Product Description
The first comprehensive, authoritative queer guide to the visual arts

Why is St. Sebastian an icon of gay male artists? Is there such a thing as a gay or lesbian sensibility? What's the connection between Buddhist monasteries and Japanese homoerotic imagery? And are all those European bathing scenes as deliciously homoerotic as they seem?

The perfect browser's guide to queer art—and the ideal reference work— The Queer Encyclopedia of the Visual Arts answers these questions and more in detailed, readable essays that will keep you turning pages long after you've found the answer you were looking for. An easy-to-use, fascinating, and culturally inclusive volume with in-depth critical analyses of major figures, and bibliographies to guide further study.

A distinctly queer presence permeates the history of the visual arts—from Michelangelo's David and homoerotic images on ancient Greek vases to Frida Kahlo's self-portraits and the photography of Claude Cahun and Robert Mapplethorpe. From the editors of glbtq.com, The Queer Encyclopedia of the Visual Arts showcases the enormous contribution of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer artists to painting, drawing, photography, printmaking, sculpture, and architecture. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Excellent Resource for exploring The art world through a Queer Lens
This book is extremely thorough, not only focusing on gay artists, but artists who have some gay connection of any sort. It covers themes in art, particular works, movements, even some patrons, all from the perspective of their connection to queer theory. Excellent resource for any gay artist, or anyone interested in finding a complete gay history of the art world. It reaches well into antiquity up unto contemporary visual art. Definitely work having on a shelf to reference on occasion.

200 articles on GLBT artists and their art
Everything you wanted to know about GLBT art and didn't know where to look -

I read this more as a vastly interesting learning guide about people and subjects I knew little about.The internet is super if you know what you are looking for, this book tells you what to look for and why.I read it as a fun history book and am very pleased.

The book would benefit by containing more illustrations of the artist's art, this is compensated by the bibliographies that accompany the artist profile.

From the back of the book - The first comprehensive, authoritative queer guide to the visual arts

Why is St. Sebastian an icon of gay male artists? Is there such a thing as a gay or lesbian sensibility? What's the connection between Buddhist monasteries and Japanese homoerotic imagery? And are all those European bathing scenes as deliciously homoerotic as they seem? The perfect browser's guide to queer art--and the ideal reference work-- The Queer Encyclopedia of the Visual Arts answers these questions and more in detailed, readable essays that will keep you turning pages long after you've found the answer you were looking for. An easy-to-use, fascinating, and culturally inclusive volume with in-depth critical analyses of major figures, and bibliographies to guide further study.

A distinctly queer presence permeates the history of the visual arts--from Michelangelo's David and homoerotic images on ancient Greek vases to Frida Kahlo's self-portraits and the photography of Claude Cahun and Robert Mapplethorpe. From the editors of glbtq.com, The Queer Encyclopedia of the Visual Arts showcases the enormous contribution of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer artists to painting, drawing, photography, printmaking, sculpture, and architecture.

Great Browsing
The Queer Encyclopedia of the Visual Arts is a great resource. It is packed with all kinds of information. It is wonderful to browse, and is written to be very accessible to a wide audience, but it is also very solid. The surveys of American and European Art are especially valuable, as is the series of "Subjects of the Visual Art." Equally important are the essays on topics such as censorship and AIDS activism in the arts and biographical entries on glbtq artists, from major figures of the past like Michaelangelo, Leonardo, El Greco, etc. to contemporary artists such as Keith Haring, David Hockney, Janet Cooling, Tee Corinne, and many others. This volume and its companion The Queer Encyclopedia of Music, Dance, and Musical Theater highlight the great contributions glbtq people have made to world culture. ... Read more

Product Description
Art Theory: An Historical Introduction is a unique survey of Western thought about art from ancient times to the present.

• Provides a lucid and lively narrative geared to the needs of the general reader and beginning student.
  
• Covers the major periods of Western art history: Antiquity and the Middle Ages, the early modern period (Renaissance and Baroque), the Enlightenment, the nineteenth century, early twentieth-century modernism, and postmodernism.
  
• Relates theory to the practice as well as to the intellectual- and cultural-historical currents of each period, thus demonstrating the value of an historical approach to theoretical issues.
  
• Includes an extensive bibliography that provides a useful and up-to-date guide to the primary sources and secondary literature and 93 illustrations.

Customer Reviews (2)

Understand the Philosophy of Art
I read this book for a graduate seminar on the philosophy of art.Robert Williams' "Art Theory" is an excellent text to get a general idea of the vast field of philosophy of art.Aesthetics = philosophy of Art, thinking about art.Originally, aesthetics just meant "sense experience," and had nothing to do with art.A certain theory of art came to co-opt this word.So, much of modern philosophy of art turned more to the subject and away from the object because modern science did such to convince us that the objective world could be understood as a precise matter of mathematical physics.This idea became so impressive that people were making claims about art or ethics similar to science, that we can't make any objective claims about the world, we are simply making claims about human beliefs.So, the turn to the subject becomes common because of the success of modern science it co-opted the discussion of objective nature.We say things about art, but not all are true.The Ancient Greeks had absolute beliefs about art like "beauty."

