Kunst: teknikker og motiver

"Who gets to make art, and who gets to define it? For the past 40 years, San Francisco nonprofit Creativity Explored has sought to broaden the answers to these questions by providing artists with developmental disabilities the opportunity to make and share their work with the contemporary art world. Art Is Art is a powerful collection of hundreds of perspectives and pieces created in Creativity Explored's studios by this talented community of neurodiverse artists. Featuring original paintings, drawings, sculptures, and more-as well as quotes from and stories about the artists-this collection invites readers to reexamine their perceptions about disability, justice, and the beauty of art"--

"Did you know that gnome couples always have twin children? Or that a gnome is seven times as strong as a human? Do you want to hear some gossip from the gnome who knew Rembrandt? Dutch artist Rien Poortvliet's charming illustrations and physician Wil Huygen's detailed observations of the gnomes' habits, anatomy, and lifestyle are a delight for readers of all ages. Children will adore the gnome family's underground home and the constant interaction with animals; adults will appreciate the tongue-in-cheek scientific data. Gnomebody is immune to the gnomes' tremendous appeal--and a whole new generation is waiting to love them for the first time!" --

The second of three volumes collecting the complete Simpsons Treehouse of Horror comics by creator Matt Groening—packaged in a deluxe, die-cut slipcase that glows in the dark. Featuring an introduction by Lisa Simpson! Collected for the first time in a deluxe hardcover slipcase with a glow-in-the-dark, die-cut cover, these award-winning, full-color comics place the world’s most beloved animated family in exciting horror, science-fiction, and supernatural settings, making this series the perfect gift for the Halloween season and Simpsons fans of all ages. The Treehouse of Horror started as an annual Halloween tradition on The Simpsons, beginning during the second season in 1990. In 1995, the first of 23 comics were produced by Bongo, and while some adapted the TV episodes, most told new stories written and illustrated by some of the biggest names in comics, including Kyle Baker, Ian Boothby, Dan Brereton, Gerry Duggan, Pia Guerra, Peter Kuper, Carol Lay, Nina Matsumoto, Terry Moore, Steve Niles, Brian Posehn, James Robinson, Tone Rodriguez, Scott Shaw, and Jim Woodring. The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror Ominous Omnibus Vol. 2: Deadtime Stories for Boos & Ghouls is the perfect addition to any Simpsons collection.

From bestselling author Johanna Basford, a charming, pocket-sized coloring book that invites artists to create satisfying and simple masterpiecesWe don’t always have a whole afternoon or even an hour to dedicate to our creative practice. Small Victories is the perfect book for when you want to pick up a pencil and complete a coloring page in a single sitting. Colorists will find pages with multiple individual drawings, from which they can select a few and color, along with little vignettes and smaller motifs that can be completed in a single coloring session—all featuring Johanna Basford’s trademark whimsical illustrations and flights of fantasy.The perfect coloring book to flex your creative muscle, while also guaranteeing more of those feel good vibes you get on completion of a project!

This book contains a representative selection of the work of some of the best ceramic artists in the world. The 25 featured artists explain, in their own words, the creative processes behind their work, what inspires them, the strategies they use to stay fresh and creative, what distinguishes their work from that of other ceramic artists and how they achieve this. Through examples of their most personal creations -objects capable of affecting us emotionally, surprising us and making us think-, the artists reveal important details about their ceramic creations: how it was made, how it was shaped, which glaze and engobe coating they used to give the clay color and texture, the firing temperature of the kiln and the type of kiln chosen. The reader is provided with an illuminating glimpse into each artist's unique creative world, where they point out the defining features of their work and reveal some of the secrets that characterize their artistic processes. Paragons of exploration, risk and versatility, the extraordinary artists highlighted in this book rediscover thousand-year-old traditions, reinvent perspectives, transcend boundaries, tell stories and rebel from conventional expectations, creating in the process an exhilarating space where art, clay, water, air and fire meet and, ultimately, inspire. CERAMISTS INCLUDED. ARGELIA: Nathalie Doyen (Belgium). BELGIUM: Ann VanHoey. CHINA: Wan Liya. FRANCE: Monsieur Cailloux. GERMANY: Monika Debus. INDIA: Madhvi Subrahmanian. IRLAND: Nuala O'Donovan. ITALY: Paola Paronetto. JAPAN: Shozo Michikawa, Kaori Kurihara (now France), Yuko Nishikawa (now USA). MEXICO: Gustavo Pérez. NETHERLANDS: Cecil Kemperink. NIGERIA: Ngozi Omeje Ezema. POLAND: Monika Patuszynska. SPAIN: Ícaro Maiterena, Xabier Montsalvaje, María Oriza, Myriam Jiménez Huertas, Ana Felipe, Roger Coll. UK: Alice Walton, Nicholas Lees. USA: Lauren Nauman, Godeleine de Rosamel.

