Product Description

Customer Reviews (9)

Excellent
Well organized and informative.I bought a second copy to give as a present.

Lavishly illustrated, economically written.
I first encountered this book while visiting my mother-in-law (a voracious reader and traveler); she had just brought it home from the public library. Her passion is art; mine is China.Leafing through the book's pages, casually at first, the "wow!" in me grew as I saw images, both ancient and contemporary, classical and Maoist, natural and conceptual -- with a paragraph, or a little more, pointing out each image's key features.(Pineapples, being yellow, are associated with gold and rich abundance; while the many-seeded pomegranate hints at fecundity.) What's more, language lovers will find that this volume might just as accurately have been titled: "Chinese Language: A Guide to its Motifs and Verbal Imagery."The text is peppered with accompanying Chinese vocabulary (using both Pinyin and the "Simplified" characters), amply fortified with discussions of word play, and an image's reflections across dialects.Click a random page in Amazon's "Look Inside" feature for this book--you'll see what I mean.

After leaving my in-laws', I came home straightaway, powered up my computer, and ordered this book online!What a gem!

A perfect balance
Has just the right balance of the visual and the literal: gorgeous examples of Chinese art through the ages is seen accompanied by amazing textual information on the language of the animals, characters, numbers, etc. by a rare someone who is knowledgeable in both the worlds of Chinese art and Chinese history, philosophy and language.She writes clearly and the fascinating material holds the reader's interest, even if we may not know the Chinese language.
This book is well executed, a real treasure and a great introduction not only to Chinese art but art in general too, foreverything Western artists have accomplished they learned first from the Chinese...

Outstanding!
This is an excellent book. For anyone who has admired a painting on a Chinese vase, the carving on a Coromandel screen or even the costumes in a Chinese New Year's Day parade - and wondered about the significance or meaning of the flowers, animals, colours, symbols and everything else - you will find the answers in this beautifully organized, lavishly illustrated, comprehensive volume.

The book can be read cover-to-cover as specialized art and cultural history or opened anywhere for a fascinating glimpse into a fascinating civilization. The author brings an immense academic understanding to her subject and writes clearly, concisely, eloquently; although the book can be read by any enthusiast for things Chinese it will undoubtedly find a place on the scholar's reference bookshelf as well.

CHINESE ART tackles a complicated philosophical theme - the perception of a civilization through its imagery and designs - and succeeds wonderfully. A pleasure to read and to own, a remarkable achievement, and probably definitive. Five stars.

Making a complex subject easily accessible.
Patricia Welsh turns, what at first glance could be considered a dry and dull subject, into an adventure of discovery. Alongside her obvious expertise and deep academic appreciation of her subject the writer has created a reference book where ideas are beautifully expressed in a clear, easy to read style. The result borders on what can only be described as academic story telling clearly indicating the extraordinary skill of the author. At no time is the reader left in any doubt that this is a work of true substance.

This book has the ability to enthral as it subtly draws the reader in, to the point where each page is a compulsive read. This scholarly work is a treasure trove of amazing facts and figures to explain how Chinese design is a vehicle for communicating specific messages, some simple, some complex metaphors or puns. The culture and language are effectively related to history and symbols in a compelling way.

All in all a first class reference book which surprisingly happens to be a good read into the bargain.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A good basic guide with beautiful photographs of Japan.
Though it is true this book does not go into great depth about Japan and its culture; nevertheless, it is a good basic guide of Japan for the average person who is not seeking a more academic approach to the topic.Chapters include the realm of the Kami, a buddhist civilization, the way of the warrior, the way of Zen and numerous other interesting sections.It also has a section for those seeking further reading on the subject. The photographs are clear, in color and beautiful. In conclusion, this book is for anyone who desires an overview of the art and culture of Japan.Rating: 4 Stars.Joseph J. Truncale (Author: Tanto-Jutsu, Wakizashi-Jutsu, Season of the Warrior: a poetic tribute to warriors, Never Trust a Politician, Martial Art Myths).

