Debra N. Mancoff Books

Profiles the life and work of a nineteenth century pioneer of photography and offers a selection of her portraits of women

A major new study of the garden in art, including works by such artists as Botticelli, Hiroshige, Monet, Van Gogh and many others, with extended captions providing detailed interpretations of each work, as well as insights into the artists' sources of inspiration and principal themes. A delightful and beautifully illustrated book.

A behind-the-scenes look at the most famous works of art in the world.

Discover the secrets, mysteries, hidden meanings and stories behind famous works of art. A book full of surprises, discoveries, forgotten treasures and lost tales, The Secrets of Art takes us on a journey through the art world’s mysteries to reveal that works of art are not always what they seem. A long-lost medieval masterpiece unearthed in the Tower of London. A secret message that only an elite few can read encoded in a painting. A glimpse of a ghostly image beneath the surface of a portrait. The intriguing stories of these works, and many more, are brought to life by author, historian and art detective Debra N. Mancoff, as she reveals secret symbols used by Leonardo da Vinci, Vermeer and Caravaggio, uncovers layers of meaning in paintings by Van Gogh, Picasso and Dali, and provides insight into works by Frida Kahlo, Kara Walker and Marina Abramović. Drawing upon the findings of advanced technology, new research, scientific analysis and old-fashioned curiosity, The Secrets of Art unveils the layers of meaning beneath the surfaces of great works of art in a collection of tales that are fully based in fact but are as fascinating as fiction.

"One of nature's most commanding blooms, the sunflower has an enduring power and beauty that have been captured most famously by Vincent van Gogh. Indeed, for many the sunflower has become synonymous with van Gogh's art, but, as this delightful book so amply demonstrates, the flower's significance can be traced from pre-Columbian times to the present day." "The book's numerous full-color illustrations celebrate the image of the sunflower from its first appearance in sixteenth-century European botanical texts to twentieth-century representations. Brief essays and reproductions survey the multiple meanings of this species for science, religion, literature, and art, culminating in its importance for the British Aesthetic movement and for art in late-nineteenth century France. The flower's representation creates a context for van Gogh's work, and the penultimate section of the book develops the image of the sunflower as a lasting emblem of the artist. The final chapter surveys the relevance of the flower for artists into the late twentieth century."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

This stunning bouquet of romantic paintings brings together two important aspects of Victorian life—the pre-Raphaelite movement and the language of flowers—in one exquisite volume. Few artistic movements capture classic notions of beauty as romantically as the Pre-Raphaelites—a group of nineteenth-century painters and poets who aimed to revive the purer art of the late medieval period. Brilliantly colored and carefully composed, pre-Raphaelite paintings are revered for their idealistic portrayal of women, their emphasis on nature and morality, and their use of literature and mythology. Flowers figure prominently in many of these paintings, the blooms as physically lush as they are laden with symbolism. For this was the Victorian era, when the language of flowers was spoken by everyone. In this beautiful volume, Debra N. Mancoff, an expert on Pre-Raphaelite art and the floral lexicon presents forty breathtaking examples, which illuminate the meaning of flowers in all aspects of Victorian culture. She offers brief commentaries on individual paintings as well as biographies of the period’s leading artists and their models. A captivating introduction to an artistic movement, this exquisitely produced book is also a romantic keepsake of an artistic sensibility that speaks volumes.

Monet's garden in Normandy was a private haven where domestic pleasure, artistic vision and aesthetic delight converged. Although he modestly told his dealer, Paul Durand-Ruel, that he gardened 'so that there would be flowers to paint on rainy days', Monet cultivated his garden as a continual source of renewal and creativity. It became as powerful a passion in his life as hs painting - he chose planting schemes as carefully as he chose colours for his palette. The garden was also the inspiration for his art and the subject of some of his greatest paintings. In the paintings of his gardens, from the suburban flower-beds of his first family homes to the grand fantasy of his water lily pond at Giverny, Monet achieved his most personal and passionate expression.

A fresh and fascinating look at the key subject of Rossetti's art that will appeal to a broad art-loving readership.

An exquisitely designed and thoroughly engrossing thematic study of the representation of the face on objects and in works of art from all cultures and throughout history, revealing what it is to be human.

"This book explores renowned works of art from across the centuries and around the globe, looking at the discoveries and inventions that allowed artists to explore different ways of creating. From oil paint, pastel and pencil, to perspective, collage and immersive spaces, each chapter showcases an artwork which demonstrates the mastery and innovative use of a single material or method, presented as the centerpiece of a capsule history" --