He finds that how we engage art today is different then how the ancient Greeks did, art was embedded in a cultural context for them.Art was not in museums or in dance halls.Art is in a special zone of experience today in museums, etc.Tragedy for Greeks was part of their politics and religion, sculpture and painting the same way.Music until recently, (after the enlightenment) was for religion or some kind of official function.

Philosophy tries to come up with theories about art; it may be a fool's errand.A set of principles that define and illuminates or explains the full measure of art is probably not attainable.
However, just because a theory is wrong doesn't mean it has no value, we can draw import from all of them.He asks, can art even satisfy necessary or sufficient conditions?One will always find exceptions.

A "Necessary condition" is a condition that must be present in order to account for the subject in question, i.e., all art must have X."Sufficient conditions" are considered to being all that is needed to be in account for the subject in question.Another word a complete sufficient condition means you have captured all that you need to account for.An example of a necessary condition and necessary conditions need not be sufficient conditions, so for instance a necessary condition for "being a bachelor is being a male," but it is not a sufficient condition because you have to have an "unmarried male" in order for it to be a sufficient condition for being a "bachelor."So both "unmarried and male" are necessary conditions, they both must be present in order to account for "bachelorhood," but neither one alone is a sufficient condition because it is not enough.So, when we are trying to define art and one finds some necessary conditions like some kind of "human intervention" that is a necessary condition, but maybe it is a sufficient condition if we want to understand or distinguish between a baseball player digging into the batters box, which is intervention and human manipulation but do we want to call making a divot in the batters box art?Anything having X is art.Relevant condition is useful for art.It is really not necessary to have necessary or sufficient condition for art.A relevant condition is like "beauty."X is significant for art, but not necessary or sufficient.

Terms for knowledge- These are hard to satisfy in the field of art.Therefore, an objective truth is something that is independent of human beliefs, interests, and desires.Subjective truth is something that is dependent on human beliefs, interests, and desires.Subjectivism-Knowledge, meaning, or truth in art is only function of individual beliefs, interests, and desires.Hermeneutics- neither independent objectivity nor independent subjectivity; a circular relation between artists, artworks, and art world (audience).All three work together.

He shows how "traditional art theories try to give necessary and sufficient conditions.

Imitation- means it copies something in the natural world.Art refers to some objective reality outside the mind and artwork.(Plato, Aristotle).Sometimes the imitation theory is also known as the "representational art theory" because the artwork represented something in the world but is not a simplistic idea of copying.The art forms that are most representational are representational sculpture, painting, and drama.The background and implications of the imitation theory first originated in ancient Greece.The imitation theory is the traditional theory that held sway with artists and philosophers up into the eighteenth century Romantic period in Europe.In order for one to fully grasp the meaning of the imitation theory, it is necessary to understand the nuanced meaning of the Greek word for imitation.The Greek word for imitation is mimçsis; thus, art is the imitation of nature for the Greeks.However, mimçsis is a very complex word with many nuanced meanings.It can also mean a representational copy.Plato uses it in speaking of painting.For example, if a Greek painter painted a bird that looked bird like, that would be a sense of mimçsis.Aristotle says art is an imitation of nature, but not just "copying" it.Aristotle does not mean that when art does what it does it reproduces a natural thing.Rather, what Aristotle means is that art impersonates the power of nature to produce something.Human art does something along the lines of what nature does which is very different.Nature produces a tree from out of its power of generation without any intervention from nature, a builder produces a house out of materials which requires the intervention of an agent; however, Aristotle sees no fundamental bright line between those two examples.

The "Expression theory" refers to something going on in the human mind.Art refers to some subjective reality of the human mind, such as ideas, feelings, and cognitive faculties.(Kant, Schopenhauer).The expression theory is the prime competitor to the imitation theory.The expression theory is a modern phenomenon that turns to the subject.This theory became prevalent with the rise of the Romanticism movement of the nineteenth century.With the expression theory--a shift takes place from the objective outer world of the imitation theory to perception of the mind the subject of the expression theory.Expression theorists expect artworks will produce certain human emotions in the audience.Thus, the expression theory has a certain power in focusing on the mind of both the creator and the audience.Expression theorists argue that the theory has a certain power in being able to articulate the communicative and educative power of the mind.

For example, the artist has an experience that the rest of us have not noticed.Then the artist tries to express this experience in the artwork, which she hopes will transmit to the audience so they can share the artist's experience.The idea in the expression theory that artworks have an educative power is central to Robin Collingwood's theory.The whole idea is that the artist is some kind of educator and the artwork becomes some kind of educational vehicle for people.Of course, art can have so much power in this regard, as in the case of Shakespearean tragedies like Macbeth.Thus, the expression theory gives artwork a new importance, especially in the medium of the written word, since it purports that artworks like literature are something we can learn from that we cannot do any other way.

