Dover Fine Art, History of Art Series

One of the most expressive artists of the Symbolism movement, Odilon (1840–1916) led a quiet life. Withdrawn in manner, conventional in dress, and virtually unknown for the first half of his career, the French painter and graphic artist drew upon his own startlingly complex and fantastic inner world to create haunting works that reveal an existence beyond that of everyday vision. He transformed common subjects and models into strange, eerie images and exhibited a predilection for spiders and serpents, skeletons and skulls, gnomes and monsters — all rendered in a distinctive style of controlled, delicate realism. Redon's popularity arose chiefly among young progressive artists, who considered his works as visual correspondence to the literary symbolism of Mallarmé. Modern devotees regard Redon's translation of the subconscious world of dreams into visual reality as a precursor to Surrealism. This modestly priced volume offers a rich compilation of the influential artist's graphic works, with 209 illustrations — 72 lithographs, plus 37 etchings and engravings — depicting unforgettable scenes of fantasy and mystery.

"It is a miracle that any one man should have observed, read, and written down so much in a single lifetime." — Kenneth Clark Painter, sculptor, musician, scientist, architect, engineer, inventor . . . perhaps no other figure so fully embodies the Western Ideal of "Renaissance man" as Leonardo da Vinci. Leonardo was not content, however, to master an artistic technique or record the mechanics of a device; he was driven by an insatiable curiosity to understand why. His writings, interests, and musings are uniformly characterized by an incisive, probing, questioning mind. It was with this piercing intellectual scrutiny and detailed scientific thoroughness that Leonardo undertook the study of the human body. This exceptional volume reproduces more than 1,200 of Leonardo's anatomical drawings on 215 clearly printed black-and-white plates. The drawings have been arranged in chronological sequence to display Leonardo's development and growth as an anatomist. Leonardo's text, which accompanies the drawings — sometimes explanatory, sometimes autobiographical and anecdotal — has been translated into English by the distinguished medical professors Drs. O'Malley and Saunders. In their fascinating biographical introduction, the authors evaluate Leonardo's position in the historical development of anatomy and anatomical illustration. Each plate is accompanied by explanatory notes and an evaluation of the individual plate and an indication of its relationship to the work as a whole. While notable for their extraordinary beauty and precision, Leonardo's anatomical drawings were also far in advance of all contemporary work and scientifically the equal of anything that appeared well into the seventeenth century. Unlike most of his predecessors and contemporaries, Leonardo took nothing on trust and had faith only in his own observations and experiments. In anatomy, as in his other investigations, Leonardo's great distinction is the truly scientific nature of his methods. Herein then are over 1,200 of Leonardo's anatomical illustrations organized into eight major areas of study: Osteological System, Myological System, Comparative Anatomy, Nervous System, Respiratory System, Alimentary System, Genito-Urinary System, and Embryology. Artists, illustrators, physicians, students, teachers, scientists, and appreciators of Leonardo's extraordinary genius will find in these 1,200 drawings the perfect union of art and science. Carefully detailed and accurate in their data, beautiful and vibrant in their technique, they remain today — nearly five centuries later — the finest anatomical drawings ever made.

For more than a generation, Gertrude Stein's Paris home at 27 rue de Fleurus was the center of a glittering coterie of artists and writers, one of whom was Pablo Picasso. In this intimate and revealing memoir, Stein tells us much about the great man (and herself) and offers many insights into the life and art of the 20th century's greatest painter. Mixing biological fact with artistic and aesthetic comments, she limns a unique portrait of Picasso as a founder of Cubism, an intimate of Appollinaire, Max Jacob, Braque, Derain, and others, and a genius driven by a ceaseless quest to convey his vision of the 20th century. We learn, for example, of the importance of his native Spain in shaping Picasso's approach to art; of the influence of calligraphy and African sculpture; of his profound struggle to remain true to his own vision; of the overriding need to empty himself of the forms and ideas that welled up within him. Stein's close relationship with Picasso furnishes her with a unique vantage point in composing this perceptive and provocative reminiscence. It will delight any admirer of Picasso or Gertrude Stein; it is indispensable to an understanding of modern art.

