Antonio Stradivari (1644—1737) was a perfectionist whosesingle-minded pursuit of excellence changed the world of music. Inthe course of his long career in the northern Italian city ofCremona, he created more than a thousand stringed instruments;approximately six hundred survive, their quality unequalled by anysubsequent violin-maker. In this fascinating book, Toby Fabertraces the rich, multilayered stories of six of these peerlesscreations–five violins and a cello–and the one towering artist whobrought them into being. Blending history, biography, meticulousdetective work, and an abiding passion for music, Faber takes usfrom the salons of Vienna to the concert halls of New York, andfrom the breakthroughs of Beethoven’s last quartets to the firstphonographic recordings. This magnificent narrative invites us toshare the life, the intrigue, and the incomparable beauty of theworld’s most marvelous stringed instruments.

For more than 100 years, National Geographic has set thestandard for nature, culture, and wildlife photography. Now, inThrough the Lens, 250 spectacular images—some famous, others rarelyseen—are gathered in one lavish and beautiful volume. Through the Lens is dividedinto geographical regions—Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East,the Americas, and Oceans and Isles—with a special section devotedto space exploration. Each geographical section features anoutstanding array of photographs that exemplifies the area’s uniquepeople, wildlife, archaeology, culture, architecture, andenvironment, accompanied by brief but informative captions. FromBarry Bishop’s heroic Mount Everest climb in the 1950s to theglorious wildlife of Asia and Africa, from ancient Maya culture tothe Afghan girl found 17 years after her piercing green eyescaptivated the world, these are some of the finest and mostimportant photographs ever taken. Featuring master photographers fromthe late 1800s to today, including Fr

A spotlight on French landscape painters of the first half of the 20th century which is a true hymn to nature Eight French painters born after 1870 are brought together for the first time in an exhibition that highlights their mutual affinities and charts their respective influences and evolutions. Aside from Gaston Balande (1880-1971), who is well known for his art deco wall murals designed for transatlantic ships, and Paul Deltombe (1878-1971), who benefited from a retrospective exhibition in 1970, the work of the other painters collected here has remained uncelebrated for far too long. The present exhibition and its catalogue aim to repair this oversight, as well as to reignite the study of this generation of French painters who, without turning their back on the avant-gardists, concentrated primarily on the traditional genre of landscape, and to a lesser degree on still-lifes. The 80 works of art, mainly painted between the wars, are at the crossroads of the many influences of this creative period,

From acclaimed filmmaker Guillermo del Toro comes Warner Bros.Pictures' and Legendary Pictures' epic sci-fi action adventurePacific Rim. When legions of monstrous creatures, known as Kaiju, startedrising from the sea, a war began that would take millions of livesand consume humanity's resources for years. To combat the giantKaiju, a special weapon was devised: massive robots, calledJaegers, which are piloted by an international crew of soldiers inthe Pan Pacific Defense Corps. But even the Jaegers are provingnearly defenseless in the face of the relentless Kaiju. On theverge of defeat, two unlikely heroes—a washed up former pilot andan untested trainee—team up to pilot a legendary but seeminglyobsolete Jaeger on a mission to halt the mounting apocalypse. Pacific Rim: Man, Machines Monsters chronicles theproduction of the film with stunning concept art, captivatingphotography, and cast and crew de*ions of the shoot.

One of Victorian Englands most charismatic characters, DanteGabriel Rossetti painted and wrote with equal passion. He wassimilarly passionate in his personal life: his etherealartist-wife, his earthy blond mistress, and the ravishing JaneMorris are al

The Renaissance holds an undying place in our imagination, itsgreat heroes still our own, from Michelangelo and Leonardo to Danteand Chaucer. This period of profound evolution in European thoughtis credited with transforming the West from medieval to modern andproducing the most astonishing outpouring of artistic creation theworld has ever known. But what was it? In this masterly work, theincomparable Paul Johnson tells us. He explains the economic,technological, and social developments that provide a backdrop tothe age’s achievements and focuses closely on the lives and worksof its most important figures. A commanding short narrative of thisvital period, The Renaissance is also a universally profoundmeditation on the wellsprings of innovation.

