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A collection of beautiful, royalty-free images from all over Asia
"Asian Design" is a treasure trove of Asian imagery, collecting design elements from areas as diverse as India, Japan, China, Korea, Tajikistan, Eastern and Central Tibet, Nepal, Burma, Thailand and pretty much ever Asian country you can imagine.There are 256 images in total, all in color and as varied as the countries themselves.

But be warned that images are all you get in "Asian Design."There is no description to accompany the pictures, and aside from a list in the back noting which country the individual images come from, there is no text at all.This is essentially a book of professional quality, royalty-free images that can be used to decorate presentations, websites or just your wall or computer screen.

The book is accompanied by a CD with high-resolution JPEG version of all the images, along with 24 black-and-white 1200-dpi, bit-mapped, print-ready TIFF graphics, and 42 scalable, Vector-based EPS version.All of the images reproduce beautifully and can be used directly from the CD.

As can be expected of this type of book, there are numerous images of Buddha, of Japanese woodblock prints, of kimono patterns and snake charmers.There are some many-armed demons belching fire and birds perched on snowy branches.There is a good mix between representational images and pure design.

"Asian Design" would be a great book for anyone setting up an Asian-themed website, be it a restaurant homepage or a non-commercial site.It is also nice as just a book of pure design, looking at the way Asian artists put a picture together and their approach to different styles of depiction.
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A totally new World of Art survey of artistic achievements in Southeast Asia from prehistory to the modern period.

The pagodas of Burma, the temples of Angkor, the great Buddhist monument of Borobudur—these achievements of powerful courts and rulers are part of a broad artistic tradition including textiles, applied arts, vernacular architecture, and village crafts.

Covering Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Burma, and the Philippines, Fiona Kerlogue examines the roots and development of the arts of this distinctive region from prehistory to the present day. Broadly chronological, the book traces the different religions that have shaped the region's historic cultures—Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity—finishing with an exploration of the arts of the postcolonial period.

With nearly 200 illustrations, over 100 in color, a glossary of names and places, and suggestions for further reading, the book is a comprehensive introduction to the arts and culture of Southeast Asia. It will appeal to students, travelers, expatriates, and anyone with an interest in the region. 190 illustrations, 110 in color. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A tall order with disappointing results
A somewhat parched production. Kerlogue far overstretches her abilities and consistently betrays a lack of intuition, personal engagement with her subjects, and intellectual insight. She lags behind other writers who have given us far livelier, more deeply informative books that are enjoyable to read. This author should stick to museum work. ... Read more

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At a time when interest in China has never been greater, this revised edition of Mary Tregear's authoritative survey of the Chinese visual arts will be welcomed by art lovers, students and travellers alike. Generously illustrated and eminently readable, it covers not only bronzes, jades, calligraphy and painting, but also Buddhist sculpture, ceramics, textiles, metalwork, lacquer, garden design and architecture. For the revised edition, all Chinese names, places and terms have been romanized to current international usage. Throughout, information has been updated in view of recent finds, and the book contains new illustrations, a revised introduction and a new final chapter on twentieth-century art. ... Read more

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A Journey to the East
If you, like millions of westerners, have found within yourself an intense curiosity for, and resonance with, the orient, but have been intimidated by the breadth of the subject matter, this book is an excellent way to"get your feet wet."Tregear wrote Chinese Art for theinterested reader, not for art critics.Her book is scholarly, insightful,and very engaging.She has done well to write not only about painting andsculpture, but about landscaping, architecture and textiles as well,offering the reader a truly comprehensive survey of this magnificentartistic tradition. ... Read more

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Study of the notion of God King in South Asia and its appearance in South East Asia. Proceedings of a major international conference. 15 essays, many illus. excellent production. ... Read more

