Book Description

During the Middle Ages, kings and nobility frequently commissioned the greatest artists of their day to illustrate-or "illuminate"-their personal prayer books.Intended for private reading and meditation, these so-called "books of hours" were arranged, in keeping with the practice of the Church, so that particular prayers were read at specific times of the day. To our enduring enchantment, the artists who illustrated these books entwined delicate flowers, beautiful fruits, and fanciful creatures with depictions of activities appropriate to each month of the year and with moving illustrations depicting stories from the lives of Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and the saints. Presented here are carefully selected pages from over a dozen precious fourteenth- and fifteenth-century manuscripts-most of which have never been published before-found in some of the world's leading museums and libraries. Arranged and described to guide the viewer's eye, these delightful and colorful illustrations invite readers, young and old, to immerse themselves in the medieval imagination. Also included are a glossary and a short history of the noble personages who commissioned the works and the artists who produced them. ... Read more

Book Description

World-renowned painter of Indian miniatures, B. G. Sharma, debuts his lifetime collection of Krishna art in this stunning, deluxe volume. Within the text, the artist's mastery and devotion are combined, depicting the magical life of Krishna. From herding cows to exquisite renderings of rasa-lila, the pastimes of Krishna are brought to life with the beauty and charm that only Sharma's unique style can portray.

Excerpts from classics such as the Bhagavat Purana and Gopal Champu accompany 180 paintings wonderfully illuminated by Swami Tripurari's poetic and captivating narrative.

The collector's edition is 208 pages, 13" x 12.5" and printed six-color on 110 lb. Japanese satin matte art paper. Each image is reproduced using a 200 line screen and individually varnished. The volume is hard back, covered in fine Japanese silk, gold stamped, and protected with a six-color french-fold jacket. Text includes four deluxe gate-folds displaying some of Sharma's greatest pieces in their entirety. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Gorgeous. Poetic. Magnificent.
Words don't do the artist justice here, though the lovely sacred verses and captions by Swami Tripurari frame the art work in its proper religious context. Simply stated, it must be seen. It's rare indeed to discover an artist or writer who helps you understand the glory of God and his miraculous gifts. This is one such example. A consummate masterpiece.

Devotion to beauty
I have recently purchased this book and I continue to carefully turn its pages and soak in the vivid and detailed work of B.G. Sharma's depiction of the story of Krishna. This is a book for anyone who loves the stories of Krishna whether the reasons are devotional or mythological. It is also for anyone who appreciates the traditional Hindu paintings that have long illustrated the ancient sacred Hindu writings. However, besides the life, color, and detail Sharma's brush gives these stories and characters, there is quality in the work that enlivens these intriguing and ancient episodes in the life of the blue god and draws me even deeper into them. No one captures the boyish charm of young Krishna or the love between Krishna and Radha like Sharma. For those who are not familiar with the stories, there is enough text to give meaning but the heart of this book is in the paintings. ... Read more

Book Description

This art-filled treasury unfolds a vivid history of the Egyptian Christians called the Copts. A highly connected story of religion, art, literature, and customs over a period of 2,000 years, the book provides an intriguing look at a mystery-cloaked ancient sect from the land of the Bible. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

a beginning
good start for those who want to know more about copts and christianity in egypt

comprehensive and accurate
This book covers the history of the christians of Egypt (the Copts). It is written by an expert on this subject. It covers the history up to the current events. it is easy to read. Loaded with photoes of very high quality. The facts are well presented with even handed opinions and fairness. It is valuable book for any one who has interest in history of Christianity,and Middle East history. The reader does not need to have any background knowledge about the topic because the book progress very smoothly through the history with solid explanation of all events. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Book Description

1934. An account of the symbol more universal in its use and more important in its significance than any other in the world. This book is a suggestive, not exhaustive, history of the cross.It contains many authentic facts, legendary tales, curious customs, strange superstitions about the cross and tells of notable events and personages that are interwoven in its history. Beautifully illustrated. ... Read more

Book Description

When this magnificent volume first appeared in 1966, it was celebrated for its extraordinary beauty. Now, more than thirty years since its first publication, it is made available once again. Illustrating one of the great art treasures of the world, The Hours of Catherine of Cleves is a fifteenth-century illuminated manuscript containing a series of some of the most beautiful illustrations of the Bible ever made. Many of the great scenes from the Old Testament and many more from the New Testament are included, besides the Stations of the Cross and portraits of the saints.

