Victoria Charles Books

Spanning the history of art from the 13th century to the present, this book features 1000 paintings that are internationally recognised as works of genius and beloved cultural treasures. It is an artistic, cultural and educational resource as well as an essential tourist guide that will make readers want to visit the museums that house the various masterpieces.These are the most admired and significant paintings from around the world and will surely delight both the general public and art specialists.

From the thousand-year-old statues celebrating fertility to the odalisques of the modern painters, erotic art has always held a prominent place in society, whatever their morals or cultural references.This work has assembled one thousand images of erotic artworks, from all times and all continents, to illustrate how the representation of these pleasures of the flesh testifies to the evolution of different civilisations and their histories. While eroticism and sexuality are at the forefront of today’s advertising and media, this book offers an exceptional view into the archives of erotic imagery and emphasises the artistic value of these magnificently sinful illustrations.

The author, Robert Descharnes, a long time friend of Dali, is the most authoritative writer on the artist. He relates the events of Dali's personal life and of the amazing couple, Dali/Gala; he analyzes his major paintings and the sketches leading to them; he discusses Dali's writings, his work for the theatre, movies, ballets, and book illustrating. A wonderful guide, Descharnes comments in detail about the volume's forty remarkable full-page colour plates.

"A symbol of modernity, the Viennese Secession was defined by the rebellion of twenty artists who were against the conservative Vienna Künstlerhaus' oppressive influence over the city, the epoch, and the whole Austro-Hungarian Empire. Influenced by Art Nouveau, this movement (created in 1897 by Gustav Klimt, Carl Moll, and Josef Hoffmann) was not an anonymous artistic revolution. Defining itself as a "total art", without any political or commercial constraint, the Viennese Secession represented the ideological turmoil that affected craftsmen, architects, graphic artists, and designers from this period."--P.4 of dust jacket.

Exploring the complexities of faith and morality, this narrative follows a preacher grappling with a profound personal crisis. As he faces challenges that test his beliefs and the expectations of his congregation, themes of doubt, redemption, and the search for truth emerge. The story delves into the preacher's internal struggles and the impact of his decisions on his family and community, ultimately questioning the nature of righteousness and the human condition.

The Bruegels, especially Pieter the Elder and his sons Pieter the Younger and Jan the Elder, are the most significant Flemish painter family. They created a unique style rooted in Flemish character, depicting everyday life during Spanish rule in vibrant, allegorical scenes. This richly illustrated work by Emile Michel and Victoria Charles explores Flemish art development from the 15th to the 17th century.

Condemned by the Nazis as a degenerate artist, Franz Marc (1880-1916) was a German painter whose stark linearity and emotive use of color eloquently expressed the pain and trauma of war. In work such as his celebrated Fate of the Animals, Marc created a raw emotional expression of primitive violence which he called a premonition of the war which would eventually be the cause of his own untimely death at the age of 36.

Inspired by Monet's work at a young age, Paul Signac (1863-1935) was a friend and disciple of Georges Seurat who combined the scientific precision of pointillism with the vivid colors and emotional expressivity of Impressionism. A close personal friend of Vincent van Gogh, who was a great admirer of his techniques, Signac traveled the world in search of inspiration for his monumental canvases. This book examines the intricacies of Signac's celebrated technique, as well as showcasing the details of some of his most celebrated works.