Book Description
This beautiful book focuses on Laurelton Hall, Louis Comfort Tiffany’s extraordinary country estate in Oyster Bay, Long Island, New York. Beginning in 1902, Tiffany (1848–1933) designed every aspect of the immense home, which had eighty-four rooms and eight levels, and extensive grounds into which the house was carefully integrated. Tiffany’s residential masterpiece was also a quasi-museum, for he filled it with his own works—windows, glassware, pottery, enamels, lamps, oil paintings, and watercolors—as well as with objects from his collections of Islamic, Asian, and Native American art.
Laurelton Hall burned down in 1957, but about ten years earlier most of its contents had been removed and sold. Every aspect of the estate is examined and re-created in this volume: its terraced gardens with fountains and pools; the many outbuildings; and Tiffany’s life there. The interior decoration of Laurelton Hall, a particular focus of the book, is represented by both numerous period photographs and newly commissioned color photography of surviving artworks and salvaged architectural components from the estate. For all who admire Tiffany and his work, this book presents a unique portrait of his remarkable home.
Customer Reviews:
Louis Comfort Tiffany's Laurelton Hall.......2007-01-19
This is an excellent and scholarly book filled with incredible photos and descriptions of LCT's home, Laurelton Hall. The author has written a series of fine chapters that look at all aspects of this magnificent residence. What the fire at Laurelton destroyed, this book restores with words and photos. For all of you who love Tiffany's artistry, this book is not to be missed!
Tiffany Book.......2007-01-16
Nicely put together and informative for those who are seriously interested in the life and works of Louis Comfort Tiffany.
Customer Reviews:
Beautiful.......2003-12-29
This is an unbelievably beautiful book! The photos are very good quality, the information accompanying them is interesting. Also loved the chronology at the end. Very lovely and well done.
Book Description
Nearly 200 beautiful examples of wrought iron gates, screens, balustrades and other architectural adornments.
Customer Reviews:
Fantastic plates from original portfolios with examples of 1.......2002-01-25
It is difficult to find an original porfolio full of plates illustrating the work of the French "ferroniers" in the twenties. This inexpensive booklet lets one admire these marvelous and rare examples, many of which no longer exist.
Art Deco Ornamental Ironwork.......2000-04-01
This book is a collection of 670 illustrations. No text is included with the illustrations, but could be a good resource for someone interested in seeing the various types of design used in what was mainly cast iron. The books groups the ironwork into handrails, window balconies, railings. banisters, drapery screens and door panels etc. For someone looking for a copyright free set of graphics this would be a good choice. For those interested in finding out how this ironwork was made and by who it would be a bad choice. These is no explanation of who, when or how in this book - just a collection of detailed illustrations.
Book Description
The fabulous Easter eggs that Carl Fabergé created in the late 19th and early 20th centuries for the Russian imperial family are legendary. Yet few know that during those same years, the renowned goldsmith and jeweler crafted exquisite flowers and fruit for his aristocratic clients throughout Europe, including the crowned heads of Russia and England. Carved from colored hardstones, set on gold stems, and embellished with jewels and enamels, these stunning pieces meticulously replicated real botanical specimens: wild roses, lilies of the valley, hawthorn flowers, and blueberries.
This beautiful volume tells for the first time the story of these tiny marvels, most of which disappeared or were sold following the Russian revolution. Today, Fabergé's existing botanical creations, such as the Wild Rose Collection of Queen Elizabeth II and the Red Currants at the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, are found in museums and private collections. Fabergé Flowers combines superb photographs of these dazzling objects of fantasy with texts that illuminate the lost world of Fabergé's early collectors. AUTHOR BIO: Marilyn Pfeifer Swezey is an independent scholar of Russian decorative arts and cultural history. Alexander von Solodkoff is a historian of Russian decorative arts. Joyce Lasky Reed is the president of the Fabergé Arts Foundation of Washington, D.C., and St. Petersburg, Russia.