Beware of translations
This book was originally written in French and then translated into English. Considering the subject of this book is Japan, that's probably not the best way to go about things. Many of the Japanese words introduced in this book are written as they would be transcribed in French, not English, leading to possible confusion. In addition, the translation is at times not very good. The text gets quite clunky and seems poorly organized in places. The one thing this book has going for it is the abundance of high quality photographs. Visually, this book is stunning, filled with lots of slick, high-gloss images. So buy this book for the pictures, but if you're actually going to read it, beware the information. There are many other books that are much better.

A Review on The Art and Culture of Japan
In The Art and Culture of Japan, the author describes the greater aspects of Japanese past and present art and culture.He touches on a wide array of cultural diffences and even explores the art of rock gardens. In thisbook, there is enough information on gardening to fulfill my horticulturalneeds and wants. He lividly descibes the samuri and their code of honor,while offering a view on the way that the Shintoreligion functions andtheir main beliefs. The only quam I have with this book is the lack of anin-depth look at the everyday life and funtions of the peasant life inancient Japan. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
The first major book on Japanese textile artist Itchiku Kubota, published to accompany a touring exhibition.This lavishly illustrated book showcases fifty-five masterworks by Japanese kimono artist Itchiku Kubota (1917-2003). Initially determined to unlock the secrets of dyed and painted Japanese textiles of the fourteenth to early seventeenth centuries, Kubota ultimately invented a unique method of decoration. His work combines stitch-resist and ink drawing with a complex layering of color to achieve hauntingly beautiful landscapes with richly textured surfaces and an impressionistic rendering of nature never before seen in the textile arts.

Although Kubota produced kimono for Japanese celebrities, his primary endeavor was the creation of a series of monumental kimonos intended only for display. Mount Fuji, Universe, and the thirty-four-piece Symphony of Light are his most important series. The latter two are intended to be shown sequentially, much like the panels of a Japanese screen or decorated sliding doors. This entirely new approach to the use of the kimono as a vehicle for pictorial imagery has enabled Kubota's work to reach beyond the traditional boundaries of the single garment and elevated his work to installation art.

This book accompanies a touring exhibition and features essays by Dale Carolyn Gluckman, Asian textile specialist and former costumes and textile curator at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and Hollis Goodall, curator of Japanese art at LACMA, as well as an interview with Mr. Kubota's son and artistic heir, Itchiku Kubota II, by Derrick Cartwright, Director of the San Diego Museum of Art. 200 color illustrations ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

A book for the "Inspiration Shelf"
Tenacious is not the first word one would think of to describe an artist, yet how tenacious Itchiku Kubota must have been to have created the works so ably displayed in this book.His story and his supercallafragilistic art are both great sources of inspiration for the rest of us who only think we are struggling to create.If he is not already, Itchiku Kubota San deserves recognition as the national treasure he was.Teachers alert!This is definately a book for the inspiration shelf in your classroom or the place of honor on your coffee table.

Beautiful Artwork!
Wow, what a fascinating and beautiful book! I loved looking at the artwork of the kimonos, with their incredible depictions of the seasons. The color is amazing! I appreciated the close-up shots that showcased the embroidery. I'd never heard of Itchiku Kubota until this book came through my department at work. What a treat!

Breathtaking Art in Silk
Itchiku Kubota's amazing art kimonos are breathtaking wheb viewed in a museum.How special that this book is able to capture that beauty so well.One can feast on page after page of Kubota's works, all the while enjoyingthe vivid color and detail.The text is an excellent accompaniment for the photos.If you cannot see these kimonos in the cloth, you can almost believe that you are there in this lovely book.If you were so fortunate as to see them, this book will help your pleasure continue.Jonatha Wright

Beautiful book
I was fortunate to get a chance to see the exhibit of this work in Canton, Ohio.The book is a stunning reminder of that extraordinary experience.

Kimono as Art
This is one of the most fantastic books of Kubotas'(not much exists).
You will NEVER regret purchasing this book--if you can find it.I cannot say enough good things about his work.I have looked for several years for anything similar to this book and it was worth the wait! ... Read more

Product Description
Chao Shao-an (Chinese, 1905-1998) was a leader in his country s modernist art movement, striving like his teachers 'to learn from nature but be inspired by inner sensibility.' In his mid-twenties Chao established the Lingnan Art Studio to carry on this vital, fresh approach, which he continued to utilize over the course of his long career. Chao's fluid brushwork, vibrant colors, and inventive compositions drive the twelve exquisite flower, bird, animal, and insect paintings presented here.