Contemporary Art Theory
The "Historical artworld," Art involves an interrelated complex of artists, artwork, audience, artworld/institutions.All these work in concert with each other, and changes through history adds even more fluidity.This complex changes through history, reflecting a tension between normalcy and creativity (Nietzsche, Heidegger, Gadamer).

The features and significance of the historical artworld theory, which more properly should be termed a "notion," is that it does not "locate" art in any one of the four traditional factors of artist, artwork, audience, and artworld institutions that people have traditionally examined to define what art is.The historical artworld notion expands beyond the traditional four factors and takes into account history, and the tension between creativity and normalcy.Thus, the historical artworld notion looks at art through a more broad interpretation then the imitation and expression theories do, by adding history and the tension between creativity and normalcy as well.Thus, the historical artworld notion is better at explaining the fluid relationships between the various facets involved in art.The idea is that it uses "hermeneutics" which means "interpretations" that are in Martin Heidegger's words more "world disclosive."Therefore, the historical artworld notion tends to be less dogmatic than a theory and really seeks to serve as a guidepost for understanding art.

One of the most significant features of the historical artworld notion, unlike the imitation and expression theories, is that as Heidegger and Hans-Georg Gadamer argue, the theory of hermeneutics purports that it is impossible to approach anything independent of historical influences that have already shaped us and therefore, mold how it is we would approach anything.There are already operating influences in how we regard anything in the world, and art would be included in that.By contrast, the imitation theory is too "narrow" in its "accepted rules" of art because it only seeks to imitate objects in the world and disregard the importance of historical influence in creating artworks.One of the ways to understand this is by examining child development.Every adult has been a child, and every child has been shaped by cultural influences through all sorts of ways, education, rearing, etc.In other words, any human self will always be equipped with ways of seeing; therefore, there is no such thing as coming to see something as all by itself.Thus, when we approach a work of art, before we even engage it we are already equipped with inheritances from our tradition and our culture that come to us by way of education and other kinds of influences.No engagement with a work of art is a blank slate-- we are not a tabula rasa.For example, in the case of Greek tragedy, we would have to know what the historical circumstances were and what it was like for the work to be performed at that time.Therefore, any approach to art always carries the art history with it, because historical influences are always shaping how we begin to see anything.

I recommend this work for anyone interested in philosophy, philosophy of art.

Completely accessible to non-specialist general readers
Accessibly written by Robert Williams (Associate Professor of Art History at the University of California), Art Theory: An Historical Introduction is an impressive work of very sound scholarship offering the reader a straightforward introduction, informative discussion, and insightful evaluation of Western thought concerning art ranging from the beginning of history, down to the modern day. An intellectual analysis which is completely accessible to non-specialist general readers but treating its subject with the depth worty of a serious student, Art Theory presents its focus upon the periods of "Antiquity and the Middle Ages", "The Early Modern Period", "The Enlightenment", "The Nineteenth Century", "The Early Twentieth Century", and "Postmodernism". A relatively small amount of black-and-white and a few color illustrations add a special visual touch to the serious and evolving ideas concerning art and its role in society throughout the centures. A most welcome contribution to academic library Art History reference shelves and reading lists. ... Read more

Product Description

This groundbreaking text brings together experts in the field of visual art markets to answer some fundamental questions:

• Is art a good investment?
• Why is the art market dominated by America and Western Europe?
• Where are the key emerging markets and what are the next good buys in art?

Providing readers with an understanding of the challenges facing art market 'makers' (dealers, auctioneers, collectors and artists) and the decision-making process experienced by market 'players' and investors, this exciting text merges the key theories with examples of practice in a highly accessible style.

Written by an international array of experts from the US, the UK and China, this book is essential reading for all those studying or interested in art markets and management.

Customer Reviews (5)

Practical and insightful
Very good essays covering in one book many major chapters of the commercial side of arts. Practical and insightful. The Pricing chapter, I was expecting to be more "scientific". But perhaps there is no science in there, which is an important insight as well.

Shipping took almost 3 weeks!
It was the book I need, but the seller took 3 weeks to ship!!! i had to buy another one locally because I needed it for class.

A Fresh, Valuable Read
Excellent essays on practical issues -- a fresh, valuable read for museum and top gallery professionals, as well as serious collectors and students.

insightful and interesting
This book is a gem. Even for the people who don't know much about the art market, it's still a book worthwhile reading. The writing is very polished, yet easy to follow; the information is in depth. There are a lot of books on Art History; but this is the book on Art Market History with the most comprehensive analysis of economic, political and social impacts on art, artists and art market. The humor and sarcasm in the book make the reading fun. If you enjoy philosophy, politics and history or art critics, this is a great book to have.

