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Women and the Art and Science of Collecting in Eighteenth-Century Europe (The Histories of Material Culture and Collecting, 1700-1950)
by Arlene Leis Kacie L. WillsThrough both longer essays and shorter case studies, this book examines the relationship of European women from various countries and backgrounds to collecting, in order to explore the social practices and material and visual cultures of collecting in eighteenth-century Europe. It recovers their lives and examines their interests, their methodologies, and their collections and objects—some of which have rarely been studied before. The book also considers women’s role as producers, that is, creators of objects that were collected. Detailed examination of the artefacts—both visually, and in relation to their historical contexts—exposes new ways of thinking about collecting in relation to the arts and sciences in eighteenth-century Europe. The book is interdisciplinary in its makeup and brings together scholars from a wide range of fields. It will be of interest to those working in art history, material and visual culture, history of collecting, history of science, literary studies, women’s studies, gender studies, and art conservation.
Women and the Art and Science of Collecting in Eighteenth-Century Europe (The Histories of Material Culture and Collecting, 1700-1950)
by Arlene Leis Kacie L. WillsThrough both longer essays and shorter case studies, this book examines the relationship of European women from various countries and backgrounds to collecting, in order to explore the social practices and material and visual cultures of collecting in eighteenth-century Europe.It recovers their lives and examines their interests, their methodologies, and their collections and objects—some of which have rarely been studied before. The book also considers women’s role as producers, that is, creators of objects that were collected. Detailed examination of the artefacts—both visually, and in relation to their historical contexts—exposes new ways of thinking about collecting in relation to the arts and sciences in eighteenth-century Europe. The book is interdisciplinary in its makeup and brings together scholars from a wide range of fields.It will be of interest to those working in art history, material and visual culture, history of collecting, history of science, literary studies, women’s studies, gender studies, and art conservation.
Women Artists and the Surrealist Movement
by Whitney ChadwickA revised edition of Whitney Chadwick’s seminal work on the women artists who shaped the Surrealist art movement. This pioneering book stands as the most comprehensive treatment of the lives, ideas, and art works of the remarkable group of women who were an essential part of the Surrealist movement. Leonora Carrington, Frida Kahlo, and Dorothea Tanning, among many others, embodied their age as they struggled toward artistic maturity and their own “liberation of the spirit” in the context of the Surrealist revolution. Their stories and achievements are presented here against the background of the turbulent decades of the 1920s, ’30s, and ’40s and the war that forced Surrealism into exile in New York and Mexico. Whitney Chadwick, author of the highly acclaimed Women, Art, and Society, interviewed and corresponded with most of the artists themselves in the course of her research. Women Artists and the Surrealist Movement, now revised with a new foreword by art historian Dawn Ades, contains a wealth of extracts from unpublished writings and numerous illustrations never before reproduced. Since this book was first published, it has acquired the undeniable status of a classic among artists, art historians, critics, and cultural historians. It has inspired and necessitated a revision of the story of the Surrealist movement.
Women in Art (Women in Series)
by Rachel IgnotofskyNew York Times bestseller Rachel Ignotofsky's Women in Art comes to the youngest readers in board format!Highlighting the creative contributions of female artists, this board book edition of the original bestseller features simpler text and Rachel Ignotofsky's signature illustrations reimagined for younger readers, to give young creators the perfect role models to grow up with while inspiring a love of art. The collection features diverse women creating a wide array of artistic mediums who paved the way for the next generation of artists. The perfect gift for fans of Rachel Ignotofsky's other board books and buyers of Dream Big, Little One and A Is for Awesome!