"This book charts my relationship with some of the mosttalented people in fashion throughout my career. It makes me veryproud to see gathered together all the great designers and housesI've worked with over the years. Looking through my personalarchives has been a real trip down memory lane and it is thefashion that brings back moments and memories of the lasttwenty-five years. I can't wait to share this book with the world."(Kylie Minogue). Published as part of the K25 celebrations thisyear, "Kylie / Fashion" is the official book celebratingtwenty-five years since Kylie burst onto the music scene with TheLocomotion and I Should Be So Lucky. From the very beginning, thefashion she has worn has been key to Kylie's persona andperformances: her status as style icon is unassailable. Thisdazzling book celebrates her numerous and ground-breakingcollaborations with the world's great fashion designers. Producedby Kylie in close collaboration with Thames Hudson, anddrawing on her personal archives, it showcases Kyl

本书首次向中国的读者展示中国观众对“土地‘的各种感受和反应，其中包括有留言、图片、文章等形式。 “从某种意义来说，《土地》是一项全球性项目，她是由地球上某一特定地区年龄各异的当地人民制造出来的。她由土制成、以火生成，其情感来自触摸，其思想来自观赏。”安东尼·葛姆雷的“土地”被认为是现代雕塑的经典作品。安东尼·葛姆雷是一位国际瞩目的艺术大师，自1989年，葛姆雷一直从事着一项与世界各国不同社区接触的长期项目———《土地》。为制造不同版本的《土地》雕塑，他游历了从巴西雨林到北欧等不同国家。 2003年1月，他与300多位不同年龄层次，来自广州东北部花都地区的市民一起，用了5天的时间，制造了近20万个小泥人，组成了大型雕塑巡展“土地”．

Japanese woodblock prints of the Edo period (16151868) were the products of a highly commercialised and competitive publishing industry. Their content was inspired by the vibrant popular culture that flourished in Edo (Tokyo). At any given time scores of publishers competed for the services of the leading artists of the day. Publishers and artists displayed tremendous ingenuity in finding ways to sustain demand for prints and to to circumvent the restrictions placed upon them by government censorship. Japanese woodblock prints have long been appreciated in the West for their graphic qualities but their content has not always been fully understood. In recent years, publications by scholars in Japan, Europe and the United States have made possible a more subtle appreciation of the imagery encountered in them. This book draws upon this recent scholarship to explain how those who first purchased these prints would have read them. Through stunning new photography of both well-known and rarely published work

A wonderful and original tribute to the curious, comical Dodoand the beautiful island of Mauritius. Award-winning Finnishphotographer Harri Kallio creates the illusion that thesefascinating creatures are alive and abundant, living as they oncedid in their own unspoiled haven, the island of Mauritius.Accompanied by a thorough history of this extraordinary bird,including eyewitness accounts and pictorial sources, the book wasthe winner of the 2004 European Publishers’ Award forPhotography.

In this compulsively readable, fascinating, and provocativeguide to classical music, Norman Lebrecht, one of the world's mostwidely read cultural commentators tells the story of the rise ofthe classical recording industry from Caruso's first notes to theheyday of Bernstein, Glenn Gould, Callas, and von Karajan. Lebrechtcompellingly demonstrates that classical recording has reached itsend point-but this is not simply an expos? of decline and fall. Itis, for the first time, the full story of a minor art form,analyzing the cultural revolution wrought by Schnabel, Toscanini,Callas, Rattle, the Three Tenors, and Charlotte Church. It is thestory of how stars were made and broken by the record business; howa war criminal conspired with a concentration-camp victim to createa record empire; and how advancing technology, boardroom wars,public credulity and unscrupulous exploitation shaped the musicalbackdrop to our modern lives. The book ends with a suitable shrineto classical recording: the author's critical selectio

The companion volume to the ten-part PBS TV series by the teamresponsible for"The Civil War" and "Baseball." Continuing in thetradition of their critically acclaimed works, Geoffrey C. Ward andKen Burns vividly bring to life the story of the quintessentialAmerican music--jazz. Born in the black community ofturn-of-the-century New Orleans but played from the beginning bymusicians of every color, jazz celebrates all Americans at theirbest. Here are the stories of the extraordinary men and women whomade the music: Louis Armstrong, the fatherless waif whoseunrivaled genius helped turn jazz into a soloist's art andinfluenced every singer, every instrumentalist who came after him;Duke Ellington, the pampered son of middle-class parents who turneda whole orchestra into his personal instrument, wrote nearly twothousand pieces for it, and captured more of American life than anyother composer. Bix Beiderbecke, the doomed cornet prodigy whoshowed white musicians that they too could make an importantcontribution to the

Asian Resorts is conceived to be the most comprehensivecollection on Asian resorts. Written and shot by the region'sbest known Asian architecture specialist, TanHock Beng, who has already put together five books on the designand aesthetics of tropical architecture, Asian Resorts promises toshow its readers the biggest variety of Asian resorts that no otherbook has ever shown. With its beautifully' shot images and relevantinformation, this book will certainly serve and entertain youbeyond just the coffee table. In fact, it is a must-have for everyarchitectural office and every home.