A good introduction of the arts market
Iain Robertson et al. is presenting this very sound introduction to the non-expert of the arts international market. It is a collection of articles from different authors; therefore expect a non-linear writing style, which is however easy to understand. It is written from the point of view of the curator, or of someone who stands outside the market as an observer. What one could find as missing, are other perspectives such as the artist themselves. Nevertheless, this book discusses a very wide range of the arts market and even includes chapters such as art crime. The reader can thus easily gain a very good (though theoretical) insight of how the arts market works and of who are the actors in the market.

Five stars are awarded for this book, as I would recommend this book to all those who have an interest in learning how the arts market works and as this book delivers. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

Why so many text?
A disappointing book that does not cover its title.
Art is visual, not cerebral.

THIS BOOK IS LONG OVERDUE
When "Self-Taught Art", "Contemporary Folk Art", "Outsider Art", "Art Brut" or whatever you wish to call (definition of this style is just one section of the book) is finally looked upon as a ligimate movement of Style this book will be a reference that is constantly looked upon to show the difficulties there was and currently is in the acceptance of this Art into the mainstream.
The chapters and their break up are clearly referenced and the debate that they create is magnificent. I thought it was as simple as "Art for Arts sake" before reading this book but now I know that there is a lot more to this genre of Art.
Compelling reading that anyone who owns or is looking at venturing into future purchases of "Self Taught Art" should read before opening their wallets.

A Must Read for Any Folk Art Collector
This book addresses everything: the folk art (the term I'm used to) world, the art world and the whole world, because ultimately, any and all worlds are about socio-economic factors.This book is practically a unified theory on socio-economic relationships.If you liked Tom Wolfe's Painted Word, you should read this one.

Everyday Genius does a great job of revealing the insiders' world of folk art, and yes, it addresses the debate over what to call the field. ... Read more

Product Description
In this fascinating look at the creators of artistic fakes and copies, Sándor Radn-ti explores the role of the faker in the art world, and tackles the question of whether fakes can be considered to be art in their own right. "The Fake" provides a thorough examination of the "parasites" of the art world, as Radn-ti investigates the faker's motives and aesthetic sense, as well as the way in which the faker's own story acts as a critical appraisal of the center of the art world. If art is seen from both the center and the periphery of the art world, suggests the author, the viewer's questions about the art may be answered more accurately and appropriately. "The Fake" is essential reading for all philosophers interested in aesthetics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A fascinating contribution to art history and appreciation.
This survey of the circumstances of forgery and its place in the art world examines the ethics and art of the fake, from the implications of forged items to their existence in and impact upon the contemporary art world. TheFake blends history, ethical concerns and artistic examination in adelicate weave of unique insights.

The Fake is a splendid book:
it combines great scholarship, entertaining story-telling and an innovative theoretical approach. Radnoti'sbook is a jewel in contemporary art history as it is also an original statement about the vicissitudes ofour postmodern condition.

original and interesting
What is wrong with a fake? Is it wrong at all? The discussion of these questions leads Radnoti to the re-examination of the main aesthetic and conceptual implications of the autonomous art of modernity (originality,novelty, tradition, canon), to their crisis and transformations in thepractice of contemporary art. This is one of the most original andinteresting books in art theory published in the last decade. ... Read more

Product Description
Art has never been as culturally and economically prominent as it is today. How can artists themselves shape the social relevance and impact of their work? In How to Do Things with Art, German art historian Dorothea von Hantelmann uses four case study artists--Daniel Buren, James Coleman, Jeff Koons and Tino Sehgal--to examine how an artwork acts upon and within social conventions, particularly through the "performing" of exhibitions. The book's title is a play on J.L. Austin's seminal text, How to Do Things with Words, which describes language's reality-producing properties and demonstrates that in "saying" there is always a "doing"--a linguistic counterpart to the dynamics envisioned by Von Hantelmann for art, in which "showing" is a kind of "doing." Von Hantelmann's close analysis of works by Buren, Coleman, Koons and Sehgal explores how each of these artists has taken control of how their work conducts itself in the world. ... Read more

Product Description

With some 280,000 objects, the Harvard Art Museum is the largest university art museum in the United States. Its Fogg, Busch-Reisinger, and Arthur M. Sackler museums feature world-renowned collections of archaic Chinese jades and bronzes, Italian Renaissance paintings, and nineteenth-century art, along with remarkable holdings of prints, drawings, photographs, and Bauhaus and German expressionist works, making it one of the most distinguished museums in the world.

This first handbook of the collections surveys their full scope, from early-Egyptian bronzes and Chinese ceramics to contemporary paintings and prints. Familiar works by Pollock, Picasso, Dürer, Van Gogh, and other well-known artists are presented along with extraordinary Persian miniatures, rare photographic prints, important Greek coins, and African sculpture. Each work is fully illustrated in color and introduced with a brief, engaging text. This elegantly designed book not only offers an appealing and accessible presentation of some of the Harvard Art Museum’s most significant works, but also introduces readers to other resources at the Museums, such as the Straus Center for Conservation, as well as to the artist archives that are housed there.

