Focusing on the Bayeux Tapestry, the book challenges common misconceptions surrounding this iconic artwork. It delves into its historical context, artistic significance, and the narratives depicted within the tapestry. By examining the cultural and political implications of the imagery, the author provides a fresh perspective on its role in shaping historical memory and understanding of the Norman Conquest. The analysis aims to enrich readers' appreciation of this remarkable piece of medieval history.
Exploring the concept of Utopian town planning, this book examines unique settlements shaped by collective ownership and communal living. It highlights communities formed as sanctuaries from religious persecution and the Industrial Revolution, drawing on diverse influences from ancient encampments to modern educational and technological ideas. The narrative reveals how these eclectic sources have redefined Utopian ideals, challenging traditional notions of what such communities can embody and achieve throughout history.
Although the contribution of August Reichensperger (1808-1895) to the European Gothic Revival has long been recognized, this is the first modern study of his work. It clearly establishes Reichensperger as the major figure in the German neo-Gothic movement, not only through his buildings, but through his writings and manifestos as well.The Politics of the German Gothic Revival is both a biography and a critical study of a designer and theoretician committed to historical fidelity as opposed to a progressive, developmental view of architecture. Reichensperger insisted on masonry construction and, convinced that Gothic architecture reflected laws of geometric order, was suspicious of architectural experimentation and innovation. His contemporaries were widely influenced by his doctrine as well as his building.Lewis looks at Reichensperger's buildings and ideas in the context of his time, taking up the architect's ties to English Gothic Revival, his activities in the area of architectural education, and the interconnections between Reichensperger's political and architectural ideas and the political, religious, and social institutions of nineteenth-century Germany.Michael J. Lewis is currently Historiographer at the Canadian Centre for Architecture.
Nearly 200 American prints, representing more than 100 artists, and dating from the colonial era to the present day, are brought together in this unprecedented volume from the National Gallery of Art to commemorate its collection and recent acquisitions. The artists featured range from Paul Revere through James McNeil Whistler, Mary Cassatt, Winslow Homer, Louise Nevelson, Romare Bearden, Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, Chuck Close, and Kara Walker. The works date from essentially every period in American history, so major art and historical themes running through the collection are readily visible. Lending context, twelve contributing authors discuss the varied themes in American art. Biographies of the artists and a glossary of printmaking terms are also featured. Since its founding in 1941, the National Gallery of Art has assiduously collected American prints with the help of many generous donors. The Gallery's American print collection has grown from nearly 1,900 prints in 1950 to more than 22,500 prints today. The collection was recently transformed by the acquisition of an extraordinary group of 5,200 American prints brought together by Reba and Dave Williams.