An illustrated exploration of the story behind the brand, from Pierre Balmain's work in the 1950s fashion world, through to the brand as it is in the 21st century.

The bestselling classic, in a revised 100th Anniversary Edition

There are not many classical art books that walk the line of lighthearted humor. A book like this will fill the hole in the market for books that are both artistically educational and entertaining!

Få kunstnere har oplevet samme bratte fald fra superstjerne til kunsthistorisk prygelknabe som Carl Bloch (1834-1890). Efter sin død blev han skrevet ud af kunsthistorien og hans billeder sat på magasin. Men uden for museerne vandt Blochs virtuose teknik og forførende fortællinger fortsat nye tilhængere.I Carl Bloch – Forført gives en række bud på, hvordan Bloch har formået at fastholde et bredt publikum ved at tale direkte til de store menneskelige følelser, kropsligt og psykologisk. Hvad formede fænomenet Carl Bloch, og hvordan forstår vi ham i dag? I denne bog revurderer både forskere og et nutidigt, kritisk publikum Carl Blochs komplekse livsværk: fra de religiøse billeder, komiske genremotiver og opbyggelige skæbnefortællinger til de Rembrandt-inspirerede raderinger og de suveræne portrætter af det moderne livs kvinder.

Philip Guston paintings?particularly the liberated and instinctual forms of his late work?continue to exert a powerful influence on younger generations of contemporary painters. His daughter, Musa Mayer, manages the estate of Philip Guston and is president of The Guston Foundation. She has curated exhibitions of Guston's work and written books including the memoir Night Studio, first published by Alfred A. Knopf in 1988. In 2022 the Metropolitan Museum of Art announced that more than two hundred Guston works from her collection would be gifted to the museum.

Process your emotions and improve your wellbeing with this inspiring guided journal which introduces intuitive drawing as an evolution of mindful drawing.Designed for visual people looking for creative methods of self-care that go beyond mindfulness, this interactive guided journal teaches you an amazing new technique for processing emotion and soothing anxiety: intuitive drawing.With origins in automatic drawing, used by psychotherapists worldwide to access the subconscious, intuitive drawing can be used to tap into your inner self, make sense of your feelings and express your emotions in a visual way. In the journal, artist, tattooist and mental health advocate Almudena Rocca equips you with the essential skills you will need for your journey, from working with line, colour and pattern to drawing objects. She then works through 11 core emotions with you, including anger, love and hope, helping you to interpret your responses to the prompts which form the rest of the book. These drawing prompts focus on exploring memories, relationships, your childhood, hopes and ambitions, as well as events in your day-to-day life. Illustrations from the author feature throughout, as well as artistic tips, inspiring quotes and helpful wellbeing resources.You don’t need to be an artist to enjoy The Intuitive Drawing Journal. With space to doodle, reflect and draw, this is the perfect resource for anyone who enjoys guided self-care activities.