The work of an unidentified Dutch master painter, the manuscript was made for Catherine of Cleves on the occasion of her marriage to the Duke of Guelders. All the 157 surviving miniatures are reproduced to actual size and in exquisite color with gold, together with three samples of pages containing the Latin prayers. Page after page reveals the elaborate program and rich illumination of the original. The progression from beginning to end shows an artist increasing in skill, relying in his earlier work on tradition and later emerging as an independent artist of bold, clear colors, dynamic brushwork, and lively imagination. He stands as one of the supreme painters of fifteenth-century Northern Europe.

Each page is accompanied by a descriptive and explanatory commentary by John Plummer. His introduction discusses the development of the Book of Hours as a liturgical form in general, and the history of the Cleves Hours specifically, and describes the place it holds in the history of Northern painting. 160 color illustrations with gold. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Transcends Its Genre
One doesn't need to be Christian to fall in love with this book. Each tiny painting is rich in detail and imagination. There is not one careless or unnecessary brushstroke. The artists who produced this work did the very best in their power and each image glows with their intention. There is a wonderful awkwardness in many of the human figures, but the natural and imaginal worlds are depicted with loving fidelity. This is religious art that stands with miniatures from India and Persia as some of the greatest art ever created for an intimate scale.

A treasure to read, view, and absorb
First published in 1966, The Hours Of Catherine Of Cleves is a wonderfully beautiful work that reproduces a fifteenth-century illuminated manuscript featuring unforgettably beautiful Bible illustrations of scenes from the Old and New testaments. These artworks were originally created for Catherine of Cleves on the occasion of her marriage to the Duke of Guelders. Each page of this splendidly illustrated book is accompanied by the commentary of John Plummer, who offers insight and a descriptive vibrancy to the splendor of the illustrations. A treasure to read, view, and absorb, The Hours Of Catherine Of Cleves is recommended for Christian Studies and Christian Art History collections. ... Read more

Book Description

During the spiritual revival known as "Mother Ann's Work" or the "Era of Manifestations" (1837-1850), Shakers throughout the eastern United States experienced instances of intense communion, believing they served as instruments for heavenly spirits. Moved by a dream state or ecstatic possession, these (mostly) women and girls perceived images, songs, and texts that were recorded in writing, drawing, or a combination of both. A flourishing of art in a culture that had previously condemned all forms of image making, the works were considered spiritual bequests, not individual creations, and became known as "gift drawings" and "gift songs." Thousands of gift songs were written down during this time, becoming an integral part of the culture of the Shaker community. Only two hundred rarely seen drawings remain in existence.

Published to accompany the most significant exhibition of Shaker gift drawings and songs, Heavenly Visions includes close to one hundred color plates-including two newly discovered pieces-providing a comprehensive overview to these stunning works. Characterized by complex, precise graphic quality and elegantly written words linked to delicate imagery, these now treasured folk-art pieces range in size from two-inch squares to sheets several feet long. Unified and powerful, the interplay of words and images combine to creates a fascinating and beautiful genre of art.

Illuminating the images, essays by France Morin, Mary Ann Haagen, John T. Kirk, Ann Kirschner, and Sally M. Promey examine this body of art from a variety of perspectives, considering women's roles as spiritual mediums and the construction of gender within Shaker spirituality. This long-awaited volume serves to connect Shaker artistic and spiritual life and reveals their continuing relevance today.France Morin is curator of the exhibition Heavenly Visions: Shaker Gift Drawings and Gift Songsat The Drawing Center in New York City. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Easy to understand, many never-before-seen pictures
"Heavenly Visions: Shaker Gift Drawings and Gift Songs" is a most impressive explanation and study of Shaker spirituality and the role of prophecy and gender within it.

Frances Moran manages in a simple and easily understood manner to see Shaker visions as a source of spiritual leadership and power for younger women within a community that was being increasingly hierarchical and bound up by the standards of "the world" (as Shakers referred to it). Frances explains easliy that gift drawings and gift songs gave Shaker women direct contact with the Spirit, which was characteristic of the earliest Believers but was lost during the early nineteenth century when Shakerism expanded. It is also show that the type of mediumship found in Shakerism is actually seen even today in ntive religions of the world.

The majority of "Heavenly Visions: Shaker Gift Drawings and Gift Songs", however, consists of some most beautiful pictures that show Shaker art of the period known as "Mother Ann's Work". The pictures are often much more beautiful and much more clearly laid out than those in less detailed studies of Shakerism and the book is made into an important purchase.