Customer Reviews:
Exquisite craftsmanship of nature's beauties.......2007-07-21
Just about a year ago, I went to a special exhibition in Newark, New Jersey that had artifacts from the private domain of Russia's last Tsar and his family. As I strolled among the clothing and photographs and paintings, there was one object that stood in solitary splendour in a glass case, occupying a place of honor.
The object was a bouquet of lilies of the valley, arranged in a beautifully woven basket, nestled in moss. But unlike real flowers, this was all crafted in gold, pearls and diamonds, and jade. It's so carefully made that you can see the veining in the leaves, the delicate strands of moss, and so vivid that if there was a breeze, you would swear that the arrangement would quiver.
Presented to the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna as a coronation gift, it sat on her desk until the Revolution. But it wasn't the only object that she owned that was crafted by Faberge. Every well-to-do and aristocratic home had frames, silver, and other designs created by Faberge and his firm in their homes. One of the most popular of these were the small floral arrangements, usually just one or two sprigs of a particular flower in a vase of rock crystal.
In Faberge Flowers, Marilyn Pfeifer Swezey explores these tiny treasures. Most are only a few inches high at the most, and delightful to look at. With other researchers and others that have fallen under the spell of Faberge's work, she takes a look at the works of this craftsman. Each essay is accompanied by splendid photographs of the flowers -- and a few of the famous Imperial Eggs -- which made the book worth purchasing.
One of the top researchers on Faberge, Alexander von Solodkoff, writes the first essay, cleverly disguised as the introduction, where he talks about the fondness of Russians for flowers, and the cultural significance of them, especially with their associations with spring and Easter. He also talks about the varied collectors of Faberge, both before the Russian Revolution and after.
"A Thing of Beauty is a Joy Foever:" The Faberge Flowers, by the editor of the book, Marilyn Pfeifer Swezey, goes into the history of these little objects of art. Known as "flower studies," these were also the rarest of the various objects d'art that the firm crafted. Only a hundred or so of these fragile objects are known to have survived to now, and when they rarely come to the open market, they fetch astronomical prices. Swezey discusses the materials used -- most remarkable is the actual dandelion fluff used to create the dandelion flowers, each held in place with minute wires -- along with the Art Noveau style which drew inspiration from nature. For the Russian court, it was a breath of fresh air, and reaction to the at times overbearing magnificence of the most wealthy court in Europe. Also covere are the various exhibitions that were held of the Faberge flowers as well.
An Astonishing Discovery by Ulla Tillander-Godenhielm
discusses how the fall of the Soviet regime in Russia has led to the discovery of the original designs and notes that were made in the creation of the flowers. She shows the finished object side by side with the designer's notes, and the details on both are what takes my breath away when I look at them. The author also goes into the decision making process and the steps in crafting the finished product, from the selection of the stones to the making of the rock crystal vases that formed the base of many of the flowers.
"His Greatest Patroness:" Queen Alexandra and Faberge's Flowers by Caroline de Guitaut talks about the largest collection of Faberge outside of Russia, and the woman who started it. The elder sister of Empress Marie, Queen Alexandra was very familiar with Faberge's work, collecting small hardstone animals as well as more than twenty-three of the floral studies. There are also notes about the others who have added to the Faberge objects in the Royal Collection today.
Faberge's London Branch and the London Ledgers by Tatiana Faberge is the shortest of the essays, just covering how Faberge opened the London branch of the firm, and how the surviving business ledgers have proved to be valuable in tracking down where many of the objects are today.
In Search of Faberge's Flowers in Russia by Valentin V. Skurlov is translated by Dudley Hagen, and talks about the collectors in Russia before the Revolution. Not only discussing the various collectors, he also mentions that having a knowledge of flowers was a sign of being educated, and that the flowers were quite an acceptable present when a piece of jewelry would be 'awkward.' Many of these objects vanished in the confusion of the Revolution, and their whereabouts are unknown. Another tidbit is that Skurlov talks about the various floral firms that supplied many of the hothouse flowers for the aristocracy -- and as models for Faberge's artisans. Using notes and ledgers, Skurlov gives a list of the various flowers purchased or given by the Romanovs, and among the photographs can be seen one creation nestled in the original case.