Published with the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco. Size: 12 x 13 in.; opens to 12 x 26 in. Printed on FSC certified paper with soy-based ink. ... Read more

Product Description
In the 13th century the nomadic tribes of Mongolia came together briefly under the inspired leadership of Genghis Khan to create one of the largest empires the world has ever known. It survived barely a century, but its impact on popular imagination has been great. Beginning in the 16th century, leaders struggled to reunite the Mongol tribes and to recast the forms of their early empire in art. This renaissance produced a vast legacy of art, to which this book is devoted. The book, published to accompany a major travelling exhibition drawn from Mongolia's national museums and library, provides a view of Mongolian Buddhist life and presents, in 200 illustrations, a diverse array of treasures: opulent headdresses, radiant bronze sculptures, colourful and exotic masks, richly decorated manuscripts and book covers, and the spun-gold robes of the last "Bogdo Khan" ("Enlightened King"). An introductory text describing the birth of the Mongol culture is followed by essays exploring the rich historical background and examining the ways in which the various forms of art were used. Each photographed object is accompanied by an extended caption. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Exquisite - the definitive work on Mongol tantric art
A stunning compilation in words and pictures, focussing on the arts and culture of the Mongols. Filled with sumptuous full-color plates of thankas and artifacts in museums and collections worldwide, this book traces therise of Tantric Buddhism within Mongolia and the tremendous transformationin Mongol culture as a result. Featuring some of the finest sculptures tobe found within the Buddhist artistic tradition, those created by the firstBogdo Gegen Zanabazar, among a multitude of other examples of the heightsto which the Mongolians raised tantric art. ... Read more

Product Description
The Mogao grottoes in China, situated near the oasis townof Dunhuang on the fabled Silk Road, constitute one of the world'smost significant sites of Buddhist art. In some five hundred cavescarved into rock cliffs at the edge of the Gobi desert are preservedone thousand years of exquisite murals and sculpture. Mogao, foundedby Buddhist monks as an isolated monastery in the late fourth century,evolved into an artistic and spiritual mecca whose renown extendedfrom the Chinese capital to the far western kingdoms of the SilkRoad. Among its treasures are miles of stunning paintings, more thantwo thousand statues, magnificent works on silk and paper, andthousands of ancient manuscripts, such as sutras, poems, and prayersheets, which in 1900 were found sealed in one of the caves and thendispersed throughout the world.

Illustrated in color throughout, Cave Temples of Mogao combines lavishphotographs of the caves and their art with the fascinating history ofMogao, Dunhuang, and the Silk Road to create a vivid portrait of thisremarkable site. Chapters discuss the development of the cave temples,the iconography of the wall paintings, and the extraordinary story ofthe rare manuscripts—including the oldest printed book inexistence, a ninth-century copy of the Diamond Sutra. Also discussedare the collaboration between the Getty Conservation Institute andChinese authorities in conservation projects at Mogao and the ways inwhich the site can be visited today. The publication of this bookcoincides with the centenary of the discovery of the manuscripts inthe Library Cave. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The best yet on Mogao
This book published by the Getty Trust is an invaluable record of the Magao Caves at Dunhuang, with stunning photos and a lively text.It's also a great introduction to the stories of such men as Xuanzang, Wang Yuanlu, Aurel Stein, Paul Pelliot, and all the other intriguing characters associated with this legendary site on China's Silk Road.The book lists Roderick and Susan Whitfield as authors, but clearly Roderick is the primary contributor.Susan's related book on Aurel Stein, "Aurel Stein on the Silk Road," has similarly great photos of Dunhuang's treasures but is accompanied by an unintelligible text."Magao" contains not only the best photos available of the grottos, it's also a great read.If your appetite for Dunhuang's history goes beyond this lovely introduction, especially with regard to Stein and Xuanzang, you should try "Aurel Stein, Pioneer on the Silk Road," Annabel Walker's great biography of Stein, the remarkable British-Hungarian who recovered treasures from the caves and other sites 100 years ago for the British Museum.Another great book is Richard Bernstein's "Ultimate Journey," where this engaging New York Times reporter describes his recent trek down the Silk Road retracing the soletary journey of the famous monk who walked to India and back in 629-644 and brought back Buddhist sutras to Xian's Big Goose Pagoda so he could translate them into Chinese. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