The actual pictures show there to be a great deal of structure and reason behind the gifts given to Shaker mediums during the 1840s and 1850s, as well as illustrating Shakerism's unique spiritual character. We find that there were many pictures of key Shaker leaders from the early period, and also a strong emphasis on the basic necessities of the natural world in the content of Shaker gift drawings. The written words on these drawings are beautifully written but I have not been able to read them.

A most important resource for the understanding of Shakerism. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Trungpa's contribution
Very interesting and refreshingly raw written material(Trungpa is Tibetan writing in English), beautiful art reproductions.

An intriguing and insightful, if somewhat formalized, approach to art-making. I believe it could be appreciated by most visual artists.

Problem is I feel that the design of the book is unsuccessful; for example, to me the paper is not pleasing (glossy, gold colored), which takes away from the impact of the message of inspired design. Should possibly be re-released in paperback with a new look. ... Read more

Book Description

California's 21 missions have long fascinated scholars and tourists alike.Their role in California history and their striking similarities and colorful contrasts have inspired artists and historians throughout the ages.

Father Jerome Tupa is not the first to paint these missions, and he won't be the last.But his vision is unique.Through his eyes - those of both an artist and a Benedictine monk - we can see the missions as spiritual icons left standing from the 18th- and 19th-century efforts of Franciscan missionaries to spread Catholicism to the New World.An Uncommon Mission presents for the first time the results of Father Tupa's physical and spiritual pilgrimage these historic and religious sites.

In the 61 vibrant works from this stunningly talented priest, in Ruscin's 21 beautiful black-and-white photographs, and in Holly Witchey's considered text, California's past is brought back to life. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great Book
This is a beautiful book and very interesting view of the Missions...

It is wonderful if you are interested in California Missions.

A remarkable and unique contribution to western art history.
Father Tupa's paintings provide a unique view of the missions and chart the physical and spiritual pilgrimage to the California missions. His works are presented here with over twenty oil paintings and over 40 watercolorsinterpreting California's past and the history of each mission. An UncommonMission accompanies a traveling exhibition of the same name. ... Read more

Book Description

This revised edition incorporates the additions and corrections recorded by Erwin Panofsky until the time of his death in 1968. Gerda Panofsky-Soergel has updated the commentary in the light of new material, and the bibliography that she has prepared reflects the scholarship on St.-Denis in the last three decades. She has obtained some additional and more recent photographs, and the illustrations include a new ground plan and a new section of the chevet of the Abbey Church, both drawn under the supervision of Sumner McKnight Crosby. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Panofsky's Chalice Runneth Over!!
This is an OPUS MAGNUS of profound erudition! An indispensable must have for any student of Gothic Art & Architecture. From sheathed shafts thrusting upwards penetrating groin vaults to the most scholarly look nto this seminal figure in the Middle Ages, this text has it all! While certainly not a light read, it is a and important and pivotal work in the scholarship of the beginning of the Gothic era. It should be more readily available. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Over 100 works of modern Christian artists
Ron O'Grady edits Christ For All People, a celebration of Christian art themes around the world. Over 100 works of modern Christian artists pair gorgeous color plates with explanations of religious symbolism and artistic intention. ... Read more

Book Description

What is the theological significance of art? Why has the Church always encouraged the arts? What is so profoundly human about the arts? In A Wounded Innocence Alejandro R. García-Rivera answers these questions in a series of "sketches" that are mixed spiritual and theological reflections on various works of art written in a poetic style. These reflections explore the relationship between the spiritual and the arts in its many dimensions.

The first "sketch," "The Beginning of Art," introduces the rest that go on to explore further the human, artistic, and theological implications of a wounded innocence. Each "sketch" reflects on a particular human work of art. Some are conventional works of art. Others may never find their way into a museum but, then, that is one of the implications coming out of this book. A museum does not define what a work of art is, its human depth does. In these deeply studied yet spiritually written reflections on each work of art, it is hoped that the reader will find his and her own creative depth described, perhaps even revealed.

A Wounded Innocence is both inspiring and informative. Readers will learn about art, spirituality, and theology, and will find themselves inspired to look at works of art, and even to produce a work of art. It sets a new way of doing theology that is at the same time spiritual. More importantly, García-Rivera describes a theology of art.