Faberge's Flowers: Science in the Service of Art by Mark A. Schaffer talks about his own love of Faberge (his firm A La Vieille Russe sells jewelry and often Faberge objects in New York City) and the little touches and detail that Faberge put into his designs, showing fruits and flowers in every stage.
Every photograph is annotated, and the essays have plenty of notes attached. There is an extensive index and while the book is not cheap -- the cover price is over 30$US -- it is worth it to add to any collector who is interested in Russian art, Faberge, or who simply delights in beautiful things. This is one of the best books about the Faberge workshops, and gives plenty of information that hasn't been revealed before. The photographs are what make this worth looking at -- they are very sharp, clear and evocative, each one a serene portrait of nature caught in time and craftsmanship.
Book Description
This is the first book devoted to Tiffany lamps in more than 20 years. Experts in the field have made a selection of exceptional lamps-many of which have rarely been seen or published-and each one has been newly photographed with the latest photographic techniques to reveal in extraordinary detail the artistic quality and high craftsmanship of these masterpieces of decorative art.
Martin Eidelberg and Alice Cooney Frelinghuysen have contributed essays on the history of the lamps, enlarging our understanding of Louis Comfort Tiffany's achievement. They have also drawn upon a host of previously unpublished photographs, paintings, and watercolors by Tiffany and other artists in his employ, as well as on working drawings and studio photographs, to evoke the lost gardens and interiors of Tiffany's country estate, Laurelton Hall, that so inspired him. They outline the development and manufacture of the Tiffany lamp from freehand sketch to the finished form, as well as the chief decorative themes in Tiffany's glass masterpieces and their relation to the work of other fin de siècle glassmakers. In this book, light, color, and the inspiration of nature co-mingle to produce a deliciously sensuous experience.
Customer Reviews:
Lamps of Tiffany.......2007-01-19
I really enjoyed this book. The color full page pictures are great.
The definitive book on the subject, for glass artists or just droolers.......2006-07-07
I'd postponed writing a review of this book because I imagined that it was only fair to read the entire text before I wrote about it. I've never really gotten to concentrate on the words, though, because the photos are so, *SO* astonishingly beautiful.
This isn't simply a collection of lamp pictures, taken as though they're head-and-shoulders photos in a police lineup. Many of the lamps have multiple views, from very small (to show off how drapery glass was used, for instance), to a general detail shot, to photographs of the bases the company used to accompany the shade. The photography quality is excellent; you really see everything you need. A professional glass artist (or drooling amateur like myself) can see the details and understand why these lamps set the bar for stained glass. Even if you know NOTHING about the subject, you'll be blown away by the overwhelming prettiness of the material.
I'm not sure if this book represents every Tiffany lamp ever made, but it must come close. Additional images show related material, such as photos of Tiffany's Long Island home (wow), cartoons for lamps we've never seen, and Tiffany Studios' 1904 advertisements for its lamps. Most of the book, however, is a study of the lamps themselves, organized by topic (such as fauna or wetlands), and analyzed in some detail.
When I drag my eyes away, I can recognize that the prose is as complete as the photographs. In addition to the historical context in which the lamps were created, there's plenty of history and analysis about their manufacture. ("Another watercolor rendering in the collection in the Metropolitan Museum is for a Snowball shade [figure 93]. Here, because of the model's domical form, the designer compensated for the curvature of the surface by opening the top sections of the shade into a series of regular projections, just as a cartographer has to allow for the curvature of the globe.") Some of it is a bit dry and academic, at least for those of us who are here primarily to say, "ooh, how pretty!" but if you cared about the details, you would definitely appreciate its depth. In other words: there's plenty to look at, and there's plenty to read, depending on what you're looking for.
You can find a few other collections of Tiffany's works, but I can't imagine you'll find a better one.
Great New Tiffany Lamp Book.......2006-05-12
It is about time that another great book joins the volumes published in the 70's and 80's. There is some new information here as well as photos of lamps that have not been seen for years. This book is well worth the money for any fan of these incredible lamps.