Japanese art was virtually unknown in the West until the middle of the nineteenth century, when the island nation emerged from 200 years of self-imposed isolation. A passion for Japanese culture swept Europe, and this landmark publication opened the eyes of the world to the grace and beauty of Japanese design. George Ashdown Audsley, a leader in the revival of English decorative design and one of the first Britons to specialize in Japanese art, assembled this outstanding collection. Featuring 60 full-color plates, it offers spectacular examples of Japanese painting, printing, embroidery, lacquer work, and cloisonné as well as masterpieces in ivory and porcelain. Informative captions accompany each illustration. Art lovers, rare book collectors, and enthusiasts of Japanese culture will treasure this magnificent selection of timeless art.

One of the most influential (and most prolific) illustrators of children's books during the early twentieth century, Edmund Dulac brought countless fairy tales to life through his distinct artistic style, subtle use of color, and fanciful compositions. This archive of masterworks by the renowned illustrator — all reproduced from rare early editions — contains 55 of his most beguiling images. Included are exquisite illustrations for "The Sleeping Beauty," "Cinderella," "The Snow Queen," "The Nightingale," "Princess Badoura," "The Real Princess," "The Mermaid," and other tales. Certain to delight fairy tale enthusiasts, this lovely collection will be treasured as well by lovers of fine art.

What does a self-portrait tell us about the artist? Readers are invited to find out in this unique addition to Dover's popular Art Library Series. Drawings in pen, ink, and charcoal, as well as etchings and engravings, encompass 45 splendid self-portraits. Subjects range from such 15th-century artists as Gentile Bellini, Leonardo da Vinci, and Albrecht Dürer to a host of 19th-century masters: James Whistler, Auguste Rodin, Vincent van Gogh, Berthe Morisot, Aubrey Beardsley, and many more. Among the other artists depicted here is the avid self-portraitist Rembrandt van Rijn, in one of his trademark hats, along with Peter Paul Rubens, Francisco de Goya, William Blake, and Camille Pissarro. Artists, art historians and art lovers will enjoy discovering the emotions, character traits, and nuances of personality revealed in these masterly self-portraits.

Few works in English literature have so peculiar a history as Oscar Wilde's play Salome. Written originally in French in 1892 and ridiculed on its publication, translated into English by Lord Alfred Douglas ("Bosie" himself) and again heaped with scorn, it has survived for 75 years, served as the text (in abridged form) for Richard Strauss' world-famous opera, and emerged as an acknowledged masterwork of the Aesthetic movement of fin de siècle England. The illustrations that Aubrey Beardsley prepared for the first English edition have no less strange a story. Beardsley liked neither the play nor its author. Yet, it inspired some of his finest work. It is an open question as to how suited the drawings actually are to the text that Wilde wrote. Yet, the two, the play and the Beardsley illustrations, have nevertheless become so identified with each other as to be inseparable. This edition reprints the first edition (1894) text, with "A Note on 'Salome'" by Robert Ross. The Beardsley drawings it superbly reproduces (mostly from a rare early portfolio) include not only the 10 full-page illustrations, the front and back cover designs, the title and List of Illustrations page decorations, and the cul de lampe from the original edition, but also three drawings that were not used, an alternate cover sketch, and the drawing entitled "J'ai baisé ta bouche, Iokanaan," which Beardsley did earlier for The Studio. Furthermore, all of the illustrations are reproduced in their original state, not as expurgated in the first and most subsequent editions.

This choice selection of beautifully reproduced drawings spans the full length of van Gogh's brief but prolific career. The works range from his early impressions of peasant life to drawings that served as studies for the great canvases he painted at the close of his life, including Landscape with Cypresses and Starry Night. Van Gogh's quest to be "alone with nature" and with those whose lives were close to the land took him first to the desolate reaches of northern Holland and ultimately to the sunlit fields and villages of southern France. The drawings presented in this book record the life, the land, and the people he encountered; familiar images to us through his paintings, yet startlingly fresh in these lesser-known works in another medium. Themes include peasants in their fields and cottages, village gardens, fishing boats, the postman Roulin, a drawbridge, fields of grain, a self-portrait, the house he lived in, the room he slept in, and the courtyard of the hospital in Arles. Van Gogh Drawings offers a beautiful and stirring collection of work, one that clearly displays the artist's powerful affinity for the drawing medium. During the last six years of his life, his most productive period, van Gogh produced approximately 700 drawings and 800 paintings. Virtually unknown at his death, he had sold only one of this astonishing number of works. Now, a century later, they number among the most universally admired and prized of man’s creative achievements. The drawings presented here, chosen from museums and private collections around the world, dramatically record the brief journey of his life and the unfolding of his genius. The captions, which draw heavily upon information provided by Jan Hulsker in The Complete Van Gogh, list subject, date, medium, dimensions (in centimeters, height before width), and the institutions in which they are located. 44 black-and-white illustrations.