Just as its title indicates, "National Geographic SimplyBeautiful Photographs" plumbs the depth of National Geographic'srenowned Image Collection to highlight the loveliest and mostappealing photographs from this impressive archive. The result isan experience of visual delight, whether from stunning landscapes,magnificent wildlife, fascinating people, or quaint locales.Award-winning National Geographic photographer Annie Griffiths Belthas chosen remarkable images from all of the Society's core missionareas: exploration, wildlife, cultures, science, nature. Eachchapter showcases a specific aspect of what creates beauty in aphotograph, whether light or color, or motion, and illuminates thatquality in a splash of large-format images --most of which readerswill be able to purchase as prints. Musings on visual beauty fromscholars and poets enhance the experience, making this gorgeouscollection a pleasure to look at again and again.

“The standard of photography is absolutelyamazing.”— Practical Photography The third editionof Reuters: Our World Now captures the key events from2009 in more than 350 powerful photographs. Organized into foursections that represent the four quarters of the year, the imagescover the full range of global reporting: politics, commerce,conflict, the environment, natural disasters, faith andfestivities, entertainment, celebrity, and lifestyle. The photosoffer a fresh take on the year’s most memorable events as well asplenty of less-familiar stories. This completely new edition includes special “Witness” features:in-depth photo essays from around the world, many of them createdby local photographers with unique access and insight. The bookprovides an indispensable visual record of our times. 360 color and10 black-and-white photographs.

The world of the fashionista is brought to vivid life with 101introductory lessons on such topics as how a designer anticipatescultural trends and "sees" the fashion consumer, the workings ofthe fashion calendar, the ways a designer collection is conceived,the manufacture of fabric, fashion illustration, and more. Illustrated in the distinctly unique packaged style of thebestselling101 THINGS I LEARNED IN ARCHITECTURE SCHOOL, this newbook on fashion design will be a perfect book for any fashionschool wannabe, a recent graduate, or even a seasonedprofessional.

The heart of Painters Wild Workshop is the presentation oftwelve gifted artists who take an unusual approach to their art.Readers are invited to workshop demonstrations, lecture sessions,and private lessons that encourage creative experimentation.Whether you are an accomplished artist, an aspiring artist, or anundiscovered artist, you will profit from the wealth of diverseexperiences, materials, and inspirations offered through thesewonderfully wild and creative methods. This is a book for painters,artists, and creative people of all types; its goal is to helpworking painters open up creativity, eliminate self-consciousness,and encourage true artistryeither in their current, chosen medium,or a completely new art medium.

The classic art of enameling is experiencing a well-deservedrenaissance—and it’s stunningly captured in this lovingly curatedsurvey. More than 300 international contemporary artists havecontributed museum-worthy pieces, which range in scale from DavidC. Freda’s Green Slipper Brooch and Harlan W. Butt’s Maine Teapotto large sculptures and public art. Some of the creators take aminimalist approach, using only soft colors and matte finishes,while others exploit the material’s vibrant palette and glass-likesurface. The broad technical applications include everything fromsimple sifting and torch firing to complex cloisonné andplique-à-jour.

The moral of this book is that behind every great engineeringsuccess is a trail of often ignored (but frequently spectacular)engineering failures. Petroski covers many of the best knownexamples of well-intentioned but ultimately failed design in action-- the galloping Tacoma Narrows Bridge (which you've probably seentossing cars willy-nilly in the famous black-and-white footage),the collapse of the Kansas City Hyatt Regency Hotel walkways -- andmany lesser known but equally informative examples. The line ofreasoning Petroski develops in this book were later formalized intohis quasi-Darwinian model of technological evolution in TheEvolution of Useful Things , but this book is arguably the moreilluminating -- and defintely the more enjoyable -- of these twotitles. Highly recommended.

These free-wheeling, often exhilarating dialogues—which grewout of the acclaimed Carnegie Hall Talks—are an exchange betweentwo of the most prominent figures in contemporary culture: DanielBarenboim, internationally renowned conductor and pianist, andEdward W. Said, eminent literary critic and impassioned commentatoron the Middle East. Barenboim is an Argentinian-Israeli and Said aPalestinian-American; they are also close friends. As they range across music, literature, and society, they openup many fields of inquiry: the importance of a sense of place;music as a defiance of silence; the legacies of artists from Mozartand Beethoven to Dickens and Adorno; Wagner’s anti-Semitism; andthe need for “artistic solutions” to the predicament of the MiddleEast—something they both witnessed when they brought young Arab andIsraeli musicians together. Erudite, intimate, thoughtful andspontaneous, Parallels and Paradoxes is a virtuosiccollaboration.

Whether Gould's subject is Boulez, Stokowski, Streisand, orhis own highly individual thoughts on performance and creation ofmusic, the reader will be caught up in his intensity, intelligence,passion and devotion.