STEFAN SOELL'S TOP 15 UKRAINIAN MODELS: breathtakingly beautiful and incredibly seductiveThis volume of photographs contains 15 different models, all of whom come from Ukraine. Each and every one is breathtakingly beautiful, incredibly seductive, and displays great self-confidence. Stefan Soell succeeds in firing up a stunning collection of images, all in a class of their own. Thanks to his talented eye and skilful finger, always hovering over the shutter release, all it takes is a tenth of a second to capture extraordinary pictures that typify his striking talent.In fact, a plan had long been in place to create a highly charged erotic photo tour, as Stefan has been taking pictures of Ukrainian models for well over 20 years. Today, he can look back on a highly eventful history. Before 1989 or 1990, it was practically impossible to pass girls through the Iron Curtain to the West. The only way to find them required many so-called managers and whatever connections there were to be had, together with bribery. You had to complete many official documents. Often, despite a great deal of hard work, there was no success. The general opinion of the authorities was that the young, pretty girls, in the prime of their lives, would never come back again, whatever else happened to them. Fortunately, over the years, travel options have improved, and the abolition of the visa requirement has enabled a stream of Ukrainian models to flow into the West unopposed.Stefan Soell has the following to say about his models: "These girls are part of a generation that grew up in hard times. In those days, you had to fight for any improvement in living standards, whether it was for better food, an improved job or a modest enhancement in personal comfort. I have always been impressed by the mental toughness and resilience of these Ukrainian girls. They have an extremely self-confident yet relaxed approach to nude photography. I book most of the models presented here through the model agency Phototours Ukraine. My special thanks go to Oksana, who, as a former model, runs her own agency to professional standards. Please visit www.phototours-ukraine.com.

Popular artist Gretel Lusky welcomes readers into her fantastical world in this high-quality art book.This is an artist who loves fantasy and all things magical: fairies, mermaids, mythical creatures, knights, and more. She creates characters that are colorful yet mysterious and places that feel otherworldly, always pretty yet sometimes bordering on unsettling. Gretel fans will love delving into the story of her creative early years, discovering why she chose art as a career, and following her development timeline. She presents two exclusive galleries of art - one with a fantasy focus, based around maritime creatures and witches, and another that celebrates the beauty of sketchbooking. The artist has written chapters on her creative process, which aspiring and established artists will equally enjoy, and created a section on "Embracing The Mess," discussing the techniques of letting go of perfectionism, listening to your body, and staying motivated as an artist. With tools and materials covered in detail too, plus in-depth tutorials for readers to follow along with, this Art Of title is packed with incredible insight and joyous art, appealing to existing fans of Gretel as well as newcomers to her work.

The first official coloring book based on Frank Herbert’s Dune—one of the bestselling science fiction novels of all time. Visit Arrakis in a whole new way as you color in your favorite characters and scenes from Frank Herbert’s enduring and beloved classic novel.  Dune tells the unforgettable story of the boy Paul Atreides, heir to a noble family tasked with ruling an inhospitable desert planet, and his journey to a mythic destiny that will bring to fruition humankind’s most ancient and unattainable dream.  This intricate, beautifully wrought coloring book will include forty-four original illustrations, featuring character studies, locations, and scenes inspired by Dune, the profound and triumphant novel adored by millions of readers around the world.