Rich in symbolism, these compelling graphic novels feature more than 200 starkly beautiful woodcut illustrations. The passionate, dynamic narratives include The Sun, a somber exploration of one man's struggle with destiny; The Idea, a depiction of the triumph of an artistic concept over attempts at its suppression; and Story Without Words, a tale of thwarted romance. Belgian-born Frans Masereel illustrated the works of Tolstoy, Zola, and Oscar Wilde, but he made the greatest impact with his wordless novels. These three stories, dating from the early 1920s, reflect the German Expressionist revival of the art of the woodcut. Precursors to today's graphic novels, they also represent a centuries-old tradition of picture books for unschooled audiences. Masereel combines allegory and satire in his explorations of love, alienation, and artistic creation. Thomas Mann praised these striking Expressionistic images as "so compelling, so deeply felt, so rich in ideas, that one never tires of looking at them." 

This sumptuous edition offers all 100 full-color plates from Owen Jones's definitive presentation of Chinese ornamentation and design, one of the most beautiful books on the decorative arts ever published. Now, over a centruy after its first publication, this remarkable work continues to provide an excellent, copyright-free source of authentic Chinese design and motifs. During the vast political tumult in China in the 19th century, many of the most exquisite examples of native art from the Ming, Ch'ing and earlier dynasties were spirited out of the country and sold into Western collections. One of the most spectacular of these assemblages was housed at London's South Kensington Museum (today The Victoria and Albert Museum). In the 1860s, the noted English designer and architect Owen Jones studed this collection in depth, particularly the wealth of superb examples of porcelain and cloisonné. He then meticulously rendered many of the most intriguing and beautiful designs in full color. These were published in his celebrated book, Examples of Chinese Ornament Selected from Objects in the South Kensington Museum and Other Collections (1867). This volume offers painstaking reproductions of all one hundred original color plates from that work, which delighted the art world of the time and exerted a profound influence on the subsequent history of Western design. Now that visual inspiration is once again available to artists, illustrators, designers, and craftspeople in this inexpensive high-quality edition. Moreover, any lover of fine art can enjoy the book as a splendid tribute to the glories of Chinese design—at a price far less than those commanded by extremely rare surviving copies of Jones's original work.

Only rarely in publishing history has the ideal edition of a literary work been created, where text, typography, and illustrations complement one another perfectly. Among the few examples are the Kelmscott Chaucer, Baskerville's Milton, and Beardsley's Salome. Another such book is the 1896 edition of Pope's The Rape of the Lock, illustrated by Aubrey Beardsley. Beardsley's elaborate drawings for The Rape of the Lock were created during the last phase of his brief career. This nearly Romantic period, characterized by rich, brilliantly imagined decoration and ornamentation and by high textual contrasts, was perfectly suited to the blend of mock-heroic, satire, and delicate fancy of Pope's poems. As Beardsley's biographer R. A. Walker wrote, "These drawings show a verve, a wit and appreciation of the poem than can scarcely be matched in English literature." Using his unique line and "black blot" technique, Beardsley created a masterpiece of design and mood. This Dover edition reproduces the first edition: the complete text of the five-canto poem, notes, seven full-page drawings, two half-page drawings, and the original cover design by Beardsley.

Thomas Nast (1840–1902) created the images of Santa Claus which we recognize today. Here are his best-known illustrations of Santa Claus and Christmas. Included are his drawings of Santa perched atop snowy chimneys and his patriotic Civil War drawing, "Santa Claus in Camp." Here are the first illustrations of Santa's workshop at the North Pole, of Santa in his sleigh, of Santa opening his mail and making a record of children's behavior. Here, too, are Nast's gently humorous drawings of children on Christmas Eve, showing them hanging enormous stockings, standing innocently under mistletoe, tracing Santa's route on a map of the world, and waiting up all night to catch a glimpse of Santa. This volume contains all of the familiar and beloved drawings which appeared in the 1890 edition of Thomas Nast's Christmas Drawings for the Human Race. But for clarity and fine detail, Dover photographed many from issues of Harper's Weekly from 1863 and 1886, in which most of Nast's Christmas drawings originally appeared.