Women in the Picture: What Culture Does With Female Bodies
by Catherine McCormackArt historian Catherine McCormack challenges how culture teaches us to see and value women, their bodies, and their lives. Venus, maiden, wife, mother, monster—women have been bound so long by these restrictive roles, codified by patriarchal culture, that we scarcely see them. Catherine McCormack illuminates the assumptions behind these stereotypes whether writ large or subtly hidden. She ranges through Western art—think Titian, Botticelli, and Millais—and the image-saturated world of fashion photographs, advertisements, and social media, and boldly counters these depictions by turning to the work of women artists like Morisot, Ringgold, Lacy, and Walker, who offer alternative images for exploring women’s identity, sexuality, race, and power in more complex ways.
Women, Method Acting, and the Hollywood Film
by Keri WalshWomen, Method Acting, and the Hollywood Film is the first study dedicated to understanding the work of female Method actors on film. While Method acting on film has typically been associated with the explosive machismo of actors like Marlon Brando and Robert De Niro, this book explores an alternate tradition within the Method—the work that women from the Actors Studio did in Hollywood. Covering the period from the end of the Second World War until the 1970s, this study shows how the women associated with the Actors Studio increasingly used Method acting in ways that were compatible with their burgeoning feminist political commitments and developed a style of feminist Method acting. The book examines the complex intersection of Method acting, sexuality, and gender by analyzing performances such as Kim Hunter’s in A Streetcar Named Desire, Julie Harris’s in The Member of the Wedding, Shelley Winters’s in The Big Knife, Geraldine Page’s in Sweet Bird of Youth, and Jane Fonda’s in Coming Home. Challenging the longstanding assumption that Method acting’s approaches were harmful to women and incompatible with feminism, this book argues that some of Hollywood’s most interesting female actors, and leading feminists, emerged from the Actors Studio in the period between the 1950s and the 1970s. Written for students and scholars of Film Studies, Cultural Studies, Theatre and Performance Studies, and Gender Studies, Women, Method Acting, and the Hollywood Film reshapes the way we think of a central strain in American screen acting, and in doing so, allows women a new stake in that tradition.
The Women of Jenji Kohan: A Collection of Essays (The Women of...)
by Scarlett HarrisThe Women of Jenji Kohan, creator of such landmark shows as Weeds, Orange Is the New Black, and GLOW, is the latest in Fayetteville Mafia Press's pioneering series examining the female characters of legendary creators of television and film. Here, writers from all walks of life analyze the significance of such iconic characters as Nancy Botwin (Mary-Louise Parker), Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling) and the host of women residing in Litchfield Correctional Institution, Ruth Wilder (Alison Brie), and Debbie Eagan (Betty Gilpin), to both themselves and to pop culture at large. Edited by Scarlett Harris (A Diva Was a Female Version of a Wrestler: An Abbreviated Herstory of World Wrestling Entertainment), The Women of Jenji Kohan: Weeds, Orange Is the New Black, and GLOW is the third book in the unique "The Women Of" series, following The Women of David Lynch (June 2019) and The Women of Amy Sherman-Palladino (November 2019).
Women vs Hollywood: The Fall and Rise of Women in Film
by Helen O'Hara'A fascinating polemic' Sunday Times 'A powerful, sobering and vital work' The Mail on Sunday 'A page-turning read, peppered with humour' Sight & Sound'A must read' Edgar Wright A call to arms from Empire magazine's 'geek queen', Helen O'Hara, that explores women's roles - both in front of and behind the camera - since the birth of Hollywood, how those roles are reflected within wider society and what we can do to level the playing field. Hollywood was born just over a century ago, at a time of huge forward motion for women's rights. With no rules in place to stop them, there were women who forged ahead in many areas of filmmaking. Yet, despite the work of early pioneers like Dorothy Arzner, Mabel Normand, Mary Pickford and Alice Guy-Blaché, it soon came to embody the same old sexist standards. Women found themselves fighting a system that fed on their talent, creativity and beauty but refused to pay them the same respect as their male contemporaries - until now . . . The tide has finally begun to turn. A new generation of women, both in front of and behind the camera, are making waves in the industry and are now shaping some of the biggest films to hit our screens. In Women vs Hollywood: The Fall and Rise of Women in Film, film critic Helen O'Hara takes a closer look at the pioneering and talented women of Hollywood and their work in film since Hollywood began. And in understanding how women were largely written out of Hollywood's own origin story, and how the films we watch are put together, we can finally see how to put an end to a picture that is so deeply unequal - and discover a multitude of stories out there just waiting to be told.
