BELLAS ARTES

In a world increasingly defined by the fleeting and the disposable, Retrouvius stands as a beacon of sustainability, creativity, and enduring beauty in interior design. Each space transformed by the studio is imbued with a history and a character uniquely its own, and a deep respect and sensitivity for original, historic designs and materials. As interior designers and architects increasingly adopt sustainable practices to reduce their environmental footprint, Retrouvius has been discovering new life in the old and patinaed, new purpose in the centuries overlooked. Its work is a testament to the belief that sustainability can be synonymous with sophistication, and that the past can beautifully and intelligently inform the present.

As sensitive to human suffering as to the simple pleasures of life, Robert Doisneau is one of the most celebrated exponents of the Photographie humaniste that swept through the 1950s. Cherished in particular for his soulful portraits of Paris, Doisneau demonstrated a unique ability to find – and perfectly frame – charismatic characters, entertaining episodes, and fleeting moments of humor and affection. A summation of a spectacular career, this extensive Doisneau collection includes all his best-loved images from Paris alongside many lesser-known compositions which equally rejoice in “the ordinary gestures of ordinary people in ordinary situations.” The many quotations from the photographer throughout the volume immerse the reader in Doisneau’s thoughts and give verbal expression to the sensitivity, warmth, and wit which characterize his pictures.

Album art is indelibly linked to our collective musical memories; when you think of your favorite albums, you picture the covers. Many photographers, illustrators, and art directors have become celebrities from their album artworks—the best examples of which will go down in history as permanent fixtures in popular culture. Paying tribute to this art form, Rock Covers brings you a compilation of more than 750 remarkable album covers, from legendary to rare record releases. Artists as varied as Elvis Presley, The Beatles, The Sex Pistols, Pink Floyd, The Cure, Iron Maiden, and Sonic Youth are presented in celebration of the cover art that defined their albums and their cult status. Each cover is accompanied by a fact sheet listing the art director, photographer or illustrator, year, label, and more, while nearly 250 records that marked particular turning points for a band, an artist, or the music genre, are highlighted with short descriptions.

While anchoring his practice in the traditions of antiquity and the Renaissance, Auguste Rodin (1840–1917) paved the way for modern sculpture. From a very early stage, he was interested in movement, the expression of the body, chance effects, and the incomplete fragment. It was these elements that gave shape, and the impression of life, to such famous works as The Kiss and The Thinker.

Esta es la fascinante historia de cómo la visión de un hombre culminó con la creación de la firma de relojes más prestigiosa del mundo. Descubra cómo Hans Wilsdorf convirtió a Rolex, una pequeña empresa londinense, en el epicentro de la industria relojera suiza. Con la mirada puesta en los diseños revolucionarios y las innovaciones de Rolex, el lector descubrirá cómo la marca estuvo presente tanto en la superación de récords de velocidad como en grandes producciones cinematográficas de Hollywood, además de acompañar a aventureros en sus expediciones hasta la coronación de la cumbre del Everest y a las profundidades de la fosa de las Marianas.

Bearden (1911–1988) was a prominent African American artist often described as the consummate jazz painter, known for his innovative collages that explored themes of Black American culture, history, and personal experiences. This publication reexamines Bearden’s life and work in the context of jazz, tracing the musician’s impact from the artists’ earliest oil paintings to his iconic collages. In 1981, Bearden created nineteen collages that the artist called his “Paris Blues,” or simply “Jazz,” series. Conceived as pages for an oversized book that would be a response to the Hollywood movie Paris Blues (1961)—though featuring Harlem and New Orleans along with Paris—the series has been little known until now. Here the wildly colorful illustrations are set alongside Bearden’s encounters with iconic jazz musicians, clubs, and cities. Examined for the first time in depth, the Paris Blues series makes a major statement on the relationships between visual art, jazz music, and urban spaces. The book also includes poignant photographs of Bearden and musicians in the 1950s–70s, such as Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong.