BELLAS ARTES

Before reaching the tender age of 30, Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475–1564) had already sculpted Pietà and David, two of the most famous sculptures in the entire history of art. As a sculptor, painter, draftsman, and architect, the achievements of this Italian master are unique—no artist before or after him has ever produced such a vast, multifaceted, and wide-ranging œuvre. This fresh TASCHEN edition traces Michelangelo’s ascent to the cultural elite of the Renaissance. Ten richly illustrated chapters cover the artist’s paintings, sculptures, and architecture, including a close analysis of the artist’s tour de force frescoes in the Sistine Chapel.Full-page reproductions and enlarged details allow readers to appreciate the finest details in the artist’s repertoire, while the book’s biographical essay considers Michelangelo’s more personal traits and circumstances, such as his solitary nature, his thirst for money and commissions, his immense wealth, and his skill as a property investor.

Famed for his motto “less is more,” Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1886–1969) was one of the founding fathers of modern architecture and a hotly-debated tastemaker of twentieth-century aesthetics and urban experience.Mies van der Rohe’s philosophy was one of underlying truth in pure forms and proportions. With the help of contemporary technological and material developments, he sought a stripped-down purity to architecture, showcased by the likes of the Seagram Building and Farnsworth House. Some spoke out against this stark approach as the precursor to bland, generic cityscapes. Others cite Mies van der Rohe as the ultimate master of an abidingly elegant essence.This book presents more than 20 of Mies van der Rohe’s projects from the period 1906–1967 to introduce his groundbreaking practise and influence in both America and Europe.

La expresividad y la sensibilidad únicas de Alfred Brendel al piano parecen trasladarse a las páginas del presente libro, en que el gran intérprete ofrece una visión crítica de la práctica pianística, especialmente de algunas composiciones de Beethoven y Schubert, así como un iluminador repaso de sus grabaciones. Siguiendo el hilo invisible que une música, palabras e imágenes, Brendel, lector voraz y de una curiosidad inagotable, pone además la mirada en el cine, y nos ofrece lúcidas observaciones sobre el séptimo arte que revelan su comprensión del mundo y su conocimiento de sí mismo.

This book highlights the highly creative work of Barceló (b. 1957) with more than a dozen new paintings and a selection of recent ceramic objects. Born in Mallorca, Barceló’s mixed-media paintings, sculptures, and ceramics often feature relief-like textures and expressive forms. His fascination with the natural world has inspired his richly textured canvases that recall the earthly materiality of Catalan painters such as Antoni Tàpies and Joan Miró, as well as compositions that study the effects of light and the ever-changing colors of the sea. The book includes a selection of new paintings from the corrida series, depicting the circular space of the bullfighting ring in vibrant colors. His ceramic practice includes his distinctive forms molded by hand then painted in vivid colors. Excerpts from Barceló’s recent autobiography, De la vida mía (Of My Life), bring together his notebooks, paintings, photos, stories, and objects from the artist’s various studios.

For nearly two decades, Jackson has held a singular position: Getty Images’ most trusted lens on the British monarchy. In Modern Majesty, he offers a compelling and beautifully curated portrait of a royal family reinventing itself in the twenty-first century. From King Charles III’s historic accession and the growing roles of the Prince and Princess of Wales, to poignant family moments and wide-ranging public duties, Jackson captures the intimate and iconic moments that define this new royal era. Featuring exclusive photographs—many never before published—and compelling behind-the-scenes commentary, Modern Majesty illuminates the balance between tradition and transformation. Whether photographing historic state occasions, tender private gatherings, diplomatic visits, or charity initiatives, Jackson brings warmth, dignity, and insight to every image. His work is the product of more than twenty years embedded within royal life, marked by trust, access, and a rare eye for authenticity.

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.