Books by Norbert Wolf

Art Nouveau

by Judith Miller, Norbert Wolf

A full-color visual reference to Art Nouveau traces the history of the movement from its origins in late nineteenth-century France, discussing the characteristics of the art and some of its leading practitioners, and includes helpful buyer's tips and an authoritative price guide to more than 1,100 items, including art glass, posters, ceramics, metalwork, and sculpture. 50,000 first printing.

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Art Nouveau

by Judith Miller, Norbert Wolf

Now available in a new edition, this sumptuous volume explores key aspects of Art Nouveau—decorative arts, architecture, fashion, dance, advertising, and more—with an in-depth approach and stunning illustrations. The Art Nouveau movement became an international phenomenon at the beginning of the twentieth century that ushered in the era of modernity in almost every aspect of cultural life. For decades critics have argued that Art Nouveau was not an artistic period in its own right, but an amalgam of artists and styles that served as a bridge between neoclassicism and modernism. In this comprehensive, authoritative, and copiously illustrated book, art historian Norbert Wolf explores Art Nouveau as a logical outgrowth of the historic forces in which it arose. This book focuses on the movement's wide variety of applications and reclaims its prominence in the pantheon of modern art history. Chapters on aesthetics, spirituality, and the cult of beauty offer luminous examples of works by Mucha, Gaudí, Hoffmann, Klimt, Horta, Munch, and Tiffany, among many others. Wolf's text is both informed and accessible, providing an exciting narrative that brings the Art Nouveau movement into clear focus. Beautifully produced to appeal to a wide range of readers, this new edition gives one of the world's most popular styles the serious consideration it deserves.

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Codices Illustres. the World's Most Famous Illuminated Manuscripts 400 To 1600

by Ingo F. Walther, Norbert Wolf

From The Book of Kells to Boccaccio's Decameron, from the Vienna Genesis to Dante's Divine Comedy: to open Codices illustres is to open the door into a precious, private world. Now in a revised format, this radiant book brings you face-to-face with 167 of the most exquisite and important manuscripts of the medieval age.

Presented in brilliant large-format reproductions, these paradigms of miniature painting and illumination from the 4th century to 1600 were once the property of some of the greatest power players in history. Now art-historical treasures, they are worth many millions and typically tucked away in private collections or closely guarded archives-until now.

Although the focus of this collection is on European manuscripts, examples from Mexican, Persian, and Indian tradition illustrate the refinement and intricacy of manuscript illumination in non-European cultures. An informative synopsis for each manuscript orients the reader at a glance, while a 36-page appendix contains biographies of the artists, as well as an extensive bibliography, an index, and a glossary for technical terms.

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Diego Velázquez, 1599-1660 The Face of Spain

by Norbert Wolf

Court painter to King Philip IV of Spain, Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez (June 1599 - August 6, 1660) is not only a leading light of the Spanish Golden Age, but among the most celebrated masters in all Western art history. Monet and Renoir, Corot and Courbet, Degas and Dalí all hailed his influence. Picasso was so inspired by his masterpiece Las Meninas that he painted 44 variations of it.



Velázquez's importance is found particularly in his naturalist approach, in contrast to the more ubiquitous idealized manner of his age. Early works included numerous "bodegones", genre scenes of everyday life in early 17th century Spain, in which warm, rich tones and textures set off the most ordinary of subjects and humble of faces, such as Old Woman Frying Eggs.



Later, his portraiture for the Royal Court brought the same naturalism to the highest echelons of society, marking a profound shift in the depiction of royalty with softer, more relaxed poses that offered his subjects a human warmth and character as much as a sense of grandeur. Velázquez's most famous work, Las Meninas, was also painted in the royal court, but in its enigmatic composition raises many broader questions about reality and illusion and the relationship between the painter, painting, and viewer.



This fresh TASCHEN Basic Art 2.0 edition introduces Velázquez through key works from throughout his career. From humble genre scenes to the royal portraits, the exquisite Rokeby Venus nude, and the ever-mysterious Las Meninas, we explore his exceptional attention to composition, masterful handling of tone, and his remarkable influence as, in Manet's words, "the greatest painter of all."

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