Fryd Frydendahl (f. 1984) har etableret sig som en af det 21. århundredes mest væsentlige danske fotografiske billedkunstnere. Salad Days er en samling af omtrent 150 portrætter Frydendahl har taget i perioden 2012 til 2022. Den visuelle spændvidde rækker fra det kunstneriske og eksperimenterende til det kommercielle og søger at udviske grænserne herimellem. Gennem bogens forløb illustreres hendes faglige udvikling, og man oplever som læser samspillet og konnotationerne mellem Frydendahls tidligere arbejde og nye fotos produceret til bogen i 2022. Derved står bogen ligeledes som et portræt af Frydendahl som fotograf. Portrætterne ledsages af et perspektiverende essay skrevet af Elizabeth Renstrøm, tidligere Senior Photo Editor på The New Yorker. I stort omfang har fotografierne optrådt i andre sammenhænge, hvorfor bogen også indeholder et appendiks, hvor læseren kan følge værkernes oprindelse. De fotograferede er både kendte, ukendte og fotografen selv. Frydendahl bryder konventionerne for traditionelt portrætbaseret fotografi og har en særlig evne til at blotlægge en rejse for beskueren ind i et intimt rum, hvor skel mellem sociale- og kulturelle klasser, landegrænser og det fremmed udviskes. Et rum, hvor man møder universelle emner som sorg, ensomhed, identitet, venskab og familiebånd. Portrætterne rummer skrøbelighed, entusiasme, uskyldighed, naivitet, skønhed og akavethed. Frydendahl inddrager sig selv, sin familie og venner i sit arbejde, hvilket skaber både følsomme og vedkommende billeder med en distinkt signatur og potent visuel poesi. Hendes tilgang er intuitiv og nærværende. Hun er uadskillelig fra sine billeder. Forbindelsen til den fotograferede er altafgørende, hvilket gør, at man som beskuer mærker hendes billeder. Bogens titel henviser til det tidspunkt, hvor livet peaker. Til den tid, hvor du formodes at nå dit højdepunkt, men spekulerer på, om det virkelig er det. Det handler ikke om teenagere og unge. Nogle mennesker når deres højdepunkt før teenageårene, mens det kulminerer for andre langt senere hen i livet. Salad Days beskriver den naivitet og akavethed, der er forbundet med ikke at vide alt endnu – uanfægtet alder.Bogen bevæger sig i grænselandet mellem kunstfotografi, dokumentarisme og kommercielle fotos og søger at gøre op med prædefinerede opfattelser af fotografiet som medie og kunstform. Her udforskes, hvad portrættet er og kan. Salad Days cementerer den høje kunstneriske og faglige kvalitet, der har kendetegnet Frydendahls virke i mere end et årti, og som gør, at hendes arbejde appellerer til både foto- og kunstkendere, men også i bred forstand til den alment kulturinteresserede.

KarenBlixen er omdrejningspunktet i denne fortælling om kærlighed oglivsskæbne. I cirkler omkring hende bevæger sig syv mænd, som hverisær beretter om voldsomme og afgørende hændelser i derestilværelse, ofte med det erotiske som et gennemgåendetræk.Romanens syv fortællere er:WilhelmDinesen: Far til Karen. En rastløs og modig soldat.ThomasDinesen: Blixens bror, en nær og loyal ven.Denys FinchHatton: Hendes store kærlighed.Farah Aden: Blixenshushovmester i Afrika.Thorkild Bjørnvig: Digter og KarenBlixens nære ven.Otto Casparsson: En svensk tjener ogvagabond.Mortende Coninck: Den rige købmandssøn fra fortællingen ”EtFamilieselskab i Helsingør”.p { line-height: 115%; text-align: left; orphans: 2; widows: 2; margin-bottom: 0.25cm; direction: ltr; background: transparent }

Med kunsten som indsats er en inspirationsbog til alle med interesse i kunst og innovativ virksomhedsledelse, og den er den første af sin art i Danmark. Bogen præsenterer en række af de mest visionære danske virksomheder, som samarbejder strategisk med samtidskunstnere, og stiller spørgsmål til, hvilken forskel disse møder skaber. Hvilken kunst inviteres ind i virksomhederne, hvilken betydning tillægges den, og hvordan er relationen til kunstnerne?Bogen bygger på interviews med nøglepersoner i Novo Nordisk, DSV, KLAR Advokater, Aquaporin, Mads Nørgaard – Copenhagen, Kirk Kapital, Kvadrat, Polestar, HAY, Mayfair Hotel Tunneln og Salling samt kunstnerne Bjørn Nørgaard, Jeppe Hein, Olafur Eliasson og Rose Eken.Michael Solgaard er journalist og har siden 2007 været ansat på Dagbladet Børsen, hvor han er redaktør for kulturnyheder og filmanmelder. Han er desuden cand.merc. og har en Executive MBA fra CBS.