Throughout his long life, Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475–1564) never ceased to practice drawing with pen, pencil, or chalk. In the 60 years of creative activity encompassed by this volume, the artist produced scores of sketches, drawings, and studies — nudes, heads, figure studies, Madonnas, anatomical drawings, studies of children and animals, mythical representations, and religious works. This book reproduces 46 of his finest drawings, embodying most of his artistic themes and techniques, and executed in his characteristic media of pen and ink, and red and black chalk. The extraordinary strength, grace, and clarity of his renderings are beautifully illustrated on every page. The compositions, carefully reproduced on fine-quality paper, range from youthful studies modeled after ancient sculpture and early Renaissance frescoes to the otherworldly religious creations of his old age. Many are preliminary drawings executed in connection with some of his most important commissions: the marble David of 1501–04; the famous cartoon of 1504 for the projected fresco in the Palazzo Vecchio, The Battle of Cascina; the paintings on the vaulted ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, executed 1508–12; and the imposing fresco of The Last Judgment in the same chapel, executed 1535–14; as well as several of the more highly finished allegorical presentation drawings of the early 1530s. In some cases, e.g. The Battle of Cascina, the drawings are all that remain of a lost masterpiece. All drawings are accompanied by brief descriptive captions including date, medium, size, and current location.

An instant success upon its publication in the mid-16th century, Giorgio Vasari's Lives of the Artists remains one of the principal resources for study of the art and artists of the Italian Renaissance. Nothing of the scope and magnitude of this work had ever been conceived; the first complete history of modern art, it is widely regarded as the most influential art history book ever written. The Lives' colorful and detailed portraits of the most representative figures of Italian painting and sculpture trace the flowering of the Renaissance across three centuries. This single-volume edition of selections from Vasari's immense work features eight of the book's most noteworthy artists: Giotto, Masaccio, Fra Filippo Lippi, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Titian. It also includes an introduction, notes, and glossary; as well as woodcut portraits of each artist by Vasari himself. Students, teachers, and art enthusiasts will find this convenient edition an indispensable resource.

Gustav Glück, director of Vienna's Kunsthistorisches Museum, wrote as early as 1922 of Gustav Klimt (1862–1918) that his drawings were perhaps his ultimate artistic achievement. This founder of Secessionsstil and leader of the revolt against the Viennese academies was able to achieve greater freedom in his drawings than in his more laboriously executed paintings. While there are only about two hundred completed oils, the drawings number in the thousands, and are reported to have at times quite littered his studio. He himself considered them finished works, and often exhibited them alongside his paintings. Klimt's subject matter is almost exclusively the female body, naked or half clothed. For this he earned the reputation of erotic artist, and while he did not suffer the outright persecutions of his successors Schiele and Kokoschka, he was nevertheless subjected to the trials that a frankly erotic artist had to undergo in Vienna, where the everyday subject of conversation was the current love affairs of celebrities but where audiences were shocked by the sight of a dancer's naked legs. An issue of Ver Sacrum which reproduced one of his drawings was confiscated by the authorities. The drawings reveal above all that concern of great draughtsmen from Michelangelo through Blake the marriage of subtle grace and expressive dynamism that is the human body. Like that of these two past masters, Klimt's method is essentially linear. He knew, as they did, that line, rather than shading, the creation of volume or the use of color, is the natural medium for expressing the freedom of the living human form. As he matured as an artist there was an increasing awareness of this and a greater and greater spontaneity that approached, finally, "the lightness of a net of gauze."