Chapters are "The Beginning of Art," "The End of Art," "Human Freedom and Artistic Creativity," "Heaven-with-Us," "The Human Aspect of Atonement," "The Tyger and the Lamb," and "A Wounded Innocence." Includes black and white art. ... Read more

Book Description

Margaret Visser has visited many more churches than most people, but like the rest of us, she began to tire of the slew of facts and lack of meaningful information available from guidebooks. The desire to find answers to her own questions -- as a traveler, a believer, and an insatiable anthropologist of the everyday -- led her to undertake this unique and revelatory book.

More than any other kind of edifice, a church is intentionally meaningful in all its aspects, and Visser decided to find out what it was trying to express, in its nuances as well as in its grand gestures. She deliberately chose a relatively simple church just outside the walls of Rome, Sant'Agnese fuori le Mura, but she casts a wide net -- taking in history, theology, anthropology, and folklore, among other disciplines -- to illuminate its physical and spiritual architecture. As she guides us through the building, from apse to nave, catacombs to campanile, Visser explores the symbolism of lambs, the Christian fascination with virgins, the meanings of martyrdom, and the history of relics. At the same time, she moves back through the centuries to reveal Christianity in its earliest forms and purposes. The book ends at the church's beginning, with the grave of Agnes, a twelve-year-old girl who was murdered seventeen hundred years ago and whose remains lie buried beneath the altar. By then we have learned how to read any church building, how to interpret what it "does" and "says," whether we are of any faith or none. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

what lies above and beneath
The other reviewers on this page have admirably described this book's content, strengths, and weaknesses. As an inveterate visitor of ancient churches, what I've found invaluable is Visser's thorough lesson on how to read a church, especially an Italian Catholic one. I disagree that Sant'Agnese fuori le Mure is an "ordinary" church; its layers of history, folklore, language, mysticism, and symbolism have accumulated over many centuries, and the building itself is a treasure. Reading Geometry of Love answered many of the questions I had about religious, archaeological, and artistic traditions and also raised some new ones. But now when I enter an old Italian church I am better equipped to notice and interpret its many layers of nuance and meaning.

Beautiful, yes -- but limited by a lousy format
Visser's spectacular language surpasses even her previous efforts, as she delves here into the majesty of faith and the intricate worship spaces we build. She sheds the usual anthropologist's garb of objectivity, admitting from the start that she is passionate about her subject, and the work is stronger for it.

However, I eventually got annoyed that there were no illustrations provided to help the reader along (it may be just the Canadian edition that suffers from this tragic flaw). As visual as her language is, this book proves the maxim that a picture is worth 1000 words. Those thousand words can be as beautiful as they like, but sometimes, dummies like me need a picture as well.

Reading about the spectacular details of St Agnes' church, I got more and more frustrated. Visser presents each column, each section of ceiling and floor, each mosaic tile, with such loving detail that I needed to examine them -- but lacking the plane fare to Rome, that's a nearly-impossible dream. Flipping from her descriptions of columns to the front cover hoping to catch a glimpse of them was eventually too much for me, and I returned this book to the library unfinished (this almost never happens).

A book of this quality deserves glossy, full-colour illustrations. Without the multimedia assist, you're going to find this book to be dry and tough going, even if you've enjoyed Visser's work in past. But still... I've recently discovered that Visser has her own website with many small images from the church ...

Perhaps I'll print out the pictures from the website and curl up with this book again at some point. Her language is so lovely, it may be worth another shot.

A quintessential read!
The relatively simple Sant'Agnese fuori le Mura just outside the walls of Rome comes under the scrutiny of history, theology, anthropology & folklore to illuminate its physical & spiritual architecture.

Margaret Visser guides us through this organic aged basilica, from its apse to its nave, its catacombs to its campanile, she opens our eyes to its symbolism, its layers of religious expression, the Christian fascination with lambs & virgins, the meaning of martyrdom & the provenance of relics.

Effortlessly, this tranquil & earnest author moves us back through the ages to reveal, like the ancient stones she walks past, the erstwhile Roman attitudes toward our mortal remains & then through Christianity's infancy, in all its forms & purposes.

Part archaeology, part love story, part poetry & part tourist guide, The Geometry of Love is a quintessential read & I fell in love with columns all over again!

A superb example of writing about what you know - this author bequeaths us a unique & enfolding account of the why, where, who, when & what of a charming house of worship.

a thorough guide
One of the more popular modern writing crazes is to take an object from everyday life and to dissect it : the materials used to make it; its history; its uses; etc.. Margaret Visser's Geometry of Love is a fairly representative example of this genre, better than some, no worse than most. In it she concentrates her attention upon the Sant'Agnese fuori le Mura Church near Rome. By the time you finish the book you know everything you could possibly want to know about this church, which most of us have never heard of and will never see, except for one thing : why are churches in general, or this one in particular, unique ?