Lovely Book.......2006-03-22
I saw this book in a museum bookstore and immediately came home and purchased it on Amazon. I'm a stained glass student and looking at this book really inspired me. The photographs are stunning and the book is packed full of great information about Louis Comfort Tiffany and his studio. Included are his drawings for a few windows, information about the methods used to make them, and there's even info on the process used to create the glass. Very informative and a joy to look at.
Average customer rating:
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L'Esprit Nouveau: Purism in Paris 1918-1925
Carol S. Eliel , and
Francoise Ducros
Manufacturer: Harry N. Abrams
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ASIN: 0810967278 |
Amazon.com
A painter and an architect, both in their early 30s, met in Paris in 1918 and recognized each other as soul mates. Both believed that the carnage of World War I would be followed by a brave new world based on "the industrial, mechanical, scientific spirit."
As editor of a short-lived magazine, the painter, Amédée Ozenfant, had written about cubism as a form of "purism" that removed art's extraneous baggage. Idealistic Swiss architect Charles-Édouard Jeanneret (a.k.a. Le Corbusier) had returned from travels through Europe and the Mediterranean convinced that the best buildings were based on modular geometric forms.
Together, the two developed an aesthetic based on what they saw as the overwhelming human need for order and the "remarkable refinement and purity" of machines. Both men painted distinctively geometric and architectural still lifes, in which bottles, vases, or even a pile of plates took on the forms of Greek columns. Joined by Fernand Léger, whose paintings included geometric human figures, more obvious references to machinery, and a brighter palette, the Purists presented their vision at the 1925 International Exposition in Paris.
The most intriguing chapter in this otherwise straightforward art history book is Tag Gronberg's essay on how the Esprit Nouveau pavilion at the exposition offered a "masculine" counterpart to the feminized postwar image of Paris. While the fashion and beauty industries evoked "a modern consumer culture defined in terms of mobility and constant change," the Purists celebrated "the engineer's aesthetic" and praised the standardized design of men's clothing.
This modestly sized, elegantly designed volume--which reproduces a good number of the paintings in color, though in a small scale that doesn't do full justice to their eccentric beauty--accompanies an exhibition at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (through August 5, 2001). --Cathy Curtis
Book Description
The Purist movement in art, founded by Charles-Édouard Jeanneret (better known as Le Corbusier) and Amédée Ozenfant, championed a traditional classicism while it simultaneously embraced new technologies and materials. The only book on Purism, L'Esprit Nouveau is a key contribution to the study of classic 20th-century modernism in painting and architecture. The book serves as the catalogue for an exhibition at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
The revealing volume examines over 75 paintings by Le Corbusier, Ozenfant, and their closest colleague, Fernand Léger. At the heart of the study lies a single work: Le Corbusier's striking design of the Pavillon de l'Esprit Nouveau for the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs, at which the term “Art Deco” was coined. The architecture of Le Corbusier's pavilion, along with its interior decoration—paintings, sculpture, furniture, glassware, rugs, and other objects—offers a complete summation of Purist aesthetics. Included here too is the full translated text of Le Corbusier's and Ozenfant's 1918 manifesto, Après le cubisme.
Book Description
A sophisticated addition to Chronicle Books' popular design library, this lavishly illustrated volume offers a unique survey of Italian commercial graphic design during a period of both creative artistic vitality and extreme political turmoil. The first English-language book to showcase the bold typography and streamlined imagery of modern Italian design motifs on comercial products of the day, this fascinating and important resource for designers, history buffs, and collectors includes a discussion of the Futurist influence on the Italian Art Deco style and the success of such individualized expression despite a ruthless Fascist regime.
Customer Reviews:
Great reference.......2002-10-10
This is one great book for coming up with Deco designs. It really helps to make us visual types think in the Art Deco way.
Italian Art Deco.......2000-06-12
Steven Heller and Louise Fili have captured the essence of the Art Deco era Italian style with clear, crisp, and colorful graphics. The quality of the book itself with it's quality paper stock and thick bendable hard/soft cover is outstanding. The quality of the curation and academic research was excellent. I will cherish this book always.