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A major contribution to the scholarship of South and Southeast Asian art.A major survey of South and Southeast Asian art drawn from the Alsdorf Collection, one of the finest private collections of Asian art in America. Although this extraordinary collection is well known to scholars and collectors, the exhibition and the accompanying catalogue will provide the first opportunity for the general public to view these remarkable works of art. This collection of more than 450 objects includes sculpture, jewelry, paintings, and architectural elements from India, Nepal, Tibet, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Java, and elsewhere. The objects range in date from a medallion from the second century BC to twentieth-century sculpture. The catalogue has been written by the eminent scholar Pratapaditya Pal. Dr. Pal explains the major themes represented in the collection--Hindu gods, Buddhist and Jain subjects, goddesses, human figures, animals, and ritual, ornamental, and ceremonial objects--and discusses in detail the style, history, and iconography of individual pieces. ... Read more

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This volume presents the reader with the unique wealth of art forms in East Asia which have also exerted tremendous influence on Western art: ceramics, woodcarvings, sculptures and bronzes, porcelains and ink drawings from China; and from Japan, temple districts, imperial villas and Zen gardens, ukiyo painting of the Edo period, the famed No masques, as well as precious textiles and costumes.These are only a few of the many aspects selected by the authors to convey the wealth and unbelievable variety of artistic forms of East Asia. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Art of East Asia
I ordered this book on the recommendation of an Amazon customer review. However, I returned it because it is just a HUGE book, that is, much too heavy to hold comfortably and read. It does has lovely,colored illustrations and the text material was suitable even though, as was observed by a previous Amazon reviewer, it does not include India. In the end I ended up buying an updated (1980s), used copy of Sherman Lee's basic book on Asian art which, after all these years (c. 1963),still seems to be the best choice for a comprehensive history of the topic.

oriental art
Asian Art. History, Painting, Sculpture, Architecture, Calligraphy and more. FREE first two chapters in the trial version.

This comprehencive ebook is perfectly organized. The text is accessible and interesting.

if one could only have one book on Asian art, this is it
I'm currently taking my first course in Asian Art history, and I wish we were using this text!The Art of East Asia is eloquently and insightfully written and stunningly produced.The authors do an excellent job of bringing the art into the historical and cultural contexts of the time periods when it was produced.The color photographs are plentiful, large, and beautifully printed -- this is an important point, as black and white photos fail to capture the details of either fine brushwork or three dimensional pieces.This book is a tremendous value; it is far superior to other volumes costing almost twice as much.The only limitation to be aware of is that it does not include the art of India.

The best introduction to a complex and facinating subject
The entire book is a mine of information complemented by wonderful photographs. It is perhaps the best introduction to an ancient and profound culture. The Japanese and Korean section is a must for any person seriouslyinterested in trying to understand what is a complex and usuallyinaccessible subject. In particular the masterful text on Japan by MichaelDunn illuminates the often misunderstood area of the overwhelming influenceof Zen on Japanese Art. He should be encouraged to write in more detail onsubjects with which he has such a commanding knowledge and insight.

Exceptional value, brilliant insi
This book manages to present East Asian art without mystification, but also without academic stuffiness.An extraordinary combination! If you want an accessible (but not vulgar) introduction to the subject that will whetyour appetite for more, this is the book. The illustrations areexceptional. It's incredible that the publisher can put this kind ofquality out for the price. ... Read more

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An exploration of one of the most important collections of Indian and South-East Asian sculpture ever assembled. The works discussed are drawn from the Samuel Eilenberg Collection, much of which is housed at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. ... Read more

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An historical and cultural journey through Buddhist art. ... Read more

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In the years of rapid economic growth following the protest movements of the 1960s, artists and intellectuals in Japan searched for a means of direct impact on the whirlwind of historical and cultural transformations of their time. Yet while the artists often called for such “direct” encounter, their works complicate this ideal with practices of interruption, self-reflexive mimesis, and temporal discontinuity. In an era known for idealism and activism, some of the most cherished ideals—intimacy between subjects, authenticity, a sense of home—are limitlessly desired yet always just out of reach.

In this book, Miryam Sas explores the theoretical and cultural implications of experimental arts in a range of media. Casting light on important moments in the arts from the 1960s to the early 1980s, this study focuses first on underground (post-shingeki) theater and then on related works of experimental film and video, buto dance and photography. Emphasizing the complex and sophisticated theoretical grounding of these artists through their works, practices, and writings, this book also locates Japanese experimental arts in an extensive, sustained dialogue with key issues of contemporary critical theory.