Originally published in Munich in 1914, this selection of Albrecht Dürer's finest drawings by the great art historian Heinrich Wöfflin has long been regarded as a basic book in the arts. It has gone through many editions in Europe, even though this is its first appearance in English. Professor Wöfflin selected 81 drawings by the master both for their individual interest and for the light they cast on Dürer's artistic growth and evolution. They begin with the self-portrait Dürer drew at the age of 13 in 1484 and end with his Head of Saint Mark, done in 1526, approximately two years before his death. Included are many favorites as well as many works that are little known. Of special interest are sketches that Dürer prepared for famous works in other media, such as drawings for the famous woodcut series The Life of the Virgin. Professor Wöfflin's penetrating essay, which is considered one of the foundations of modern art criticism, has been translated by Stanley Appelbaum. Several features have been added to this Dover edition of Dürer's drawings: a revised statement on ownership of originals; bibliographical note; Winkler numbers; and a new Foreword by Alfred Werner, art critic and lecturer.

Among the best known and most immediately recognizable images in art history are the superb studies and portraits of ballet dancers by Edgar Degas (1834–1917). One of the most popular of nineteenth-century artists, Degas was fascinated by movement, especially that of dancers. His highly trained eye enabled him to capture the dancer's grace and power as well as subtleties and nuances of pose and execution, making his pictures as true in fact as they are in spirit. This original compilation includes 41 full-page and six half-page black-and-white Degas drawings of dancers. Some are finished works, others are sketches or studies for future works. Singly, in pairs, and in groups, the dancers appear on stage, in the classroom, and at rehearsals — pirouetting, executing grand battements and portes de bras, practicing at the barre, and adjusting their costumes in moments of repose. Art enthusiasts and balletomanes who prize Degas's pictures of dancers will delight in the sublime beauty and mastery of expression of these images. This inexpensive edition allows lovers of art and the dance to savor these enchanting, beautifully reproduced drawings.

"His pictures, which seemed to me then [aged 13] to be the very music made visible, plunged me a few fathoms deeper into my delight. I have seldom coveted anything as I coveted that book." — C.S. Lewis Before portraying Wagner's "Ring," Arthur Rackham (1867–1939) had become England's leading illustrator through his interpretations of fairy and fantastic books: Grimm's Fairy Tales, Rip van Winkle, Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, A Midsummer-Night's Dream. With his insight into elves, twisted oaks, and bearded heroes, Wagner was the logical step: with the "Ring," Rackham brought his talent for ethereal watercolor and line into new realms of adult mythology. This edition reproduces, in full color, all 64 watercolor illustrations from Siegfried & The Twilight of the Gods (1911) and The Rhinegold & The Valkyrie (1912). The original English and American editions also contained black-and-white vignettes and tailpieces, a selection of which appear here: the original text, a dated English translation of the libretto, has been replaced by comprehensive descriptive captions and an introduction by James Spero. Rackham poured all his mature fancy into the "Ring." The gnarled Nibelung Alberich sports with teasing Rhinemaidens, fiery Loge and lordly Wotan tussle with giants and serpents. An ecstatic Brünnhilde is finally consumed on Siegfried's funeral pyre in perhaps the most successful representation of this scene anywhere, either graphically or theatrically. Wagner's Teutonic forests and caves give Rackham free reign for his brooding, haunting nature backgrounds; characters, costumes, and all the tiny details are painted with such textual accuracy and empathy that today's opera companies who wish to return to staging the "Ring" in the traditional manner turn to Rackham's paintings for guidance. The painstaking reproduction of these artworks brings Arthur Rackham's most heroic visions to the many collectors and admirers who cannot obtain the expensive out-of-print editions. With the aid of the clear captions, the Wagnerian cycle may be followed once again in its most time-honored and rich interpretation.

Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen (1859–1923), one of the greatest illustrators of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, was born in Lausanne, Switzerland, but moved permanently to Paris at the age of 23 and became a French citizen. In addition to posters, song sheets, etchings, murals, and book illustrations, Steinlen did drawings for over 30 magazines, some of which he founded. A politically liberal Montmarte bohemian, he faithfully portrayed all aspects of Parisian life, but gave special attention to the everyday joys and sorrows of working people. Perhaps no other sector of Steinlen's art is as strongly associated with his name today as his studies of cats. He never ceased to draw them in all their activities and moods. Cats figure prominently in some of his most famous works, such as his great poster "Pure Sterilized Milk from the Vingeanne." The cat drawing in the present volume are reproduced from two rare volumes: a 1933 collection of previously unpublished animal drawings (Chats et autres bêtes, published in an edition of only 545 copies), and a turn-of-the-century album of picture stories without words (Des chats).