Book Description
Magnificent motifs reproduced from rare original edition: florals, foliates, female figures, pastoral landscapes, more. Ideas for craftspeople and designers.
Customer Reviews:
Incredible source book.......2004-09-03
If you can't find a design you can use for inspiration, you're just not looking hard enough. Not for beginners since the designs are incredibly intricate, but your creativity will wake up and take notice.
Super source book.......2004-06-05
Originally, this was a pair of portfolios of designs in the Art Nouveau period. Art Nouveau was not just twisty flowers, though some people like to stereotype it into those narrow parameters. This is not a how-to book with cutting patterns. It has only the paintings with suggested scale. On a few pages, motifs overlap each other, so you can't just scan and go: you have to build up your idea of the covered areas. One pictorial arched piece is missing the right third, again a challenge to finish it yourself.
The designs range from splendidly romantic conceptions of floral forms to windows a-scamper with squirrels or lizards to some that are distinctly eerie. Bats fly across the moon amidst dead trees. A woman combs her hair before a volcano flowing lava. An octopus and a sea-weed maiden struggle underwater--in combat? in love? Several have fishes and there are even cat designs.
You don't have to see these only as windows. I've converted two to rug designs by taking out the excess black lines of supports or piecing necessary to glass work. You may want to take only one area out of an entire design to render in wood, or do a mosaic version of the whole thing. This is a starting point for the competent craftsman who loves the Art Nouveau energy, not an end product.
Not really Art Nouveau.......2003-02-18
Though some of the designs are nice, most are way too busy for my taste, and I wouldn't really call them Art Nouveau. Quite a few of them look more like Renaissance style stained glass, and some of them look modern (like the sailboat patterns?). It is in color, though, which is nice. Very complicated - definately not for beginning stained glass crafters.
Art Noveau Stained glass-Lyongruen.......1999-12-29
Nice plates with dimensions. Good for projects and for idea's. I highly reccomend it.
Book Description
Over 100 designs from a rare and important early 20th-century portfolio: Bunte Verglasungen. Organic, curvilinear motifs in muted tones of brown, blue, pink, purple, green, yellow, and other colors, are perfectly suited to flowing representations of birds, animals, geometrics, foliage, and flowers.
Customer Reviews:
Inspiring.......2007-01-09
This collection of windows has inspired my creative juices. I have already
used the book to design sidelights and rakehead windows for my front entrance.
Art Nouveau at it's splendid best!.......2004-09-03
Although the designs in this book may not be for the beginning stained glass artist, the color combinations and whimsy incorporated in them will most certainly get your creative juices flowing! I spent several hours just thinking of how I might take just small segments of some of these masterpieces of glasswork to create my own projects. Although Art Nouveau as a whole "look" may be too much for some people, there are certain aspects of these works that are timeless and would fit with nearly any other design genre. Great book for any artisan or craftsperson in search of marvelous design ideas.
Stunning!.......2003-02-18
I absolutely love this book. It's definitely not for beginning stained glass crafters, though - lots of curves and intricacies. I'm looking forward to when I have the expertise to use some of the patterns.
There are 30 pages of some of the best art nouveau patterns I have ever seen. I've already used one of the patterns to create a needlepoint pattern, and I plan on using many more. Even better than I anticipated!
Books:
- Making Comics: Storytelling Secrets of Comics, Manga and Graphic Novels
- Nineteen Minutes: A Novel
- Oil Pastel: Materials and Techniques for Today's Artist
- On Chinese Body Thinking: A Cultural Hermeneutic (Philosophy of History and Culture)
- On Chinese Body Thinking: A Cultural Hermeneutic (Philosophy of History and Culture)
- Oral Motor Assessment and Treatment: Ages and Stages
- Organic Chemistry (6th Edition)
- Outdoor Mosaic: Original Weather Proof Designs To Brighten Any Exterior Space
- Paint Watercolors That Dance With Light
- Painting People: Figure Painting Today
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