Old-fashioned fans are today mostly appreciated for the craftsmanship and delicacy with which they were produced. But in former times they had their own special function in the hands of women in certain ranks of society. Not just useful articles, they were powerful transmitters of messages in their own unique code. With deft movements of their fans corresponding to this code, women were able to signal their thoughts and their intentions to their admirers without the necessity of a single word s being spoken. Philippe Mesmer endeavors anew to decipher the language of the fan, a mode of communication unhappily no longer in use. Over 100 beautiful full-color illustrations.

Fan Tales

Philippe Mesmer

Parkstone Press

Art Nouveau (Art of Century)

The Art Nouveau movement is distinguished as the decorative and architectural style that began, in response to the Industrial Revolution. The primary objective of this movement was the creation of a new aesthetic of nature through a return to the study of natural subjects. Designs from this movement are often characterized by plant or floral inspired patterns, and highly-stylized, detailed depictions countering the broad swooping curvatures of a piece in the Art Nouveau style.
In order to achieve this, such artists as Gustav Klimt, Koloman Moser, Antoni Gaudí, Jan Toorop, and William Morris favoured innovation in technique and novelty of forms. Art Nouveau attempts to integrate art into all facets of life including materials from furniture, to decorative items in a home, to architecture; building on the movement’s philosophy of incorporating art into everyday life. After its triumph at the Paris Universal Exposition in 1900, the trend continued and has inspired many artists since, as well as the Art Déco movement, the successor of Art Nouveau which appeared after World War I. It is fair to say Art Nouveau was at the heart of a “renaissance” in decorative arts.

Lahor, Jean

Arts & Photography

Behind Frida Kahlo’s portraits, lies the story of her life – a body of work drawn from cries of anger and fury, blended into a potent and artistically exceptional combination. At six years of age, she suffered a bout of polio, and she was just 18 when a terrible bus accident changed her life forever, leaving her handicapped and burdened with constant physical pain. But her explosive character, raw determination, and hard work helped to shape her artistic talent. Kahlo managed to forge a place for herself in the macho society of Mexico, despite the double handicap of her crushed body and her sex. Frida Kahlo’s work plays an important part in the artistic heritage of Mexico, her native country, with both its novelty and its multi-cultural values. The story and the paintings that Frida created provide a rare and courageous account of a woman on a voyage of constant self-discovery. This book offers a valuable overview of her work in a convenient format, making it the perfect gift.

Kahlo (Mega Square)

SOUTER, GERRY

Themes

Albrecht Dürer’s (1471-1528) work stands out as one of the most innovative of the Northern Renaissance, revolutionising landscape and portraiture techniques in both religious and secular painting. This book offers a wide selection of Dürer’s works, and its compact format makes it the ideal gift for every art lover.

Durer (Mega Square)

Charles, Victoria

Long before computer games were invented, Hiëronymus Bosch was painting terrifying, yet strangely likable, monsters, often with a touch of humour. His works are assertive statements about the mental dangers that befalls those who abandon the teachings of Christ. With a life that spanned 1450 to 1516, Bosch was born at the height of the Renaissance and witnessed its religious wars. Medieval traditions and values were crumbling, paving the way for a new universe where faith had lost its power and much of its magic.Bosch set out to warn doubters of the perils awaiting all and any who lost their faith in God. Believing that everyone had to make their own moral choices, he focused on themes of hell, heaven and lust, brilliantly exploiting the symbolism of a wide range of fruits and plants which lent his imagery strong sexual overtones.This book presents a unique selection of Bosch’s most impressive works, and its convenient format makes it the perfect gift.

Bosch (Mega Square)

Rembert, Virginia Pitts

Individual Artists

Universally celebrated for his rosy and concupiscent nudes, Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) was an artist whose first concern was sensuality in all its forms. This Baroque master devoted himself to a lifelong celebration of the joys and wonders of the physical realm. He felt that the human body was as lovely and natural as the many natural landscapes he painted as a young man. In a lushly illustrated text, María Varshavskaya and Xenia Yegorova explore the master at work, bringing a unique focus to Ruben’s life and work.

Peter Paul Rubens (Best of)

Varshavskaya, Maria

Yegorova, Xenia

History & Criticism

Erotische Kunst (temporis) (german Edition)

Hans-juergen Doepp

Not only was Leonardo da Vinci (1453-1519) an astonishing painter, but also a scientist, anatomist, sculptor, architect, musician, engineer, inventor, and more. The question is rather, what was he not? During the Italian Renaissance, he mastered the most beautiful works of art for the Medicis in Italy and for the King of France. He aroused admiration from his contemporaries, who depicted a universal genius, curious and virtuous. Even today, interest in da Vinci and his work does not fade; his works and writings are still studied by foremost experts hoping to decipher one of the numerous secrets of this visionary artist.

Leonardo Da Vinci (Art Gallery)

Carl, Klaus H.

Francisco de Goya (1746-1828) was a Spanish painter and engraver. He began his work in etching by copying the works of Velázquez, but was quickly recognized in his own right. His repertoire consists of portraits as well as representations of the warfare since his work reflects the turmoil of Spain during the Napoleonic war. Goya was famous for his technique and his freedom of expression. This book assembles all of the artist’s masterpieces, including his The Majanude

Francisco De Goya (Art Gallery)

Raphael (1483-1520), the Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance, was a genius in and ahead of his time. Together with Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, he formed the classical trinity of this era and elaborated a rich style of harmony and geometry. As one of the great masters of the Renaissance and artist to European royalty and the Papal court in Rome, his works comprise various themes of theology and philosophy, including but not limited to famous illustrations of the Madonna. His surroundings and experience gave rise to his propensity to combine the ideals of humanism with those of religion, and firmly established in him a conviction that art is a necessary medium to reveal the beauty of nature.

Raphael (Art Gallery)

See the best price to sell, buy or rent books by the Parkstone Press publisher. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Parkstone Press