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The first book to analyze and survey the extraordinary arts of this vast region by material.

Throughout history, the beauty and value of the arts of Asia have been derived largely from the exquisite quality of the natural materials from which they are crafted. Materials have spiritual significance in the Asian cultures that use them, and the art is often born from that significance. For instance, jade, because of its hardness and durability, has long been associated with immortality in China, while bamboo, which bends and sways in the strongest winds, symbolizes flexibility in East Asian cultures.

Many of the materials that are most often used in Asia were actually discovered, invented, or first worked there, and they pervade every aspect of life—practical, religious, and artistic. Often materials are not what they seem to a Western eye. "Rice" paper is made from mulberry wood pulp; jade is not carved—it is too hard—but abraded. Lacquer, now used for luxury decorations, was originally a protective coating on food vessels.

Ten chapters, illustrated with over 400 photographs, are devoted to the most significant materials: jade, silk, porcelain, lacquer, ivory, bamboo, paper, gold, wood, and stone. Each chapter is divided into three main sections: the characteristics of the material, its historical and social significance, its etymology, and its associated legends; the techniques by which it is transformed into art objects; and, country by country, the principal artistic styles used throughout Asia.

Complete with details of museums with major collections and of where to buy Asian art, and photographs of Asian art used in contemporary interior design, this book will not only serve the needs of the ever-growing number of collectors but also be seen as required reading for any student of Asia and its cultures.

Featuring work from: Afghanistan, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tibet, and Vietnam. Over 400 color illustrations. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

Beautiful Book
I purchased this book as I am an Art History student and Dr. Chirapravati is my professor. This is a book I will keep after the class if over, the images are beautiful and if you ever have a chance to go to the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco this book will give you lots of details about the art displayed there.Whether you read it in depth or just enjoy the photographs it is money well spent.

Emerald Cities: Arts of Siam and Burma 1775-1950
It is a very nice and succesfull book. I recomend everybody who like Asian history and art. ... Read more

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Over five hundred objects - statues, jewelry, fabrics and weapons - represent the variety of art produced in the geographical area known as Oceania. From Easter Island to New Guinea, From Polynesia to Australia these arts share characteristics of bold forms and rich, detailed decoration which speak of their traditions and mythologies. Drawing on the famous collections of the Musee Barbier-Meuller this book brings together these cultures to demonstrate aesthetic similarities between civilizations located far apart in both space and time. While the arts of the Easter Islands and Maori civilizations have been well known for some time the creativity of inhabitants of Borneo, Sulawei and Sumatra is less familar and is scarcely represented in the major public collections. Essays on each island or civilization are part of this study. ... Read more

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Collaborative, ephemeral, self-reflective, multidisciplinary--the work generated by the rapid series of experimental artistic movements that energized the public sphere in postwar Japan was anything but private, static, or expected, despite the enduring engagement of Japanese artists with Western modernism. For two decades, a small but progressive group of visual artists, musicians, dancers, theater performers, and writers variously confronted the fraught legacy of World War II in Japan, which included occupation by a foreign power, growing economic inequality, and the clash between repressive social mores and an increasingly industrialized, urban, and consumer-oriented culture. Art, Anti-Art, Non-Art offers an introduction to this highly charged and innovative era in Japanese artistic practice.
Published in conjunction with an exhibition on view at the Getty Research Institute from March 6 to June 3, 2007, this catalogue features objects, books, periodicals, photographs, and other ephemera created by artists associated with Experimental Workshop, Gutai, High Red Centre, Neo Dada, Provoke, Tokyo Fluxus, and VIVO, among others. ... Read more

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Dancing lords and praying goddesses, swirling dragons and Buddhas atop lotus blossoms. We see these images in Asian art, but how can we learn to appreciate them? This guide introduces the history, artistry, and religious and literary symbolism of Asian art. Beautifully designed, the portfolio comes with twenty-four full-color reproductions of frameable quality and an accompanying booklet that covers three millennia of Asian art. The lush reproductions from the Asia Societys Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection highlight masterpieces from India to Japan, Indonesia to China, Korea to Thailand. ... Read more

