A Dramatic Pied-a-Terre in Orange and Brown; Fall Colors for a Well-Patinated Patchwork; Deep Tones of Silks, Mohairs, and Cashmeres;
Winter: Subtle Oranges and Reds of a Sunset Sky; Grandeur Defined by a Soft Palette and Floral Chintz; Pale, Leafy Greens and Earthy Browns for a City Loft

This highly anticipated monograph focuses on the architectural output of Enrique Browne, a talented and prolific Chilean architect and co-founder of Browne & Swett Arquitectos, based in Santiago. Over the last 40 years, this South American architect has been trying to reconcile natural and artificial worlds through architecture. They are one indissoluble unity. This book showcases in rich photographic detail how his innovative projects incorporate multiple environmental aspects that result in a complex, layered response to the challenges of place, form and identity in Chile.

Browne’s practice has developed architectural designs in a diverse range of scales, with emphasis on sustainability and energy efficiency. This volume delves into Browne’s processes, such as developing variations of the “grapevinestructure typology” to create a “double green skin” as a green wall (or roof), to protect dwellings from the region’s strong westerly sun; or combining vegetation and its oxygenation benefits with building to counter pollution; or using both artificial and natural light as a material for illuminating spaces or volume. This book also includes commentary on the new zeitgeist surrounding modernity and the impacts of the digital and globalized world on architecture today. Highly regarded, and a prolific writer and designer, Enrique Browne has a unique way of looking at the world. Showcasing the wide range of his design, this title is sure to impress.

Peter Siemssen, a creative businessman, is the driving force behind this entirely personal publication – a book inspired by his profound knowledge of the subject as well as his passion. Siemssen presents a selection of works from his important ceramic collection against a backdrop of decades of experience and encounters with the most important contemporary ceramicists. Arranged geographically, the book presents Japanese, German, Scandinavian, Western European, North American and Mediterranean ceramics in a broad range of significant works. The high point is the work of Gilbert Portanier, with whom Peter Siemssen has had particularly close artistic contacts and ties of friendship. Documentary photographs faithfully reproducing the works lead into interpretative texts, artist biographies and Peter Siemssen’s entertaining reminiscences to provide access to art ceramics in the latter half of the 20th century. Distinguished specialists in the field contribute essays on various aspects of the subject.
A selection of the artists include; Gilbert Portanier (France), Karin Bablok (Germany), Hans-Theo Baumann (Germany), Antje Brüggemann-Breckwoldt (Germany), Nino Caruso (Italy), Antoni Cumella (Spain), Elisabeth Fritsch (England), Dorothy Hafner (USA), Shoji Hamada (Japan), Bernhard Leach (England), Stig Lindberg (Sweden), Sonngard Marcks (Germany), Renée Reichenbach (Germany), Lucie Rie (England), Ursula and Karl Scheid (Germany), Tatsuzo Shimaoka (Japan), and Björn Wiinblad (Denmark).
The ‘Garden of England’, ’The High Weald’, these are phrases that describe a 70-year-old Area of Outstanding National Beauty in Southern England. Among these dramatic landscapes and ancient woodlands stand many castles, mansions and cottages, ringed with orchards, meadows, drifting flowers and horticultural exotica. Featured gardens range from grand landscapes to works of glorious eccentricity, Arts and Crafts green rooms to postage stamp-sized plots of ingenuity. Wilderness weaves into floral genius, while native and exotic species stand side-by-side – all within the unique climate of the English garden.
Including chapters on English Parks, Arts and Crafts Gardens and Woodland Gardens, Where the Wildness Pleases – The English Garden Celebrated pays homage to English horticultural excellence and tells the gripping stories behind some of our most breath-taking landscapes. This book also features a handy Who’s Who of designers, gardeners, plant hunters and nurserymen, and a brief guide to English playing greens – cricket, bowling, croquet and tennis.
This is a welcome guide for anyone interested in visiting this astonishingly beautiful part of the country, or those thinking of buying a plot.