Dennis Scholl uses repetition. Though he does not always paint the same picture, he repeatedly returns to the same point. The terrain he passes through could be a dream landscape from a night twenty years ago. 'Landscape' is suggestive of nature, but the reality portrayed here seems fake. It is more of a park, in which nature has been replicated. And Scholl is not alone here. There are others whom he encounters over and over. But they are no ordinary passers-by; their faces seem like masks - indeed, some of them do wear masks. Are these creatures without expression? My impression is that there are certain arrangements in place within this loose community. Few things are self-evident here. For the most part, there seems to be more of a skirting around the edges of what is directly obvious. The fingers I would use to point at it would need to have more digits than I have on my hand. (Hans-Christian Dany)

Achieve Hermione Granger™ levels of organization with this dated academic year planner inspired by the Harry Potter™ films.Following the 2023–2024 academic calendar (July–June), this planner offers students plenty of room to track and record homework reminders, test dates, study sessions, and more. DELUXE COVER: Features a vegan leather cover with a stunning deboss and gold foil design. You’ll be proud to carry this ethical and beautiful planner to class. WEEK AND MONTH VIEWS: Includes month-at-a-glance and week-to-week templates with plenty of room for all your appointments and reminders. RIBBON MARKER: Easily keep and find your place as you plan your studies throughout the year. MONTHLY TAB STICKERS: Includes monthly tab stickers for you to use so you can quickly access each month. ELASTIC BAND COVER: Keep your precious notes safe and secure. PRACTICAL POCKET: Store keepsakes, mementos, and notes. GENEROUS SIZE: The 7 x 10 size is perfect for a backpack, book bag, or at the ready on your desk. PERFECT FOR STUDENTS AND ADULTS: You’ll never feel like you need a TIME-TURNER™ again! This 2023–2024 academic year planner is perfect for keeping both students and adult professionals organized and on track.

Now in paperback, a collection of interviews with a French cinematic titan—covering subjects such as adaptation, the effects of capitalism on art, and the importance of intuition—selected from a period of four decades.Robert Bresson, the director of such cinematic masterpieces as Pickpocket, A Man Escaped, Mouchette, and L’Argent, was one of the most influential directors in the history of French film, as well as one of the most stubbornly individual: He insisted on the use of nonprofessional actors; he shunned the “advances” of Cinerama and CinemaScope (and the work of most of his predecessors and peers); and he minced no words about the damaging influence of capitalism and the studio system on the still-developing—in his view—art of film. Bresson on Bresson collects the most significant interviews that Bresson gave (carefully editing them before they were released) over the course of his forty-year career to reveal both the internal consistency and the consistently exploratory character of his body of work.Successive chapters are dedicated to each of his fourteen films, as well as to the question of literary adaptation, the nature of the soundtrack, and to Bresson’s one book, the great aphoristic treatise Notes on the Cinematograph. Throughout, his close and careful consideration of his own films and of the art of film is punctuated by such telling mantras as “Sound...invented silence in cinema,” “It’s the film that...gives life to the characters—not the characters that give life to the film,” and (echoing the Bible) “Every idle word shall be counted.” Bresson’s integrity and originality earned him the admiration of younger directors from Jean-Luc Godard and Jacques Rivette to Olivier Assayas. And though Bresson’s movies are marked everywhere by an air of intense deliberation, these interviews show that they were no less inspired by a near-religious belief in the value of intuition, not only that of the creator but that of the audience, which he claims to deeply respect: “It’s always ready to feel before it understands. And that’s how it should be.”

