New in the Art Library

The three millennia up to the establishment of the first imperial Qin dynasty in 221 BC cemented many of the distinctive elements of Chinese civilization still in place today: an extraordinarily challenging geography and environment; formidable infrastructure; a society based on the strict hierarchy of the family; a shared written script of characters; a cuisine founded on rice and millet; a material culture of ceramics, bronze, silk, and jade; and a unique concept of the universe, in which ancestors continue to exist alongside the living.

Cultural creativity in China between 1796 and 1912 demonstrated extraordinary resilience in a time of warfare, land shortages, famine, and uprisings.

A beautifully illustrated, interdisciplinary look at the ceremonies and protocols of the dynastic court of Joseon Korea.

This is the story of the illustrated book, from the earliest printed examples to the present day, told through the collections of the National Art Library at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London - a library that was created to bring together examples of superlative book-making on almost every subject. Gathered here are some of the most influential, compelling and striking examples of the illustrated book, arranged thematically in chapters devoted to subjects such as art, literature, religion, architecture, natural history, fashion, and shopping.

A practical guide for anyone who wants to be inspired by the wide variety of possibilities offered by this easy-to-use technique including an overview of the work of print shops, design studios and artists from all over the world. In recent years risography has captured the attention of printers and artists, especially in independent and self-publishing circles, given the technical and visual qualities it offers. Varied and vivid spot colors, the warmth of the finishes, and occasional imperfections in uniformity and register are just some of these attractive features.

Provides new insight into Jewish life in the Middle Ages. Offers new scholarship examining the mysteries of the treasure and attempts to answer the many questions left behind.

Sacred Matter: Animacy and Authority in the Americas examines animism in Pre-Columbian America, focusing on the central roles objects and places played in practices that expressed and sanctified political authority in the Andes, Amazon, and Mesoamerica.

An overview of the most drastic changes in the fashion world today, how it is evolving, and what the future holds. Noted fashion historians write perceptively about the importance of fashion and its place in the world In this timely book, three noted fashion historians examine the global transformations in the fashion industry today, and identify the challenges of the future.

Okami is one of the newest Capcom action games boasting a very uniqueart style, heavily inspired by Japanese watercolor painting. The Okami Official Complete Works art book will take you behind the scenes to the amazing artwork that defines the wonderful world of this beautiful video game!

One Thousand Years of Manga is both a rich documentary account and a visual delight with over 400 illustrations, many never before seen outside of Japan. A thorough exploration of the sources of manga, this book makes it possible to understand how this mass-produced cultural artifact - aimed at adults as much as at children - has developed into an essential facet of Japanese culture that is now enjoyed across the globe.

Now compiled in one volume, these three novels, which are among the most beautiful and disquieting of Samuel Beckett's later prose works, work together with the powerful resonance of his famous Three Novels: Molloy, Malone Dies, and The Unnamable. In Company, a voice comes to "one on his back in the dark" and speaks to him.

A revealing account of the lives and work of Ethiopian Orthodox pilgrims in sixteenth-century Rome, examining how this African diasporic community navigated the challenges of religious pluralism in the capital of Latin Christianity.

This interweaving of text and image engages and rewards the reader's own close attention. Highlighting ways that subtle, repeated actions build meaning--whether skilled, technical observation, the crafting of an object, or the mundane tasks that construct our exquisite lives--Von Mertens's pairing of close looking with close reading creates a layered portrait of Henrietta Leavitt that acknowledges the significance of her discovery and the richness of its inheritance.

Joseph Maida's new photographic monograph BORN FREE, BORN EQUAL raises vital questions about democracy, justice, memory, and representation in the United States today.