1.3 billion Chinamen, but can they paint?
CHINA:population over 1.3 billion (yep thats with a B), a global economic powerhouse.But can they paint?

What prompted my question was a recent 'Artnews' cover.A man with the map of China tattooed across his entire back.

We have always viewed art from our entrenched western perspective.And we wonder; does China posses equvalents too Van Gogh, Picasso, Pollack?
. . . . . Not on Mao Zedong's watch command!

The editiorial review presented by amazon is great.Let us add - This book elegantly balances historical & visual perspectives through the seemingly stagnant evolution of art during China's revolution.A period considered to be the most tumultuous in recent Chinese history. It takes an indepth look at the period between the 1950's & 1970's, focusing on the formation of a new visual culture.

This book accompanies an exhibit which realizes it's American audience's western ignorance and thus help to better their understanding in regards to this period in China's art history.How it ties together traditional ink painting and sets a reluctant springboard for a new post Mao art China.

Can they paint?You bet your sweet eggroll!A chilling photo (pg. 77) of ink master Pan Tianshou at work over a large canvas spread on the floor eerily reminds us of our dear Pollack dancing over his canvases.And that tattooed guy is in this book also.Proving this to be a wonderful book both in-depth yet easy to digest.

A great companion book would be 'New China, New Art' by Vine ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (2)

finest book available on chinese and east asian symbolism
Terese Tse Bartholomew's "Hidden Meanings in Chinese Art" is far and away the most impressively researched of all the books available in English on the complex and endlessly fascinating subject of symbolism in Chinese art.It is also cause for celebration that Bartholomew's scholarship is teamed with beautiful color photographs and drawings and that each substantive entry is accompanied by Chinese characters and pinyin transliterations.Despite these Chinese-centric flourishes, the book is as useful for the study of Japanese culture and art as it is for Chinese, and it is therefore no surprise that it is dedicated to Frances Bushell, one of the great patrons of Japanese art in the United States.Bartholmew's book is destined to be a classic and a critical resource for scholars and collectors, and one hopes that San Francisco's Asian art Museum will keep the book in print for decades to come.

In contrast to previous books on East Asian symbolism, Bartholomew's "Hidden Meanings in Chinese Art" often disaggregates its material on individual subjects.Thus references to peaches, peonies, and carp, for example, are scattered among multiple chapters, and the reader has to rely on the index to track down and reaggregate the full range of meanings for any one symbol. This occurs because Bartholomew has chosen to arrange the book according to such auspicious themes as Motifs for a Happy Marriage, Motifs for Numerous Sons, and Motifs for Wealth.While these motifs are dear to the hearts of the Chinese, this singular focus has ocasionally meant that some symbols, especially those related to religion and abstract constructs, are not included.Owners of the Bartholomew book therefore will want to keep on hand, or newly acquire, copies of C.A.S. Williams' early 20th-century study of Chinese motifs and symbolism.

At long last!
Let me say up front, I am not an unbiased reviewer. I have been a close friend of the author's since the early 60's and can attest to her love of this topic. However, I think I can offer some insight to the work and its value in the study of Chinese art objects.

The purpose of this book is to decode the intensely rich visual vocabulary of Chinese art. While paintings, ceramics, and virtually all other forms of Chinese may aesthetically stand on their own, without such interpretation (some art critics would rather have it that way), in the context of its cultural setting, such works are understood by the knowledgeable person to have quite specific meanings. For example, a painting of the Asiatic redheaded crane is a common symbol of a wish for long life.

For more than a century, there have been studies of the symbolism in Chinese art. There have also been a few studies of punning, plays on the hundreds of homophones in the Chinese language. Throughout her career, the author has studied both Chinese and Western language sources on this material with an unending relentlessness. For years, many of us in the field have known that Terese Bartholomew was THE authority on the topic and several of her other publications reflect this intense interest. However, what she has done in Hidden Meanings in Chinese Art is to put together the finest encyclopedic dictionary conceivable. This in not a "selection" of signs, symbols, and puns. Rather it is as complete as is humanly possible at this time. I cannot say that she has "every one" but I will say that most non-specialists are unlikely to ever come across one that is not in this magnificent work. An accomplished traditional painter, Terese and her artist daughter, Mulan, have created hundreds of beautiful small drawings to supplement the several hundred photographic images in the book.

The purpose of decoding the details of Chinese symbolism has been beautifully met by this sumptuous publication that is sure to become the "classic" of the field.Indeed, it is my sincere belief that no future work on Chinese art should ever be written without reverence to this work.

At long last, Terese has brought to fruition something that we all knew was "in there" because many of us have been using her as a resource for decades!Everyone involved is to be congratulated on a wonderful contribution to understanding Chinese art. ... Read more

Product Description
In this comprehensive survey, Vidya Dehejia explains and analyses not only such key early developments as the great cities of the Indus civilization, but also the luxury of the Mughal court.Amazon.com Review
This book is a worthy addition to Phaidon's excellent Art andIdeas series, which provides overviews of the major art traditions ofthe world. India is vast (the size of Europe); the birthplace of greatreligions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism; and the home ofsophisticated civilizations dating back more than 4,000 years.Thesefactors combine to give India one of the longest and most complex arttraditions of the world--and one of the hardest to make accessible tothe general reader.

Vidya Dehejia, curator of Indian art at the Smithsonian Institution,is up to the task. She sets the scene with an invaluable chapterexplaining ancient Indian theories of art and aesthetics, includingthe responsibilities of the viewer. Most important is the realizationthat "the consistent fabric of Indian life was never rent by theWestern dichotomy between religious belief and worldlypractice"--hence the easy coexistence in India of extreme religiousasceticism and the overt eroticism that pervades temples likeKhajuraho and Patan. The book proceeds in a grand sweep, from theancient cities of the Indus valley, the development of Buddhist art(which by the 12th century had faded away in the land of its birth),the glorious paintings of Ajanta, the luxury of Mughal art andarchitecture, art of the British Raj, to today's artisticferment. Clear and well-written, with nearly 300 well-chosen colorillustrations, this is an extremely useful introduction to India'svast artistic wealth. --John Stevenson ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Impressive and educative
Vidya's survey is outstanding.Her exposition of the 'Rasa' theory in Hindu aesthetics should help non-Hindus to understand the alternative basis of art appreciation.She points out that according to this 'Rasa' theory the contemplation of a work of art must evoke in the viewer a state of "heightened awareness" of an emotion, the emotions being, erotic, comic,kindliness, furiousness,heroic,terrible,odious, wondrous and peaceful.Hindu aesthetics thus stressed the prominent role of the viewer's response in the appreciation of art.This theory was crystallized in the fourth century ACE.
One may recall Eliot's criticism of Shakespeare's Hamlet that it lacked 'objective correlation',i.e.,that when certain external facts which must terminate in a sensory experience are given, a relevant emotion should be immediately evoked.
Vidya also points out that in the visual story-telling adopted by sculptors in Ancient India, viewers understood that the lower part of a panel was near to them and the upper part further away.When this has been basically understood, displaying the objects in the 'background' of a relief as large and clear as those in the 'foreground' led to a legible telling of the story. Vidya says that ,therefore, perspective was a non-issue, clarity of of visual comprehension was the objective.
On the whole a very impressive survey. The photographs are also very good. I only wish Vidya had said more about Chola Sculpture like Dakshinamurthy and Bronzes like Parvathi in the Sackler Art Gallery, Washington.

review ofVidya Dehejia Indian Art (Purchased on 09/23/2008)