Forty exemplary works spanning the Post-Impressionist¿s career, from one of the world¿s foremost Van Gogh collections Forty masterpieces by Vincent van Gogh (1853¿90) from the prestigious Kröller-Müller Museum in Otterlo ¿ which houses one of the greatest Van Gogh collections ¿ document the Dutch painter¿s entire career, on the eve of the 170th anniversary of his birth. An extraordinary opportunity to enter into contact with the vision of an artist who managed, through the power of his brushstrokes, to represent his idea of reality and to convey an inner world rich in emotions, as well as a picture of the life of his time, which his work presents together with its profound significance, at times simple, at times troubled and dramatic. Van Gogh lived a tormented life, marked by failure in ali the spheres of existence generally considered to be important: incapable of establishing a family, of supporting himself and of maintaining human relations. Yet, as a painter, he managed to represent even the humblest reality in an incessant path within life, nature and himself, transcending their confines and revealing their meaning. Through reproductions of the forty paintings and drawings alongside biographical accounts, the volume reconstructs Van Gogh¿s trajectory along a chronological thread of the periods and places where the painter lived: from his early life in the Netherlands to his years in Paris, Arles, S. Remy and finally Auvers Sur-Oise; from his early passionate and dark landscapes to his depictions of manual laborers such as sowers, potato pickers, weavers, woodcutters, miners and domestic workers. The book presents forty works by Vincent van Gogh, both paintings and drawings; Van Gogh¿s works are accompanied by six other highlights from Kröller-Müller Museum¿s collection, from different periods of time, by Lucas Cranach the Elder, Henri Fantin-Latour, Auguste Renoir, Floris Verster, Paul Gauguin, and Pablo Picasso.

Sebastião Salgado bereiste sechs Jahre lang das brasilianische Amazonasgebiet und fotografierte die unvergleichliche Schönheit dieser einzigartigen Region: den Regenwald, die Flüsse, die Berge, die Menschen, die dort leben. Ein unersetzlicher Schatz der Menschheit, in dem die ungeheure Kraft der Natur wie nirgendwo sonst auf der Erde zu spüren ist.

A landmark book documenting the first-ever art amusement park - launched in 1987 in Hamburg, Germany - in anticipation of its global reintroduction In the late 1980s, more than 30 of the era's most acclaimed artists - including Jean-Michel Basquiat, David Hockney, Roy Lichtenstein, Salvador Dalí, and Keith Haring - designed unique and fully operational fairground attractions specifically for the original park, including rides, interactive sculptures, games, performances, and music. Each artist's contribution is documented in photographs that show the artist at work, with details of the artworks, and showing the art in the context of the exhibition. Giving access to rare artworks that have not been widely viewed in 35 years, and accompanying the relaunch of Luna Luna in 2023, this book is being published for the first time in English with an updated preface.

Over 100 global artists working with collage, as chosen by a team of art experts - an indispensable who's who of the most exciting and innovative names working in the medium Collage is an artistic language comprising found images, fragmentary forms, and unexpected juxtapositions. While it first gained status as high art in the early twentieth century, the past decade has seen a fresh explosion of artists using this dynamic and experimental approach to image making. Organised in an A-Z sequence by artist, the book features both well-known collagists including Njideka Akunyili Crosby; Ellen Gallagher; Peter Kennard; Linder, Christian Marclay; Wangechi Mutu; Deborah Roberts; Martha Rosler; and Mickalene Thomas, and a plethora of lesser-known names deserving of greater attention. Taking a broad definition - from analog cut-and-paste compositions and photomontages to digital composed imagery and animations -  Vitamin C+  showcases 108 living artists who employ collage as a central part of their visual-art practice, as selected by 69 leading experts, including museum directors, curators, critics, and collectors. The survey also features an engaging and informative introduction by Yuval Etgar, an internationally renowned expert in the area. The 69 expert nominators include: Cecilia Alemani; Iwona Blazwick; David Campany; Raphael Chikukwa; Patrick Elliott; Max Hollein; Hettie Judah; Christine Macel; Roxana Marcoci; Duro Olowu; Scott Rothkopf; Russell Tovey; Zoe Whitley; and Heidi Zuckerman. Artists include: Njideka Akunyili Crosby; Kader Attia; Adam Broomberg; Sara Cwynar; Moyna Flannigan; Ellen Gallagher; Lauren Halsey; Lyle Ashton Harris; Thomas Hirschhorn; Peter Kennard; Justine Kurland; Linder; Christian Marclay; Wangechi Mutu; Frida Orupabo; Heather Philipson; Tabita Rezaire; Deborah Roberts; Martha Rosler; Dee Shapiro; Eva Stenram; John Stezaker; Mickalene Thomas; Kara Walker; and Billie Zangewa.