Classic sourcebook of spectacular royalty-free design collages, featuring over 1,500 decorative elements and motifs from major cultures in history through the 19th century, from Asia and Africa to Europe and the Americas. Adapted from jewelry, illuminated manuscripts, weapons, tiles, carved wood panels, ceilings, inlay, hardware, ceramics and more.

The art in medieval cathedrals, in addition to its profound aesthetic appeal, told unlettered churchgoers a series of morality tales. From divine creation to the lives of the saints, the stone sculpture and stained glass windows provided dramatic illustrations of the key elements of Christian doctrine. Unfortunately, the true meaning of these religious artworks was gradually obscured by time. In 1913, however, this brilliant study appeared, clarifying and illuminating the original ideas and concepts behind the sacred art of the Middle Ages. The book was hailed by Bernard Berenson as "the most illuminating, the most informing and the most penetrating book on the subject." Focusing on the 13th century as the apotheosis of the medieval style, Mâle, a noted art historian, explains that the decorative features of French cathedrals served as testimonials of religious faith. His topics include medieval iconography, bestiaries, illustrated calendars, representations of the virtues and vices, symbolic windows, saints, the gospels, secular history, and many other aspects of medieval religious art. This groundbreaking work, enhanced with 190 illustrations that buttress the points made in the text, remains unsurpassed in its style and brilliant synthesis of many disparate elements of the topic.

From earliest days, artists have sought to record the beauty, form, movement, and infinite variety of the human body. Among the most successful were the great masters of the various European traditions and schools of art. The extraordinary skill, inspiration, and technique they brought to figure drawing resulted in many masterpieces. This anthology, carefully reproduced from rare portfolios, presents over forty of those works, by artists ranging from the 15th century Italian Filippino Lippi to the 19th century French classicist, J. A. D. Ingres. Included are such highlights as a Michelangelo study for a dead Christ; two drawings of seated women by Rembrandt; a study by Rubens for Daniel in the Lions' Den, and splendid nudes by Tintoretto, Titian, Andrea del Sarto, Raphael, Pontormo, and other celebrated artists. The drawings included in this volume reveal differences in attitudes toward the nude figure and in artistic technique. Some masters, such as Tintoretto, use an agitated, almost calligraphic line, while others, such as Michelangelo, create the illusion of a smooth, undulating surface. The drawings are lessons in foreshortening, and in how to handle various media — ink, chalk, pencil, and charcoal. These and many more artistic insights, embodied in drawings of striking beauty, are yours to study and enjoy in this collection, available nowhere else at this price.

Exceptionally comprehensive, easy-to-use guide surveys the evolution of historic ornament in architecture and the applied arts — from primitive ornaments of Oceania, Egypt, and Assyria to a Gothic doorway in Amiens, the tomb of Lorenzo de Medici, and a classic early-19th-century sofa by Thomas Hope. Over 700 black-and-white illustrations. 16 plates of photographs.

For many, Salvador Dalí (1904–1989) represents the Surrealist painter par excellence, one whose work explored his own dream life, hallucinations, and fetishes in the process of objectifying the irrational elements of the unconscious. In this rare and important volume, the painter expresses (in his inimitably eccentric fashion) his ideas of what painting should be, expounds on what is good and bad painting, offers opinions on the merits of Vermeer, Picasso, Cézanne, and other artists, and expresses his thoughts on the history of painting. In a blend of outrageous egotism and unconventional humor, Dalí presents 50 "secrets" for mastering the art of painting: "the secret of sleeping while awake," "the secret of the periods of carnal abstinence and indulgence to be observed by the painter," "the secret of the painter's pointed mustaches," "the secret of learning to paint before knowing how to draw," "the secret of the painter's marriage," "the secret of the reason why a great draughtsman should draw while completely naked," and many other Daliesque prescriptions for artistic success. Illustrated with the artist's own drawings, this volume is a fascinating mixture of serious artistic advice, lively personal anecdotes, and academic craftsmanship. It is, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, "in lay-out and clarity of design . . . a remarkable work of art in itself." Especially esteemed for its insights into modern art, 50 Secrets of Magic Craftsmanship is indispensable reading for any student of Surrealism or 20th century painting.