Excellent high quality product, lots of good photographs, well written, concise overview of complicated subject

balanced and illuminating
While no expert in Indian art and architecture, I have been studying in this area off and on for about fifteen years. I have not encountered an introductory survey that was more balanced and illuminating. It is also well written and beautifully illustrated. The eccentric reviewer who accorded this book merely one star is obviously carping--perhaps because his or her own work was omitted from the necessarily selective bibliography.The other reviews have all been favorable up to this point, and for a good reason.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
This is a significant improvement over Roy Craven's colonialist take on Indian art.This book is much more sensitive to the culture of India and its rich amalgamation of Vedic thought, the religion and philosophy of Buddhism, what we now term as Hinduism, and of course, later Islamic influence. Especially significant is the explanation of the narrative sculptural relief panels at Sanchi and Amaravati.Dehejia explains their rich narratives clearly - and what at first appears confusing becomes instead a rich tapestry of imagination. Her explanations also merge style with context; in effect, we understand these panels as they were understood at the time of their historical inception.She rightly de-emphasizes the dynastic and stylistically rigid categorizations that are so predominant in Western scholarship.A worthy and timely text.I highly recommend it.

Dehejia's book disappointing
I cannot agree with the previous reviewers.The illustrations may be wonderful, but the text is vague and uninformative. There are some puzzling omissions.Dehjejia wrote a book some years ago on Orissan architecture, but there is only the briefest coverage of this topic (and she does not even list her book in the bibliography. Speaking of bibliography, there are so many important omissions that it would be difficult to list them all.For the general reader, or for use as anintroductory textbook, it would be better to use Craven's by now classic Concise History of Indian Art. ... Read more

Product Description
Post-Enlightenment notions of culture, which have been naturalized in the West for centuries, require that art be autonomously beautiful, universal, and devoid of any practical purpose. The authors of this multidisciplinary volume seek to complicate this understanding of art by examining art objects from across Asia with attention to their functional, ritual, and everyday contexts. From tea bowls used in the Japanese tea ceremony to television broadcasts of Javanese puppet theater; from Indian wedding chamber paintings to art looted by the British army from the Chinese emperor's palace; from the adventures of a Balinese magical dagger to the political functions of classical Khmer images-the authors challenge prevailing notions of artistic value by introducing new ways of thinking about culture.

The chapters consider art objects as they are involved in the world: how they operate and are experienced in specific sites, collections, rituals, performances, political and religious events and imagination, and individual peoples' lives; how they move from one context to another and change meaning and value in the process (for example, when they are collected, traded, and looted, or when their images appear in art history textbooks); how their memories and pasts are or are not part of their meaning and experience. Rather than lead to a single universalizing definition of art, the essays offer multiple, divergent, and case-specific answers to the question What is the use of art? and argue for the need to study art as it is used and experienced. This series of case studies from Asia helps broaden and decolonize our understanding of what art is and assert the need to go beyond established ways of thinking about art in English-language scholarship.

An engaging and wide-ranging collection, What's the Use of Art will appeal not only toAsia art historians, historians, and anthropologists, but also to collectors and readers with an interest in museum studies and material culture studies. ... Read more

Product Description
Westerners have long been fascinated by Japanese art, but many viewers are unable to fully enjoy the work because they are unfamiliar with its distinctive attributes. Now, Stephen Addiss presents a complete introduction to one of the world's oldest and most admired art traditions. He discusses the composition, color, form, and subject matter of more than 60 outstanding works. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

How to Look at Japanese Art
Item purchased as a gift for a nephew who loved it. I would highly recommend this book.

Perfect introduction to the subject
I was looking for a concise, simple and clear introduction to Japanese art for a course I am to give to a group of seniors (citizens, that is, not high schoolers!) and hit upon this title.After reading this small but well illustrated booklet I congratulated myself for having hit gold on my first try.This quite inexpensive volume covers just about all aspects of Japanese art, from the Jomon period to recent times, with well-chosen examples accompanied by enlightening commentary.Each chapter ends with a list of questions one should ask oneself when looking at art under consideration.A fine manual that will surely lead its readers to pursue their study of Japanese art.