This immersive coloring book features intricate illustrations of 50 popular houseplants in gorgeous home settings, plus a sprinkling of plant care tips for houseplant lovers.The Happy Houseplant Coloring Book is artist Caitlin Keegan's deep dive into the wild world of houseplants. Dare to dream about your own indoor jungle as you color cozy scenes featuring fifty common plants, from a spiky cactus and luscious anthurium to a majestic dragon tree and trailing pothos.Each of the fifty intricate illustrations display a houseplant in a unique habitat of its own—on an apartment windowsill, in a greenhouse, or prominently featured in a luxe lounge. Color each plant and then flip to the backside of your artwork to learn names of the most common species, read about the plant's natural environment, and study how to care for them with tips on water, soil, sunlight, and whether or not the plant is safe for pets.The sturdy, perforated pages can handle colored pencils, crayons, or markers. Tear out to share with friends or feature as art in the home. Perfect for green thumbs of all hues, this coloring book is a delightful introduction to the world of houseplants.

The Natural Way to Draw - A Working Plan for Art Study contains a classic guide to drawing people, offering instructions and tips for drawing different poses and body types. It is split into sixty-four easy exercises covering such subjects as: - Contour and Gesture - The Study of Drapery - Light and Shade - Studies of Structure - Analysis through Design - Exercises in Black and White Oil Colour With simple, step-by-step instructions and many helpful diagrams, this is a book that will be of considerable utility to anyone wishing to learn how to draw. Many vintage books such as this are increasingly scarce and expensive. It is with this in mind that we are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially-commissioned new introduction on illustration.

Occasionally, when something seems very familiar you lose sight of what makes it so special: Flemish Masters. From van Eyck to Bruegel sets out to counteract this effect and opens our eyes once again to the revolution that took place in the Low Countries in the 15th and 16th centuries that shaped the course of European art. In 48 lavishly illustrated analyses, Matthias Depoorter explores how painters such as Van Eyck, Van der Weiden, Massys, Bosch, and Bruegel reached unprecedented heights, and are rightfully considered innovators to this day.The defining factor was their perfecting and mastery of the oil painting technique as well as their groundbreaking attention to optical lighting effects. The new technical possibilities offered a different way of looking at the world and ultimately a new way of painting. No less innovative was the level of detail. These painters were thoroughly acquainted with each other's work-this volume shows the fundamental artistic cross-fertilization. A must-read for anyone who wants to fall in love with the old master- pieces anew.MATTHIAS DEPOORTER (*1980) is a writer and an art historian. He was one of the curators of the seminal exhibition Van Eyck: An Optical Revolution at the Museum of Fine Arts in Ghent and coordinated the accompanying scholarly publication.

What does it mean to create, not in "a room of one's own" but in a domestic space? Do children and genius rule each other out? In The Baby on the Fire Escape, award-winning biographer Julie Phillips traverses the shifting terrain where motherhood and creativity converge.With fierce empathy and vivid prose, Phillips evokes the intimate struggles of brilliant artists and writers, including Doris Lessing, who had to choose between her motherhood and herself; Ursula K. Le Guin, who found productive stability in family life; Audre Lorde, whose queer, polyamorous union allowed her to raise children on her own terms and Alice Neel, who once, to finish a painting, was said to have left her baby on the fire escape of her New York apartment. A meditation on maternal identity and artistic greatness, The Baby on the Fire Escape illuminates some of the most pressing conflicts in contemporary women's lives.