NOVEDADES

Mexico has long been a wellspring of inspiration for designers, with its rich architectural heritage shaping both national and international discourse. Visionary architects featured in this book such as Agustín Hernández Navarro, Luis Barragán, Ricardo Legorreta, and Javier Senosiain have left an indelible mark on modern architecture, as can be seen in the groundbreaking recent works that are also showcased in these pages. In this lavishly illustrated volume, Christiansen explores Mexico’s architectural diversity, presenting homes that embody a profound sense of place through exceptional design. From organic dwellings that merge seamlessly with rural landscapes to bold urban structures that challenge conventions of form and space, to sculptural seaside sanctuaries that rise like temples from the sand, each project offers a unique perspective on the country’s evolving design language.

Alaïa was not only a renowned couturier but also a passionate fashion historian and an insatiable collector, an interest he cultivated starting in the 1960s. He gathered over 20,000 garments in his lifetime, from the birth of haute couture to pieces by contemporaries he admired. This book showcases for the first time the priceless personal collection of Dior designs that Alaïa assembled over decades—pieces by Christian Dior as well as the artistic directors that followed him at the helm of the House. The collection is analyzed through chapters dedicated to the elements that awakened the curiosity of Alaïa’s collector genius: the construction of the dresses—their “architecture”; the enchanting multitude of the color tones and textures of the fabrics and materials; and the poetry of the names of Dior’s creations revealing the diversity of his sources of inspiration, such as Accacias, Astarté, Caracas, Chérie, Jardin anglais, Madrid, Marcel Pagnol, Rose des vents, or Tourbillon.. Illustrated by beautiful photographs of the dresses, historical archival images, drawings by Christian Dior, and collection charts detailing fabric samples and sketches, this book offers a fresh view of Alaïa’s influences and Dior’s history and will appeal to fashion lovers everywhere.

With nearly one hundred seminal paintings, this publication celebrates the artist who paved the way for the Impressionist movement and the rise of modernism. Combining a radical technique with contemporary subjects, Manet’s groundbreaking works engage with modern Paris, depicting its new boulevards and fashionable parks and cafés along with a range of urban types, from ragpickers and prostitutes to barmaids and elegant Parisians. Included here are the artist’s iconic scenes of modern life such as Luncheon on the Grass, with its shocking juxtaposition of a female nude and a pair of fully dressed men, and Olympia, a modern reworking of Titian’s Renaissance masterpiece, Venus of Urbino, that scandalized Paris in the 1860s and established Manet as the leader of the avant-garde.

Book nooks—miniature dioramas of charming spaces designed for display as a bookshelf insert or as a bookend for a book collection—have taken social media by storm. They have been widely embraced with great enthusiasm in the world of crafting and creative hobbies as they blend a love of coziness, a celebration of storytelling, and an interest in decor. Fun to make and to collect, these miniature worlds are endearing and contemplative, drawing inspiration from scale modeling to create imagined universes, settings, and characters inspired by daily life, nature, favorite books, or movies. This volume blends how-to advice with inspirational imagery showcasing twenty approachable, easy-to-do, small-scale projects full of charm and enchantment.

From grand formal French gardens with meticulously sculpted topiaries to the poetry of a bohemian country estate, and from a botanical kitchen garden to an exotic tropical oasis on the Mediterranean coast, French gardening expert and television presenter Stéphane Marie invites readers on a tour of his favorite gardens across France. His encounters with passionate gardeners who have cultivated their plots with creativity highlight France’s incredibly varied microclimates and offer inspiration for nature lovers everywhere. This beautifully curated volume brings together twenty-seven stunning gardens spanning ten French regions, selected both for their originality and the richness of their flora. Marie's accounts of the design history and creation of each garden are accompanied by detailed sections on the plants, flowers, and trees that make them unique. Visitors are welcome at each of these gardens, and the chapters are completed with practical information and tips on how to plan your visit.

This book is meticulously designed as a large-format visual portfolio of the world’s most distinctive birds, whose nesting behavior and natural beauty are celebrated in beautifully detailed graphite and watercolor illustrations—all based on actual field studies. The exquisitely detailed bird, nest, and egg portraits are framed by details that include building techniques, materials, egg characteristics (shapes, colors, and number in a clutch), hatchlings and chicks, and parenting behaviors.

This revelatory book explores the contributions of Betsy James Wyeth (1921–2020), a multitalented maker of designed environments and interior spaces, preservationist, and creative partner to the beloved American artist Andrew Wyeth. Betsy herself created the world around her through imagery, decorative arts objects, documents, and paintings by Andrew and others, which were largely shaped by Betsy and the worlds she created. The volume features stunning photography of key sites such as Brinton’s Mill and environments that define her creative vision. Scholars discuss her process and significant role in projects like the Shore House at Broad Cove Farm, the site of the formation of Betsy’s refined and minimalist design sensibility. Personal reflections from her family shed light on Betsy’s life and influence, with additional contributions that explore her publishing endeavors and support for the maritime economy. Through a wide range of fine and decorative art objects from the remarkable and largely unexhibited holdings of the Wyeth Foundation for American Art that pertain to Betsy’s legacy, select loans, new photography, this book allows visitors to understand and explore her designed environments as never before.

Built around the legend of the Swiss surrealist Arthur Cravan—nephew to Oscar Wilde, poet, writer, troll, and sometime pugilist, Cravan has since expanded from its original twenty-seat location to a five-story new location. Included here are recipes for a few dozen cocktails, with fresh takes on the classics like the Tom Collins and the French 75, as well as inspired creations such as the Tunnel, the Archi, the Luco, and the Lady from Shanghai, and contemporary tips and tricks that make them easy to re-create at home. The food offerings feature bar-bite recipes curated by culinary titans and new bistronomy auteurs alike. Perfect for lovers of history and French culture, this book captures the spirit and culture of the City of Light and is a must-have for the aspiring and experienced home mixologist and chef alike.

Milton Avery, a modernist painter at work in the first half of the twentieth century, is rarely linked to Adolph Gottlieb or Mark Rothko, who were twenty years younger and would become associated with the New York School in the 1950s. While Avery consistently drew inspiration from the visible world, Gottlieb and Rothko invented abstract pictorial languages all their own. Despite these differences, they were a tight-knit trio whose camaraderie and mutual love of the ocean had lasting impact on their work. This pioneering volume traces their friendship from 1932, when they first summered together on Cape Ann, through the crystallization of their ideas in the 1940s, to the deeply centering decades that followed, when all three created the mature, independent painting styles for which they are best known. This late work, each in its own way, is indebted to the time the artists spent together on the rocky coast and sandy beaches of Cape Ann. Contributions by leading scholars and family members enrich this unique exploration of artistic friendship and its bearing on the work of three of the twentieth century’s most celebrated artists.