In 1751, John Holker (1719-1786), an English textile manufacturer exiled in France, undertook an industrial espionage mission to England to collect samples of English textiles on behalf of the French king, Louis XV. On his return, the samples were assembled in a manuscript volume, which is now preserved at the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris. Each sample in this album is accompanied by a handwritten technical description specifying the quality of the fabric, its price, its dimensions and the manufacturing processes. This album is famous for preserving the oldest identifiable samples of jean fabric.

Completely bilingual, the book includes a facsimile reproduction of the album, accompanied by a transcription of its handwritten text and a dozen essays. The essays, written by academics, curators and specialists from France, Britain and North America, explore the album from various angles: the globalization of commerce, the slave trade, industrial espionage, economic rivalry between France and England, the taste for cotton and its role in the history of fashion, etc. The book demonstrates the importance of centuries-old links between France and the United Kingdom and is an indispensable work of reference for the history of textiles.

Text in English and French.

‘In England, I’d become too well-known as a Tatler photographer. It was wonderful to be invisible again.’

At the end of the 1980s, society photographer Dafydd Jones began a new life in New York. He had been hired by Vanity Fair to attend the most talked-about parties in the city and soon found himself descending into a world of human tableaux, ladies who lunch, princesses in powder rooms and dachshunds scrapping over canapés. Camera at the ready, Jones quickly filled the society pages of the illustrious magazine, snapping the likes of Leona Helmsley, Donald Trump, Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell and Imelda Marcos as they celebrated, mourned and unravelled in the bright lights. During the day, he captured the city streets and the ordinary citizens grounded in the real world. In these pages, the author of England: The Last Hurrah reveals the story of New York, the highs and the lows, as the ’90s unfolded in front of his expert lens. 

‘Mr. Jones goes about his business with cheery zest and a wicked eye.’ – New York Times, 1993

Canvas as a pictorial support was only reluctantly adopted in Rome and even in the 17th century it was not universally employed. From 1530 until the first decade of the 17th century many altarpieces in Rome were instead painted on stone, especially on slate. The invention of the technique is due to Sebastiano del Piombo (1485–1547) who employed it in his monumental Nativity of the Virgin for the Chigi Chapel in Santa Maria del Popolo.

This book presents a selection of the most significant stone altarpieces in Rome: San Marcello al Corso (Federico Zuccari), S. Maria della Vallicella (Rubens), S. Caterina dei Funari (Girolamo Muziano), San Silvestro al Quirinale (Scipione Pulzone), Santa Maria della Pace (Lavinia Fontana), Santa Maria Maggiore (Girolamo Siciolante) are among the churches included in this guide.

Liverpool’s unique history as an international port and a cultural melting pot has given it a character all its own. The city has produced music that conquered the world and is home to more historic buildings than any other British metropolis outside London. It features two magnificent cathedrals and many world famous museums. But beyond its renowned exterior, is an eclectic assortment of places hidden and unknown.
This deliciously offbeat guidebook will lead you to a different Liverpool: down tunnels, up skyscrapers, and into secret bars, speciality shops, and disused factories. You will see Balenciaga trainers and vintage planes, rolling bridges and disappearing statues, Liver birds and celebrity suitcases, home-baked cakes and cast-iron churches.
Stroll under the palms in a magical glasshouse, explore a 1950s kitchen or a museum of false teeth. Relax in a hip tea bar with over 50 varieties of tea (loose leaf naturally). Marvel at the world’s most expensive book or largest brick building (27 million bricks!). Go underground to explore a network of mysterious tunnels or a perfectly preserved World War II bunker. Drink in a prison cell, picnic in a graveyard, or stay in the hotel where Winston Churchill and Bob Dylan were guests.
Think you know Liverpool? Think again! Whether you’re a long-time local, a first-time tourist, or a repeat visitor, prepare to be charmed and intrigued by 111 eccentric and unusual spots you’d never expect to find in the city best known for football and the Fab Four.