Much of the book is interesting, some sections are even fascinating, but, perhaps because of the nature of the task she's set herself, describing the church as a physical structure, it never comes alive as a house of God. Admittedly, as a Baptist, I've always considered church buildings themselves to be secondary to the function they serve, as a gathering place for like-minded worshippers. But I found the book to be something like the parable of the three blind men describing an elephant, and Visser to have failed to make the church anything more than the sum of its parts. In his marvelous study, Mont Saint Michel and Chartres, Henry Adams observed two of the great churches of Christendom and perceived not merely their unity, but the unity of the culture that produced them. Margaret Visser looks at Saint Agnes and sees the particular features of the building. The difference in perception seems significant.

GRADE : C

geometry in architecture, history and faith
Sant'Agnese fuori le Mura Church stands just outside the old walled city of Rome, built, at its lowest levels, into the catacombs which surrounded the city. It is dedicated to a 4th Century Saint, a 12 year old slain for her refusal to marry the son of a Roman Prefect. Built in the 7th Century and continuously modified, it incorporates the layers of aesthetic, cultural, theological influences of the centuries, organically revealing Rome's tumultuous history. It is galvanized, though, by the reverence for this child martyr by its artisans. Visser's study is an exploration of the physical manifestation of the mysteries of faith. Like the church itself the book is more than the sum of its parts. The author searches for context and meaning, through the ecclesiastical history behind each of the church's major components-- nave, narthex, altar, tomb--. The author's descriptions convey the pageantry and the sometimes violent drama of the little church succinctly. Difficult to categorize, it is an in-depth look at how the church's schema reflected the attitudes of its congregants. Visser presents a spiritual anthropology measured in the church's marble, masonry and frescoes. She synthesizes the form and symbolism of its architecture. The book is filled with anecdotes of the inspiration Sant'Agnese has had on the faithful, vividly exposing its human dimensions. This intensively researched, rigorously constructed book is a fascinating read, be your interest historical, religious or artistic. ... Read more

Book Description

The concept of opposing forces of good and evil expressed in a broad range of moral qualities--virtues and vices--is one of the most dominant themes in the history of Christian art. The complex interrelationship of these moral traits received considerable study in the medieval period, resulting in a vast and elaborate system of imagery that has been largely neglected by modern scholarship. Rich resources for the study of this important subject are made available by this volume, which publishes the complete holdings of the more than 230 personifications of Virtues and Vices in the Index of Christian Art's text files. Ranging from Abstinence to Wisdom and from Ambition to Wrath, and covering depictions of the Tree of Virtues, the Tree of Vices, and the Conflict of Virtues and Vices, this is the largest and most comprehensive collection of such personifications in existence. The catalogue documents the occurrence of these Virtues and Vices in well over 1,000 works of art produced between the fifth and the fifteenth centuries. The entries include objects in twelve different media and give detailed information on their current location, date, and subject.

This extract from the Index of Christian Art's files, the first to be published, is accompanied by six essays devoted to the theme of virtue and vice. They investigate topics such as the didactic function of the bestiaries and the Physiologus, female personifications in the Psychomachia of Prudentius, the Virtues in the Floreffe Bible frontispiece, and good and evil in the architectural sculpture of German sacramentary houses. The contributors are Ron Baxter, Anne-Marie Bouché, Jesse M. Gellrich, S. Georgia Nugent, Colum Hourihane, and Achim Timmerman.

Reviews (2)

This will make a very nice gift to your mother in law
This is the kind of book you can offer to any delicate person (such as your mother in law). Be sure she will say nice things about you after this. The book is the archetype for coffee table book. It will inspire you to go and visit Vatican palace and churches. You will appreciate so much to "read" (mainly pictures) it if you visited the place itself. Buy this book if you plan to visit Roma; don't bring the book with you (HEAVY). Read it in bed when you come back and try to recover from jet lag.

Absolutely Amazing!
The paintings in this book are incredible. The collection ranges from the years 1000 to the mid 1800s and includes words from Daddi to Michelangelo and Raphael to Crosato. Oils, Frescos and incredible color! I have enjoyed reading this as much as looking at the beautiful artwork. ... Read more