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Haiku introduces five styles of haiku to readers and includes projects on:
* Your first haiku--how to get started with the classic form of poetry
* Your favorite season--exploring nature, a traditional element in haiku
* Your own personal haiku--writing in haibun, a form of haiku that uses personal narrative
* Haiku with pictures--creating haiga, an illustrated haiku
* Haiku with a friend--developing renga, linked-verse haiku
The Asian Arts & Crafts for Creative Kids series is the first series, aimed at readers ages 7-12, that provides a fun and educational introduction to Asian culture and art. Through hands on projects readers will explore each art--engaging in activities to gain a better understanding of eachform. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Seven Keys to Appreciate Haiku
What people love about haiku is its simplicity. This book further offers seven keys to understand and appreciate haiku: form (three lines with or without 17 syllable count), image, nature/season word, here and now, feeling, surprise and compassion. Author of HAIKU MIND and CHINO-NI: WOMAN HAIKU MASTER, Patricia Donegan is characteristically patient with words and she goes into great details to provide readers young and old with stories, backgrounds, anecdotes, project ideas and methods of reading and writing haiku. The information presented in this book is fairly accurate from an eastern reader's perspective.

great for students
I used this for a workshop with fourth graders and this book is extremely helpful. Great examples and how tos. Also wonderful examples of Haikus to get you going.

Smart and iInspirational
First let me say this:I NEVER write reviews.But after seeing so few written for this title, I feel compelled to offer my praise.

After a half hour of perusing this book, I have
- Learned interesting tidbits about the history of haiku
- Gained several simple but brilliant insights into the spiritual nature of haiku
- Become determined to lead a haiku class at my sons' school
- Started planning for a seasonal haiku-writing party with friends

Put it this way: If you're interested enough in this book to actually read the reviews, then you must buy it.Must buy it.

Great Haiku for Children AND Adults
This book is a gem for adults as well as children.Not only does it clearly and simply explain the elements of haiku, and how to write good haiku, but it contains various projects to encourage children in writing.Included are projects that can be used to involve the whole family in exploring haiku together.As a grandmother who has in the distant past touched into haiku, I found the way this book approaches the subject actually inspired me to resume writing haiku.My granddaughters, 12 and 14, loved the book and are both exploring the medium.

Great explanations and craft ideas
This book is awesome.The author does a GREAT job at explaining about the essential elements of haiku and how to include them in your poetry.This book is great for teachers who would like a simple guide to help them teach the art of haiku to their students.In addition, this book suggests a number of extension activities involving the arts that are great as well. ... Read more

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Collection of research papers. ... Read more

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The Asian Collections at the Art Gallery of New South Wales are distinguished by the breadth of cultures they embrace. Including exquisite calligraphies, traditional and modern paintings, rare porcelains and rich textiles, and the extraordinary legacy of Buddhist art from Asia, the collections offer one of the largest pan-Asian displays of art in the southern hemisphere. This book showcases nearly 500 works from the collections. Superbly illustrated throughout in full color, it provides a fascinating overview of the histories and traditions that constitute the rich cultural heritage of Asia, while also giving detailed entries for many of the more important works in the Gallery's Asian collection. ... Read more

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Universally popular, uncommonly loud, a pyrotechnic spectacle that inspires laughter, delight and a healthy dose of frayed nerves—what else but the firecracker! These little sticks of paper and powder have captured the imagination of cultures the world over since the Chinese invented them centuries ago. As practical, chemical developments in firecracker production proceeded apace, the popular art form of label design flourished, leaving us with a remarkable visual record of the myths and cultural attitudes of the Chinese manufacturers and their markets. FIRECRACKERS explores the art form in detail, linking it to history and exploring its relevance in the various cultures that ceremonialize this peculiar bang. Includes reproductions of over 100 full-color labels, as well as tips on finding and saving firecracker art. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Firecrackers: The Art & History
EXCELLENT book - in all ways! Generous amount of wonderful color photos of firecracker label art as well as the factories (& factory workers) from where they come. VERY informative reading on this nearly lost art! I am MOST pleased w/ this book purchase from Amazon - and the price was a genuine bargain, which is ALWAYS a good thing! It's for all the above reasons that I return to Amazon.com whenever I'm sourcing ANY book!