This is a great book!
This is a great book! It touches upon all the major categories of Japanese arts, such as ceramics, Buddhist sculpture, Zen painting, calligraphy, woodblock prints and gardens, in a simple and delightful way withoutmissing essential points. Its excellent color plates and clever comparisonsenable beginners to travel easily in this new and enchanting world of arts.I especially found the "key questions" for different types ofarts at the end of each chapter useful for my continuous appreciation ofJapanese art as well as the visual arts in general. ... Read more

Product Description
An exquisitely illustrated survey of the decorative motifs and visual themes from one of the great artistic periods in Indian history.

Mughal decorative arts delight in arabesque and geometric designs, as well as scenes of nature (flowers, birds, and animals) and human pleasure (music, dancing, feasting, love-making). Master craftsmen at the Mughal and Rajput courts employed a variety of materials and techniques to produce marble panels inlaid with semi-precious stones, sandstone screens perforated with geometric designs, brass vessels inlaid with strips of silver and gold, jade drinking cups, dagger hilts encrusted with rubies and emeralds, and costumes and sashes embroidered with silk and golden threads. No less gorgeous were the vividly toned and exquisitely detailed miniature paintings that portrayed contemporary events as well as epic tales.

Drawing on the finest and most representative examples in public and private collections in India, Europe, and America, this stunning survey examines common decorative motifs and themes in Mughal art. More than 300 illustrations amply convey the virtuoso workmanship and the sheer elegance of design common to all objects. It will be an essential reference work for art historians, designers, and anyone interested in the arts and life of India. 300+ color photographs and illustrations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Wow pictures
Few interesting things that I learnt from reading this book:

The beautiful marble work in Tajmahal, which looks like a painting to a layman is 'Pietre Dura'.

Islam forbade depiction of humans and animals in architecture design. This makes us see why there is not much of structures with human forms like in European architecture.

Beautiful, Inspiring and Detailed
I received this book as a gift and what a wonderful gift it is.As a designer, I always long for detailed photography and lots of images, and this book really delivers.A plethora of carved, inlaid, and painted designs delight the eye--in fact, some of the same artworks I snapped photos of as a tourist in India are detailed here.Flowers, plants, animals, geometric designs, inlays...A beautiful, generously scaled, and well researched addition to my design library.

Islamic Eye Candy
I bought this after reading a brief but favorable mention in the NY Times. The interdisciplinary approach (from architecture --mainly 17th century-- to ceramics, metalwork, etc.) is unusual and interesting, and the photography is exquisite. Frankly I wish I had experienced this book before my visit to the Taj Mahal, as it is valuable in training the eye for what to look for. It might be problematic for westerners to go to the architectural sites in Pakistan these days, so the book serves as a convenient substitute for that.
'Mughal Decoration' is unlikely to sell many copies in the West because the subject matter is Islamic. That's unfortunate. If you're interested in different kinds of art and architecture, disregarding this kind is a significant omission. ... Read more

Product Description
This lavishly illustrated book surveys China's immense wealth of arts, architecture, and artifacts from Neolithic and Bronze Age China to the era of the Tang Dynasty. It is the first in a major three-volume series on the arts of China. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Terribly edited, good illustrations
This book is finely illustrated - good choice of items, and good-quality photographs (at least for objects still extant). Its companion book, by the same author, covers the history of Chinese Art to 1620. The third book in the series has not been published yet (2010 update: it is out now).
The text uses pinyin transliteration throughout, a big plus since this is what is used in mainland China today; for example, it makes things easier if you plan to travel to see some of the objects described.
The shortcomings, however, are significant. First of all, the location of the objects illustrated is not always stated, nor is this information provided in a separate list. Second, the style of the writer is appaling! Sentences are so twisted, they sound like a machine translation from Chinese! I had to read sentences twice or three times to figure out their meaning. The editors of the series should really have invested a lot more in revising the language for clarity.
Last, the book does not seem to pay much attention to the implications of recent archaelogical discoveries.
I would suggest Michael Sullivan's "The Arts of China" to the non-specialist looking for an introduction; the volume in the Oxford History of Art series seems very good too.

... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
China is booming! In the wake of economic liberalization, the nation's art scene has taken flight as well. The Swiss collector Uli Sigg, formerly his country's ambassador to Beijing, has followed the rapid pace of development since the 1980s, compiling along the way the world's largest collection of contemporary Chinese art, comprising more than 1,200 works by some 180 artists. Mahjong, named after the popular and ancient Chinese game of chance, presents more than 200 paintings, drawings, sculptures, photographs, video pieces, and installations from Sigg's collection. Alongside them hang such curiosities as vintage Mao posters. In addition to a number of internationally famous works, such as Ai Weiwei's Han vase with Coca-Cola logo, Fang Lijun's bald heads, or Xu Bing's "Xinglish" calligraphy, this book also offers readers a unique opportunity to discover tremendously gifted artists still largely unknown outside China.Mao or McDonald's? Mahjong or Mercedes? Off with the old pigtails--all the important names and movements of contemporary Chinese art in a single volume.Edited by Bernard Fibicher.Essays by Ai Weiwei, Feng Boyi, Matthias Frehner, Christoph Heinrich, Hou Hanru, Li Xianting, Pi Li, Uli Sigg and Berhard Fibicher.Hardcover, 9.75 x 11.75 in./384 pgs / 219 color. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Bad shipping time
Today is january's 29 th. I ordered book one month ago. I never receive yet. Time estimate was 15 - 17 th january. What happens ?

tks

AZ

Eye opener for Chinese Modern Arts
I haven't seen such a incredibly complete book on Chinese Today's arts as this book. It covers basically all areas and good interviews and essays. Must say that after viewing the whole book, I found a few difference between so called chinese modern arts and western modern arts. "Globalisation effects!!"

overview of the diversity of styles and subjects of contemporary Chinese art
The more than 200 items (out of a total of 1200) from the collection of Uli Sigg, Switzerland's former ambassador to China, make an eclectic selection which convincingly demonstrates that Chinese art is now truly modern and contemporary; although many international art buyers have been aware of this for some time. Chinese art is no longer statist or propagandistic; although remnants of this can occasionally be seen. But parodies and in a few instances criticisms of the old statist or propagandistic models can more often be seen. And Chinese art has clearly moved away from its foundation in the cult of Mao and subjects and themes determined by this. In the many works handsomely presented, one finds all of the mediums and techniques, many of the subjects (e. g., popular culture), and some of the stances and perspectives (e. g., irony, iconoclasm) of contemporary art. Although as one would expect given the long domination of Chinese Communism and the nation's ingrained Confucianism, the outer reaches--or depths--of the pornographic and seedy have not been reached. One notes too that although there is a free use of many different types of materials, neither industrialization nor environmentalism have been incorporated into Chinese art. Despite such absences, Chinese art is seen as mostly a genre of international art; so much so that one of the essays raises the question, "Chineseness--Is There Such a Thing?" An informative survey of the best of Chinese art in all forms over the recent decades.

good overview.+ pictures + weak essay
if you are not familiar with the contemporary chinese art scene for the last 20 years, this book gives you a good overview of the various chinese artists that have made a name.mr. sigg, who was a swiss ambassador in china and far east, have accumulated an impressive collection in the manner of saatchi. however, the point of view is always from a western persepctive of what is interesting in china, and additionally, the criticism/essays are weak. many of the pop, expressionistic, photo reality-illusion, baconesque, and conceptual artworks created by the majority of the chinese artists are nothing more than copies of western artists from the 1930's to current except that the image is chinese.just because, mao appears in coca cola sign or mao is painted like richter or bacon doesn't make many of the artworks into anything significant other than it is documenting the art situation.there are very few chinese artists (such as xu bing, cai quo qiang) that are really interesting in both ideas and conception, but there are many nice copies of western ideas. as usual, even though the chinese contemporary artworld is still a baby, it is already catagorized such as "myths and legends, contemporary life, city vs. countryside, and etc."
however, this is the current situation of the chinese art world, and for those who need to see who/what is popular amongst western/chinese collectors of chinese works, this is an informative book. ... Read more

Product Description