BELLAS ARTES

Early astronomers, drawn to Mars's fiery glow in the night sky, named the planet after their god of war. In the centuries since, Mars has captivated humankind as a source of endless speculation and a beacon of hope for its potential habitability. Through six decades of NASA’s pioneering research missions, the mysteries of the red planet have been gradually uncovered, revealing a world not so unlike our own that likely once supported life.

Above the forest floor, a world of wonder awaits. Tree houses have always captured our imaginations—symbols of escapism, endless youthful summers, and a deep-rooted connection to nature. But today, they’ve evolved beyond childhood hideaways into architectural marvels that blend sustainability and cutting-edge design. So, climb up and explore 62 elaborate tree houses from around the world, each with its own fascinating story. With no single blueprint, they take many forms—some are anchored within towering branches, others mimic the shapes of trees, some shelter in the foliage without touching a trunk. But all have the same goal: to bring us closer to nature.

Meticulous reproductions of sublime paintings showcase rikka, the oldest and most traditional form of flower arranging, which is linked to the Ikenobō school, Japan’s first and largest school of ikebana. The images presented here perfectly illustrate the main principles of ikebana—harmonious juxtaposition of flowers, balance between foliage (leaves, fronds, reeds, etc.) and branches, and naturalistic compositions for display. Several schools and styles of ikebana have evolved over the centuries. The rikka style is characterized by the use of erect branches and flowers to display a marked verticality in order to express the beauty of a natural landscape in a single vase. The floral arrangements in this collection date back to the Ikenobō Grand Master of Kyoto’s Rokkakudō Temple and his disciples from the Ashikaga Shogunate (1336–1573). These flower arrangements were officially documented by Igai Sansaemon in 1673 in artworks printed xylographically and then hand-colored using the gansai watercolor technique. The reproductions are accompanied by authoritative text by one of the world’s leading authorities on Japanese art.

When first published, Desert Images was a watershed project in the nascent environmental movement—bringing together two titans of American literature and art in their heyday. Still resonating all these decades later, Muench’s evocative photography and Abbey’s fiery, poetic text remain an unsurpassed tribute to this extraordinary American landscape. Those who imagine that the desert is merely a monotonous vista of sand and rock will be surprised by the variety of landforms, plants, and other natural phenomena shown on these pages. As Abbey wrote, “For some of those who have learned not only to live in but also to love the desert, it offers rewards greater than its visual appeal to the sense of beauty—the promise implicit in all that rugged wildness, that open, unfenced, untrammeled space—the sense of adventure, the reality of freedom, the hope of a refuge.” This photographic and literary passport to a great American wilderness will be treasured by all those who cherish the natural world.

The first book to feature the interior design of the stylish, award-winning firm RRP / Rees Roberts + Partners, led by Interior Design–hall of fame inductee Lucien Rees-Roberts. As Pilar Viladas writes in her introduction, “Rees-Roberts does not have a signature style. Instead, the interiors designed by his New York firm … have style, period, and lots of it.” Well-known for his subtle use of color, texture, and fabric, Rees-Roberts’s designs capture the essence of modern living. Descended from generations of painters, his love for art is an important source for his inspiration and indelibly marks the work. Functionally elegant designs are characterized by a deference to art as well as to light and the views provided by natural surroundings. Each designed home reflects the owner’s character as well as the needs of everyday life, incorporating custom furniture and unusual antiques. The book, bound in sumptuous cloth and wrapped in a jacket with French folds, reflects the firm’s ever-present attention to detail.

Evens has long been considered one of the country’s leading contemporary architects who aspires to create the complete living environment, in the same vein as Gil Schafer, Bobby McAlpine, Ray Booth, and Stanley Dixon. His inspiration is drawn from classical traditions and informed by contemporary indoor-outdoor life—in this case the indoor-outdoor life of California.