Customer Reviews (1)

Ecology & art / Landscape integration
John Grande's new book Art Nature Dialogues is not only informative, but it presents the scuptors and artists ideas, points of view without the usual critical control or monologue.
Included are David Nash, Nils-Udo, Hamish Fulton, Patrick Dougherty, Bruni Babarit, Bill Vazan, Alan Sonfist, Betty Beaumont, Ursula von Rydingsvard, Peter von Tiesenhausen and herman de vries (apioneer of earth art from the 1950s in Holland)
'
This is one book thatshakes the art world softly, gently and with a sense of the physical, realworld of nature . Bye Bye PostModernsim. Hello respect for the Earth.




It is about time a writer focusssed on earth sensitive artists instead of the od generation of minimalist earth movers like Smithson, Heizer who destroyed the earth for art./. ... Read more

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Product Description
A wide-ranging and engaging introduction to the place and power of color in art.

Over the course of the past few centuries, the complex phenomenon of color has received detailed treatment from the perspectives of physics, chemistry, physiology, psychology, linguisitics, and philosophy. However, visual artists—the people who work most closely with color—have rarely been asked for their opinions about this ubiquitous but insolubly mysterious subject.

In his new book John Gage, author of the award-winning Color and Culture, focuses on the thoughts and practices of artists. Color in Art is concerned with the history of color, but is not itself a history; instead each chapter develops a theme from one of the aforementioned scientific disciplines from the viewpoint of artists such as Kandinsky, van Gogh, and Kapoor. Flags, synaesthesia, theosophy, theater design, chromotherapy, and chromophobia are among the many topics covered. 180 illustrations, 150 in color. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

good illustrations, confusing text

I gave this book two stars:both stars for the illustrations and no stars for the text.The illustrations look great but as I was reading the book, I was surprised to see that it had been published in 2006.It seemed not to have benefitted from any word processing.I felt I was trying to read a bunch of notes on index cards, quickly stapled together into chapters.There was no effort to explain what the whole book was trying to do, how the chapters were organized and what might happen in each chapter.I was constantly stymied by a thread of an idea that would fray into nothing, by a jump into a new subject, by repetitions, by hops backwards and forwards in history, by an inconsistent approach to the relationship between the science of light and philosophical conjectures about color theory.The text is a mess.
This is a shame because scattered throughout the book are fascinating little anecdotes that would be hard to find anywhere else. Would it ever be possible for an editor to take John Gage's index cards and rewrite this book?I know that I would read it if someone took a crack at it.

Lots of content but not structured
I have a little bit of background on colour theory, so I read this book expecting to learn much of colour in art. It is evident that the author has done much research in this area and has plenty of things to say. However, I felt that the book was badly written. Many sentences could have been broken down into two or more, because they contained several ideas, which were difficult to absorb. E.g., The author writes about an artist, who tried to show something in his art works, while mentioning his educational background and teacher and similar artists in one sentence! Despite re-reading several paragraphs several times, I had difficulty understanding what the author was trying to say. Perhaps the book is more suited for people, who already have knowledge on many of the artists, but not for newbies to art like me. The book should be re-written until the message of each chapter is more clear!

Very interesting overview of how artists think about color.
I thought this book was great.Of course, the best book on color is Josef Albers--Interaction of Color, but this is a worthy companion.Interesting to read how artist's perceptions and ideas of color have evolved over time.Good for artists, as well as non-artists, and will get you thinking about color in a new way.Recommend. ... Read more

Product Description

For one semester courses in Art Appreciation.

A World of Art teaches students how artists create by helping them understand that creativity starts with critical thinking. By guiding students through a rich array of aesthetic elements and artistic media, along with an overview of art history, this text encourages students to develop an appreciation for a diverse range of art. Author Henry M. Sayre demystifies the creative process by showing how artists use critical thinking and problem solving to create great works of art. Studying art also requires critical thinking and problem solving, and this text shows students how to use these skills to understand and explore the world of art.

Customer Reviews (37)

Great
Thank you for an awesome buy. Book was delivered within a few days and in great conditions. Thanks again...

Horrible
I ordered a book, and a month later they email me and said "they could not deliver " my book. I would never ever order from them again. I don't know what their problem is- how can you not deliver a book? and you finally tell me a month later? Ridiculous.

A better text book for the job
I am a student taking Art History classes and there were two books that could of been used for the class. My professor chose to use this one this year and I am very thankful. It is better organized and takes a broader look at art while still being able to get down to specifics.

A World of Art
I ordered the book on Monday and got it by Thurs. I emailed the seller to get info on the book because it was showing as "shipped" but I did not get any tracking info. I got a response in a timely matter and was given the shipping number. Overall, they were great. Only negative thing I have to say is that the package was partially ripped and the book was exposed. I'm sure that was caused by the shipping company BUT the book could have been properly wrapped by the Seller.