"It is a miracle that any one man should have observed, read, and written down so much in a single lifetime." — Kenneth Clark, art historian and Leonardo da Vinci biographer A perfectionist in his artwork, Leonardo da Vinci studied nature and anatomy to produce amazingly realistic paintings. Using scientific methods in his investigations of the human body — the first ever by an artist — he was able to create remarkably accurate depictions of the "ideal" figure. This exceptional collection of 59 precise, detailed drawings reprints Leonardo's sketches, still considered the finest ever made, of the skeleton; vertebral column; skull; upper and lower extremities; cardiovascular, respiratory, and nervous systems; human embryos; and other subjects. The volume will be a welcome addition to the libraries of artists, illustrators, and scientists.

The only value-priced, full-color edition of the pre-Columbian Mexican (Mixtec) book. Features 88 color plates of kings, gods, heroes, temples, sacrifices, and more. New introduction.

"An absolute song for an ongoing visit with timelessness." — The New York Times This graphic novel by an Expressionist master offers a stunning depiction of urban Europe between the world wars. First published in Germany in 1925, it presents unforgettable images from the tense and dynamic Weimar period, rendered in 100 woodcuts of remarkable force and beauty. A pacifist during World War I, Belgian-born Frans Masereel (1889-1972) sympathized with the struggles of the working classes and strived to make his art accessible to ordinary people. His evocative woodcuts convey scenes of work and leisure, wealth and deprivation, and joy and loneliness. Banned by the Nazis, Masereel's works were championed in Communist countries; however, the artist steered clear of political affiliations. His clarity of vision transcends any propagandist use of the images, which stand as timeless indictments of oppression and injustice. Thomas Mann described Masereel's works as "so strangely compelling, so deeply felt, so rich in ideas that one never tires of looking at them." Epic and unflinching in its scope, The City continues to influence modern fine and graphic art, while recapturing the mood of a vanished era.

In many of the Italian Christian churches in the vicinity of Rome, mosaics were an important aspect of decoration. This full-color collection includes some of the finest examples of those mosaics. Filled with scenes taken directly from biblical myth and literature, the book spotlights more than sixty mosaic masterpieces created by Italian craftsmen from the fourth through the thirteenth centuries. A third of the images are from the Old Testament, illustrating such stories as Abraham and the angels, Jacob and Rachel, Moses and the burning bush, Pharaoh's army drowning in the Red Sea, and Joshua and the battle of Jericho. Most of the remaining mosaics feature New Testament themes or characters: the birth of Jesus, calling for apostles, multiplying the loaves and fishes, and more. Roman Mosaics is a magnificent book for browsing through, and will appeal to art historians, mosaic artists, and religious scholars.

The "painters' painter," Anders Zorn (1860–1920) studied at the Stockholm Royal Academy of Art and took up residence in London and Paris, where he established an international roster of high-society clients. His striking portraits rivaled those of his contemporary John Singer Sargent in their popularity. Zorn excelled at both watercolor and oil painting, and his etchings are of the highest quality. Uninhibited by the limitations of the medium, the Swedish artist exhibited complete mastery of the plate, bending the art form to suit his own direction. His etchings display the same characteristics and likeness of his paintings, consisting chiefly of portraits and genre scenes. This collection of Zorn's finest etchings, which date from 1883 to 1918, features art from the 1922 Verlag Ernst Arnold edition. An ideal showcase of Zorn's artistic style and technical ability, this book provides a captivating gallery of people in repose and in motion—making music, riding horses, boating, and swimming. Some of the etchings are nude, others depict the fashions of the day. This new edition is enriched by a Foreword by James Gurney, author of Color and Light: A Guide for the Realist Painter and Imaginative Realism.

Leonardo da Vinci's written observations about painting rank among the most remarkable from any era. Never edited by the author himself into a single coherent book, these writings were compiled many years after Leonardo's death into the principal repository of his practical thoughts on the techniques of drawing and painting. A Treatise on Painting begins with precise instructions on drawing the human body and then moves on to techniques of rendering motion. Other topics include perspective, composition, the expression of various emotions, creating effects of light and shadow, and color. With 48 anatomical drawings by Nicholas Poussin and geometrical and architectural designs by Leon Battista Alberti, this famous volume remains one of the world's most useful and valuable art instruction books.