More Bangs for the bucks !
This is a good source book on firecrackers from China to the world.It was well organized with large pages of colorful photos in rare package labels.The chapters on the origin, evolution and manufacturing of firecrackers were concise and informative.Of significance was the chapter on Chinese celebrations.For more than a millennium, firecrackers have been there from weddings to dragon dances, from funerals to store openings (p.27).For the Chinese, firecracker is a must for festival tradition celebration especially to welcome the Chinese New Year (same as firing guns at New Year Eve).

However, Chinese Christians celebrate Christmas with firecrackers (p.36) is a doubtful assertion as the authors failed to provide where, China or US.The same page said firecracker is celebration and sadness.To Chinese, firecrackers never are associated with sadness.It can mean scare off the evil spirit, negative chi and bad luck.

It is a great book to read and enjoy the colorful labels and package with different themes, ranging from Chinese mythology and folklores to western tradition.The Chinese knows the American market well.The nude angel with wings (p.76) is a case in point; others included are battleship (p.121), Red Devil, thunder cloud, dinosaur, Robinson Crusoe, King Kong, cowboys, Indians, aquatic animals, astrospace and explosives (atomic bombs), bullfight, woman boxers, baseball, football, circus, auto race, military and Dixie boys. The un-named artists were impressive. Labels from Guatemala, Indonesia and India are included as well.Of special meaning were the two package labels related to WW II - four Chinese soldiers with weapons on hand, a firing tank, a Chinese flag and three double decked fighter planes heading East resisting Japanese aggression (p.100); a young Chinese soldier in green uniform, gun at back and bullet case belt with a raised right handV finger sign, an obvious V- J Victory celebration (p.101).

This book gave good information.However, the authors failed to mention that firecrackers and fireworks, the Chinese invention are intendedcelebration for prosperity, happiness, luck and peace as well.But once introduced to Europe, they were turned into weapon to wage war against Chinese as recorded in history 150 years ago under the free trade in China's favor excuse.

Next time, when you light up a package for July 4 celebration, think about the excitement and joythis Chinese gift brings.

Great Reference Volume for Firecrackers!
My husband was looking for a book on firecrackers and I tried the local book stores, i.e. Barnes and Nobles, Bookmart, Books a Million, but no luck.I browsed the internet and the reviews on firecracker reference materials were few and far between.Finally I came across this book on Amazon and took a chance it would please him.....he's quite picky about his reference library.This soft-cover book is GREAT!It is packed with beautiful, vibrant full color photos of the common labels all the way up to the very rare. The book layout is dotted with photos and the glossary is helpful to even the intermediate collector.The section "Interview with a Collector" gives a nice insightful look into the pursuit of fireworks labels.The history of firecrackers is also discussed, giving the collector a great back-story to the industry.No price guide, but that is fine with my husband, as it tends to date a book after a couple of years.This is an informative addition to the Hubby's library......he's happy and I'm glad.

Beautiful drawings pack an illustrated history
Bright, colorful pages packed with color illustrations and photos chart the art and history of the firecracker, from their construction and advancement to the making of labels and items promoting them. Beautiful drawings pack an illustrated history which invites leisure browsers as much as researchers, and which is very highly recommended for general library collections.

Experience the Thrill
This book shows great insite into the history of the firecracker and theintricate artwork involved with the packaging of them. The clarity of theillustrations are wonderful, its hard to believe some of the labels are asold as they are. I highly recommend this book to anyone who can rememberthe excitement of being able to "set off" these firecrackers onthe 4th of July, without worrying about breaking the law. Those of you whowere not as lucky to experience this thrill, will definitely find this bookfun. ... Read more