A World of Art
Informative and interesting textbook.Will definitely hold on to this book for a long time. ... Read more

Product Description
Sculpture created from fruits and vegetables will challenge you, and amaze your guests. Simple techniques and tools make it possible to create absolutely stunning centerpieces that will be the talk of the party. Butterflies and rosebuds from colorful beets, carrots, and radishes are easily crafted. Elaborate melon lanterns and "flower" filled vases are crafted step-by-step in pictures, making it easy for you to follow the directions. Twenty-five splendid projects promise to delight dinner guests, and gratify their maker. An inexpensive hobby, food sculpture becomes a priceless addition to any table setting. This book will show you how to create imaginative centerpieces like a pro. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Not what I was looking for
Edible Art: Tricks And Tools for Master CenterpiecesI bought this as a gift for a creative friend. I thought it would have directions on creating edible fruit displays.Wrong ! Non of that in here.Cover of the book I received says Edible Art - Tricks & Tools for Master Centerpieces from Carved Vegetables.You would need to be having a very formal dinner party to go to the trouble of creating any of these designs.

Worth every penny!!!
Beautiful pictures!Easy to follow step-by-step instructions.Results are only limited by the skill of the carver, which will hopefully improve with practice!

Edible Art
This book is excellent. Many illustrations, perfect explains for BASI Beginners as well as experienced carvers. Thumbs up!

Great Book
I really enjoyed this carving book. Author is very thoughful in step-by-step instructions. Easy to follow. Great information for the hungry creative minds.

EDIBLE ART is especially recommended for the cookbook collections of dedicated gourmets!
Sculpture created from fruit and vegetables sounds too challenging for most home cooks; but not if you have a copy of EDIBLE ART: TRICKS & TOOLS FOR MASTER CENTERPIECES FORM CARVED VEGETABLES. Here are all the hints needed - given in a series of step-by-step color photos with pairs a large-sized photo of the finished product with smaller 1-4 step photos accompanied by text. The approach makes it a snap to produce works of art with a minimum of tools and no knowledge, making it a top pick for culinary libraries at all levels. EDIBLE ART is especially recommended for the cookbook collections of dedicated gourmets!

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch ... Read more

Product Description
First published in 1954 and having gone through several editions, this comprehensive book remains the authoritative source in the field. This paperback edition includes all of the three hundred fifty illustrations from the original edition, as well as the complete and unabridged text.Its text and illustrations reveal the symbolism inherent in representations of religious personages, the Earth and Sky, animals, birds, insects, and flowers.In addition to a discussion of objects treated symbolically in Christian art, George Ferguson explores Old Testament characters and events and their symbolic representation in art. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Great Reference
This book is a treasure of information.Thorough and exhaustive, this book is a well designed reference for anyone wanting to learn a little more about Renaissance and medieval art.The index is designed for the reader who wants to quickly find the meaning of a particular symbol or find the symbols used for a particular saint or event.Quicker than an internet search I find myself referring to this book over and over again.

Signs & Symbols in Christian Art
This is just an awesome book. We are using it for homeschool art class. It is full of interesting facts about different symbols in Christian art and more. I find this book very interesting.

Great reference book for any art student or just a good book of interest.
Arrived two days AHEAD of schedule, was packaged neatly and securly.
Although it was used, it had very little wear and tear on it.I got this for a art history report on the Byzantine mosaics (Christian) and a lot of the symbols in the art work have been defined in this book. Overall well worth the price and just plain interesting.

Excellent portable guide
When I bought this book, I needed a quick and dirty reference to religious symbolism in western art--I was pleased and surprised to find out that it's small, lightweight, and therefore portable when I visit museums.(Why don't more publishers consider weight and size when they print books for travelers? Lonely Planet and DK, I'm looking at you.)

Its easy size belies the incredible amount of useful information it contains; there are fourteen sections covering everything from the significance of certain animals to religious garments to a brief hagiography for commonly portrayed saints.About one-third of the book is a set of reproductions (sadly b&w in this edition) of famous renaissance religious paintings.There's no discussion or explanation accompanying the paintings--which is the only thing I don't like about the book.

And if you read one of the earlier reviews and are wondering about the chocolate mouse in Rosemary's Baby, it's a reference to mice as a symbol of evil because of their destructiveness.

Great reference guide
I use this book frequently, especially when studying art books of Christian art as well as during a recent Bible study of the Book of Exodus.This was an invaluable guide to the symbolism used in art and the various meanings.For example, when studying the symbolic meaning of the priests robes of the Old Testament, the meaning of the pomegranate for the OT and NT is significant.In the OT, the pomegranate stood for the 613 Mosaic laws (the pomegranate was thought to contain 613 seeds).In the NT, the pomegranate is the symbol for the resurrection of Christ.The Hebrews believed following the law led them to God.For the Christian, belief in Jesus' death and resurrection leads to God!Enjoy this read. ... Read more

Product Description
From Renoir and Picasso to Red Grooms and Guerrilla Girls, this is the most useful reference work on twentieth-century art available in a single volume. Compiled by Ian Chilvers, the editor of The Oxford Dictionary of Art, it is both authoritative and accessible, with generous use of anecdotes and clear explanations of many potentially confusing terms.