“It is an exhaustive overview of LeCompte’s work and is chock-full of expertly photographed images.” — Princeton Herald

“The book is a magnificent volume. It is as comprehensive as one could hope.” — Anglican and Episcopal History

Rowan LeCompte (1925-2014) was a world-renowned stained-glass artist best known for his work in Washington National Cathedral that spanned an unprecedented 70 years of artistic commission. Rowan LeCompte: Master of Stained Glass celebrates LeCompte’s artistic inspiration, distinctive technique, and unique perspective on a medieval decorative art, which he transformed into a fine art for modern times. The book traces his fascinating trajectory, from a determined teenager to a charming octogenarian with a clear vision of what stained glass can do within and beyond cathedral walls. More than an artist biography, this book illuminates the essence of human nature and its balance of light and darkness.  

Growing up in Baltimore, young Rowan LeCompte was fascinated by color and light, collecting colored glass fragments that his older brother – Stuart, a scientist – had discarded from his lab at Johns Hopkins. A visit to the Washington National Cathedral at age 14 would prove transformative for LeCompte, who later described the day as his “second birthday.” At age 15, LeCompte knew what he wanted to do for the rest of his life: combine his love of architecture and painting through the study of stained glass. Just a year later, he earned his first commission in the National Cathedral: the very place that forged his destiny. Rowan LeCompte’s seven decades of work not only fulfilled his teen ambition beyond expectations – it changed the art of stained glass itself. 

Rowan LeCompte: Master of Stained Glass takes readers behind-the-scenes of LeCompte’s process, hearing from the artist first-hand about his unexpected inspirations – and rejected ideas – for color and design, and illustrating his work from the first ‘cartoon’ storyboards of windows, to painting the finishing touches on some of his best-known work. This beautiful 4-color photo art book tells of the complete history of Rowan’s life, incorporating brilliant full-color photos of many of the windows which highlight the details of the imagination and innovation of this modern artist working in an ancient medium. It was his single-minded determination to create works that make the world a more beautiful place that will mark Rowan LeCompte as a great master for years to come. 

Rowan LeCompte: Master of Stained Glass is a companion to Peter Swanson’s two films about Rowan. One of these films, Let There Be Light, documented LeCompte’s final commission for the Washington National Cathedral’s centennial celebration. The film won the Best of Festival award at Washington, D.C.’s Independent Film Festival.

Brutales Luzern presents Brutalism in the Swiss Canton of Lucerne. In recent years, the phenomenon of Brutalism has enjoyed great international attention. The 53 portraits in this publication present the incredible diversity of this expressive architecture in the Lucerne region. It is incredible how much the relatively small region of 1,500 square kilometres has to offer. The most important buildings from the 1960s and 1970s are presented chronologically, including numerous photographs, compact, detailed information and extensively documented plans.
The selection of private and public buildings, such as schools, municipal administrations, homes for the elderly, churches, monasteries, missionary and theological colleges, industrial facilities and infrastructure, is remarkable. It includes outstanding and widely appreciated buildings, as well as lesser known examples. A plan provides an overview of the buildings and an essay locates Swiss Brutalism in an architectural-historical context. The book also serves as a useful travel guide for architecture enthusiasts.

Text in German.

These pages tell the story without words of a journey through Spain in which the author, the photographer Fernando Manso, visited unknown and hidden corners and captured them on the plates of his large-format camera. From the remotest parts of Galicia to those of Almería, he passed through coasts, deserts and mountains, stopping at old churches, ghostly castles or majestic cathedrals, in forests and gorges, at natural pools and salt mines, and at cemeteries, Arab baths and hermitages carved out of the rock.

Fernando has made the light of these places into the leading figure of his journey. His is a different light, as he has relinquished blue skies and brilliant sunshine, often the stuff of clichés, to make way for visions of places that appear to us with such intimate truth that even if we know them, we can barely recognize them. This is thanks to his technique, his art and the patience with which he waits for the light.

Fernando’s luxury is being able to use all the time in the world to draw us into an artistic heritage that is sometimes secret and hard to reach, and which the viewer has to know how to see. He reveals these places, often in danger of disappearing, after detailed investigation. Both architecture and landscape – for he knows that natural scenery is also a major patrimony that has to be affectionately preserved and protected from speculation – belong to all of us, and we are responsible for their care. We must be aware of this.

The result of that trip is this publication, with beautiful images in reproductions of exceptional quality that present us with a vision of Spain in a different light.