Light Blue - 5 Book Bundle

Eric Ravilious: Landscapes & Nature by Ella Ravilious - Published: Thames and Hudson Ltd - 2023-09-28 - 144 pages.

A joyful and celebratory gift book devoted to the work of the much-loved English artist Eric Ravilious (1903–1942) and the influence of natural forms and themes in his work.

Eric Ravilious was a designer, painter, printmaker and illustrator best known for his depictions of the English landscape, particularly the South Downs. Often described as a particularly ‘English’ artist, key to his style was an ability to convey in watercolour the mild vagaries of the British climate. His engagement with nature, though romantic rather than precise, pervades his works in many different techniques. This book explores his appreciation of the natural world and the techniques he used in a variety of media to convey those elements.

Drawing on the V&A’s collections, more than 100 beautiful images capture Ravilious’s deep enjoyment of everything in nature, from dewponds, cockerels, grassy hills, owls, greenhouse geraniums, cornsheaves and snow, to the rainy seas, airport-runway puddles and tideswept beaches of his later work as a war artist. The book includes sections on weather, plants, landscape, animals and birds, and ends with a section devoted to man in the landscape, showcasing Ravilious’s love of rusting machinery and other signs of human presence within nature, not least his famous depictions of hillside chalk figures.

This book will appeal to those with a love of English landscapes, flora and fauna or an interest in British art and design in the interwar period.

A History of the World in 500 Maps by Christian Grataloup and Patrick Boucheron - Published: Thames and Hudson Ltd - 2023-07-13 - 600 pages.

Trace the history of the world in over 500 easy-to-follow maps, from the dawn of humanity to the present day.

Organized chronologically, A History of the World in 500 Maps tells a clear, linear story, bringing together themes as diverse as religion, capitalism, warfare, geopolitics, popular culture and climate change. Meticulously rendered maps chart the sequence of broad historical trends, from the dispersal of our species across the globe to the colonizing efforts of imperial European powers in the 18th century, as well as exploring moments of particular significance in rich detail.

• Visualizes 7 million years of human history.
• Analyses cities and kingdoms as well as countries and continents.
• Features major technical developments, from the invention of farming in the Fertile Crescent to the Industrial Revolution.
• Charts the spread of major global religions, including Christianity and Islam.
• Explores the increasing interconnectivity of our world through exploration and trade.
• Investigates warfare and battles from across the ages, from Alexander the Great’s conquests to the D-Day offensive.

The Ottomans: A Cultural Legacy by Diana Darke - Published: Thames and Hudson Ltd - 2022-09-29 - 288 pages.

'Exquisitely written and lavishly illustrated, this delightful book brings five centuries of Ottoman culture to life. Diana Darke constantly amazes the reader with fascinating facts and points of relevance between the Ottoman past and the present day' - Eugene Rogan, author of The Fall of the Ottomans

A richly illustrated guide to the Ottoman Empire, 100 years since its dissolution, unravelling its complex cultural legacy and profound impact on Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.

At its height, the Ottoman Empire spread from Yemen to the gates of Vienna. Western perceptions of the Ottomans have often been distorted by Orientalism, characterizing their rule as oppressive and destructive, while seeing their culture as exotic and incomprehensible. Based on a lifetime’s experience of living and working across its former provinces, Diana Darke offers a unique overview of the Ottoman Empire’s cultural legacy one century after its dissolution. She uncovers a vibrant, sophisticated civilization that embraced both arts and sciences, whilst welcoming refugees from all ethnicities and religions, notably Christians and Jews.

Darke celebrates the culture of the Ottoman Empire, from its aesthetics and architecture to its scientific and medical innovations, including the first vaccinations. She investigates the crucial role that commerce and trade played in supporting the empire and increasing its cultural reach, highlighting the significant role of women, as well as the diverse religious values, literary and musical traditions that proliferated through the empire. Beautifully illustrated with manuscripts, miniatures, paintings and photographs, The Ottomans: A Cultural Legacy presents the magnificent achievements of an empire that lasted over 600 years and encompassed Asian, European and African cultures, shedding new light on its complex legacy.

The Gods and Goddesses of Greece and Rome: A Guide to the Classical Pantheon by Philip Matyszak - Published: Thames and Hudson Ltd - 2022-09-29 - 256 pages.

The essential illustrated guide to the gods and goddesses of ancient Greece and Rome, vividly retelling their stories and exploring their origins.

Who were the gods and goddesses of ancient Greece and Rome? What did they mean to the people who worshipped them? Although their time of widespread worship has long passed, the Greek and Roman gods have fascinated and inspired writers and artists for millennia. From Aphrodite to Apollo, Poseidon to Zeus, these are some of the most recognizable characters in Western culture, yet there is a much richer past behind famous paintings of the birth of Aphrodite or the bold iconography of Zeus and his thunderbolts.

The Greek and Roman gods are enthralling characters in the enduringly powerful Iliad, Odyssey and Metamorphoses. They are immortal and powerful yet also vain, vindictive and vulnerable. Moreover, as manifestations of death, fertility, love and war, the gods are also our key to understanding how the Greeks and Romans saw their world. Philip Matyszak presents this pantheon in all their complexity, guiding us from Mount Olympus to the depths of Hades. Each chapter focuses on an individual god or goddess, beginning with their ‘biography’ as understood by the Greeks and Romans and exploring the origins of the legends. Matyszak mixes history with vivid retellings of the myths in which the gods have a starring role, from stories of cosmic creation and universal war to disastrous weddings and freak discus accidents. This sumptuously illustrated guide to the gods of Greece and Rome is a must-have for anyone interested in mythology and classical civilization.

Super Bloom: A Field Guide to Flowers for Every Gardener by Jac Semmler - Published: Thames & Hudson Australia - 2023-04-27 - 528 pages.

From Achillea to Zinnia, here are 75 plant profiles of the most beautiful flowers and foliage to bring shape, colour and beauty to any garden.

Leading plant specialist Jac Semmler revives the appeal of treasured, old-world, beautiful flowers for the modern garden in this comprehensive gardening how-to for beginners and experts alike, which covers:

• Care and growing notes for over 70 flowers
• Advice on how to start gardening
• Soil, aspect and climate information
• Planting, propagating, training and pruning
• Saving seeds
• Planting partners
• Experiences from the garden
• Must-have and nice-to-have tools
• And so much more

An innovative, immersive photographic style illustrates techniques such as planting seeds, caring for seedlings, transplanting flowers, propagating and dividing plants, pruning techniques as well as offering a breathtaking bee’s-eye view of the garden.

Maximum plants, maximum colour, maximum beauty: Super Bloom is a love letter to flowers.