Providing broad coverage of painting, sculpture, drawing, and the applied arts, the Dictionary has clear, scholarly entries on the important movements and styles of the twentieth century, including Dada, Cubism, Surrealism, Art Deco, Abstract Expressionism, Pop Art, Body and Performance art, and Neo Expressionism. In addition, it provides entries on art schools and galleries, exhibitions and prizes, terms and techniques. Extensive biographies feature not only artists but also collectors, critics, dealers, and patrons. And though the Dictionary concentrates on the great names, it is not confined to the mainstream of modern art, and features both artists working in a more popular tradition as well as interesting peripheral figures.

This up to date and informative guide is an essential reference for anyone interested in modern art. ... Read more

Product Description
Through nearly 40 interviews with art world luminaries from North and South America, Europe and Asia--including John Baldessari, Eli Broad, Maurizio Cattelan, Lisa Dennison, Ingvild Goetz, Dakis Joannou, Anish Kapoor, Thomas Krens, Oleg Kulik, Ernesto Neto, Simon de Pury, Neo Rauch, Kiki Smith, Robert Storr and Ai Wei Wei--this topical volume focuses on the relationship between art and globalization. With ever-increasing ease of communication, art has been more and more able to connect cultures and create networks. Borders have become fluid, not only between genres, but also between nations. In this candid collection, editors Irene Gludowacz, Silvia von Bennigsen and Susanne van Hagen present interviews with a selection of the world's most notable artists, collectors and gallerists, providing insight into both the opportunities and dangers of today's artworld politics. ... Read more

Product Description
For one-/two-semester courses in Introduction to Humanities and Cultural Studies. Volumes I and II contain literature selections at the end of each chapter. The Combined Volume does not contain literature selections. This text is richly illustrated, beautifully designed and engaging. It offers an exploration of Western and World civilization's cultural heritage. Students move chronologically through major periods and styles to gain insight into the achievements and ideas in painting, sculpture, architecture, literature, philosophy, religion, and music. In 24 chapters, the Combined Volume provides students with a historical political, economic, and social framework to contextualize these achievements within a specific time and place, from prehistoric culture to 20th Century America. Timelines, maps, four-color and two-color illustrations, and a variety of unique "interrelationship" boxes help students make important interdisciplinary and cross-cultural connections, and help them relate the richness and meaning of the past to their own lives in the present. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Slow start, great finish
The first order was very late in arriving - the fault of UPS.When I called about the problem they quickly sent out a 2nd book and when the original book arrived they told me to donate it.They turned a negative into a great experience.Thanks.

Good Textbook
I find the text book in good conditions, I bouth a few from this site already..I'm trying to sell them back, but I have to find out how..

very pleased
The book was in better condition than I was led to believe. When it arrived I thought it was brand new.

Bought for a college class
The book is in great condition and arrived prior to the estimated date. I will buy from this store again.

AWESOME!!!!
I needed this textbook for my upcoming class,and it arrived in Great Timing and in Great Condition. Thanks Again... ... Read more

Product Description
The Grove Encyclopedia of Decorative Arts covers thousands of years of decorative arts production throughout western and non-western culture. With over 1,000 entries, as well as hundreds drawn from the 34-volume Dictionary of Art, this topical collection is a valuable resource for those interested in the history, practice, and mechanics of the decorative arts. Accompanied by almost 100 color and more than 500 black and white illustrations, the 1,290 pages of this title include hundreds of entries on artists and craftsmen, the qualities and historic uses of materials, as well as concise definitions on art forms and style. Explore the works of Alvar Aalto, Charles and Ray Eames, and the Wiener Wekstatte, or delve into the history of Navajo blankets and wing chairs in thousands of entries on artists, craftsmen, designers, workshops, and decorative art forms. ... Read more

Product Description
The book has no illustrations or index. Purchasers are entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subjects: Art and religion; Aesthetics; Art, Primitive; Cults; Art / General; Art / Criticism; Art / History / General; Art / History / Ancient ... Read more

Product Description
Unless you regularly trawl the Chelsea galleries, hang out at the Tate Modern, peruse the Pompidou, attend every Biennale, and religiously read Artforum, you could likely use a primer on the art scene in the world today. Fortunately we've created our second "Art Now" volume to keep art fans abreast of the latest trends and hottest names. Not only will you discover the most important artists in the international art market, you'll also learn how the art scene has changed dramatically in recent years - notably with a return to figurative painting and an increase in political topics. Featuring over 135 artists in A-Z entries, plus a special section about gallery representation and current market prices, "Art Now Vol. 2" is the guide to what's happening and who's who in contemporary art.The A-Z artist entries include: short biography; exhibition history and bibliographical information; and, images of important recent work. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Maybe not for the non-artist
I purchased this book out of curiosity, because I enjoy art.I am by no means an aficionado.It is quite a thick volume with a number of artists covered.For each artist there is a brief description of the artist and their work.The description is reiterated in three languages, which means that each description is actually quite short.For each artist there is at least one picture of their work.My biggest problem with the book is that I was not inspired by most of the artists in the book.Although, in all fairness it is difficult to capture the feeling of a large art installation in one small picture.In general, paintings and prints are well captured in the book, but other types of art are not.I also did not like the fact that there are usually only two images for each artist.I would have preferred fewer artists and more images for each.I think this book is more geared towards people who work in the art world and need to keep up with new artists, and is less suitable for the lay person who just has a general interest in art.

Beware the different editions!
As is sometime the case with Amazon, they group reviews for different editions of a book together. For the record there are several editions of ART NOW:

"ART NOW 137 Artists at the Rise of the New Millennium", ISBN 382281444X (pub June 2002)

This reasonable size book, it measures 25.5cmm x 20cm (10"x8"), 640 pages, and is packed full if images. It covers the work of 137 different artists from the areas of painting, photography, film and video, sculpture, performance art and installation. Each artist is allotted four pages, has a brief introduction of one paragraph (printed in English, German and French), along with a thumb-nail photograph of the artist and a short list of selected exhibitions and bibliography. The pictures fill the pages, sometimes several to a page; in total I estimate there are around 750 illustrations almost entirely in colour. The book concludes with a glossary and brief biographical notes on the authors, plus a section entitled The Art Newspaper which provides art market details and facts about leading art cities in the world.

It covers many well known names including Jeff Koons, Damien Hurst, Luc Tuymans, John Currin, Peter Doig, Tracey Emin to mention a few, plus some less familiar, providing a very useful if brief summary of art today

"ART NOW Artist at the rise of the new Millennium" ISBN 9783822840931 (pub April 2005)

A scaled down version of the above; this is fairly compact book with around 360 pages, it measures 22.5cmm x 18cm (8.75"x7"). It covers the work of just 81 of the artists from the original edition, exactly as they appear there. There are over 500 illustrations almost entirely in colour. The book concludes with a glossary and brief biographical notes on the authors, but there is no "Art Newspaper"

"ART NOW VOL 2 137 Artists at the Rise of the New Millennium" ISBN 3822839965 (pub Dec 2005)

This edition I have not seen, but I understand that the format is the same as before; however all the artists covered are entirely new, none is repeated from previous issues. It is listed as having 640 pages and as being the same size as the original edition.

Art Now
Great value, very concise writing, almost too concise but a great image reference of who's who. Excellent reference to have especially for the price. ... Read more

Product Description
Global Feminisms is a celebration of contemporary feminist art that brings together works by over eighty women artists from around the world. Contributions by a multinational team of authors focus particular attention on socio-cultural, racial and gender identities. By offering new perspectives on feminist artistic expression since 1990, this ground-breaking book moves the discourse of feminism away from its traditional linear history and towards a global inclusiveness that acknowledges the cultural differences in women's lives and the ever-changing perceptions of feminism.

Features the work of more than eighty contemporary women artists from over fifty countries, among them Catherine Opie, Miwa Yanagi, Pilar Albarracín, Shahzia Sikander and Yin Xiuzhen
Includes essays offering new perspectives by internationally known contributors ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

tremendous diversity and scope
Global Feminisms is a beautifully compiled collection of feminist art from all over the world, literally. Instead of focusing on works from the past, however, the earliest of the pieces in this book date from the year 1990 and looks forward to the future of feminism and art. The countless paintings, sculptures, pieces of installation art, photographs, portraits, etc. come from fifty countries and all continents (excluding Antarctica), and challenges the notion that feminism is Western-centric and male defined. It is comprehensive and easy to read, without being dry or inaccessible.

This book manages to cover such a broad arena so smoothly. Its chapters are focused: "Gender Mobility: The Lens of Five Women Artists in India," "Post-Totalitarian Art: Eastern and Central Europe" and "What is Contemporary About Asian-American Women's Art?" are just a few of the many chapters. The intersections of race, class and sex are presented, and many of the pieces deal with cultural, political, economic, gender and sexual identities. The artists share their experiences as women in their particular culture and have created profound works that inspire dialogue, critiques or, simply, wonder.

The art in this book is outstanding on its own with its tremendous diversity and scope - either in presentation, media and look; however, they all unite beautifully to present a successful global presentation of feminist art. And though the art can speak for itself, the writing accompanying it I fantastic and educational. A true enjoyment to read!

A celebration of modern feminist perspectives and works
Over 80 women artists from over 50 countries are profiled in the fine catalog Global Feminisms: New Directions in Contemporary Art, which captures feminist art since 1990. Struggles for women's equality are reflected in works by women who strive to portray alternative perspectives. GLOBAL FEMINISMS accompanies an exhibit which coincides with the thirtieth anniversary of the first major feminist art show to explore women in Western Art, but it stands well alone as a celebration of modern feminist perspectives and works and is an acquisition any college-level art or women's issues collection needs, pairing in-depth history and essays with full-page color photos.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch ... Read more