Women vs Hollywood: The Fall and Rise of Women in Film
by Helen O'Hara'A fascinating polemic' Sunday Times'A game changer . . . as inspiring as it is informative' Terri White, editor-in-chief of Empire'An enlightening page-turner' Anna Smith, host of the Girls On Film podcast'This is the film history we need' Pamela Hutchinson, film historian and critic A call to arms from Empire magazine's 'geek queen', Helen O'Hara, that explores women's roles - both in front of and behind the camera - since the birth of Hollywood, how those roles are reflected within wider society and what we can do to level the playing field.The dawn of cinema was a free-for-all, and there were women who forged ahead in many areas of filmmaking. Early pioneers like Dorothy Arzner (who invented the boom mic, among other innovations) and Alice Guy-Blaché shaped the way films are made. But it wasn't long before these talented women were pushed aside and their contributions written out of film history. How and why did this happen?Hollywood was born just over a century ago, at a time of huge forward motion for women's rights, yet it came to embody the same old sexist standards. Women found themselves fighting a system that feeds on their talent, creativity and beauty but refuses to pay them the same respect as their male contemporaries - until now...The tide has finally begun to turn. A new generation of women, both in front of and behind the camera, are making waves in the industry and are now shaping some of the biggest films to hit our screens. There is plenty of work still needed before we can even come close to gender equality in film - but we're finally headed in the right direction.In Women vs Hollywood: The Fall and Rise of Women in Film, Empire's 'geek queen' Helen O'Hara takes a closer look at the pioneering and talented women of Hollywood and their work in film since Hollywood began. Equal representation in film matters because it both reflects and influences wider societal gender norms. In understanding how women were largely written out of Hollywood's own origin story, and how the films we watch are put together, we can finally see how to put an end to a picture that is so deeply unequal - and discover a multitude of stories out there just waiting to be told.
Women vs Hollywood: The Fall and Rise of Women in Film
by Helen O'Hara'A fascinating polemic' Sunday Times 'A powerful, sobering and vital work' The Mail on Sunday 'A page-turning read, peppered with humour' Sight & Sound'A must read' Edgar Wright A call to arms from Empire magazine's 'geek queen', Helen O'Hara, that explores women's roles - both in front of and behind the camera - since the birth of Hollywood, how those roles are reflected within wider society and what we can do to level the playing field. Hollywood was born just over a century ago, at a time of huge forward motion for women's rights. With no rules in place to stop them, there were women who forged ahead in many areas of filmmaking. Yet, despite the work of early pioneers like Dorothy Arzner, Mabel Normand, Mary Pickford and Alice Guy-Blaché, it soon came to embody the same old sexist standards. Women found themselves fighting a system that fed on their talent, creativity and beauty but refused to pay them the same respect as their male contemporaries - until now . . . The tide has finally begun to turn. A new generation of women, both in front of and behind the camera, are making waves in the industry and are now shaping some of the biggest films to hit our screens. In Women vs Hollywood: The Fall and Rise of Women in Film, film critic Helen O'Hara takes a closer look at the pioneering and talented women of Hollywood and their work in film since Hollywood began. And in understanding how women were largely written out of Hollywood's own origin story, and how the films we watch are put together, we can finally see how to put an end to a picture that is so deeply unequal - and discover a multitude of stories out there just waiting to be told.
Women's Music for the Screen: Diverse Narratives in Sound
by Felicity WilcoxWomen’s Music for the Screen: Diverse Narratives in Sound shines a long-overdue light on the works and lives of female-identifying screen composers. Bringing together composer profiles, exclusive interview excerpts, and industry case studies, this volume showcases their achievements and reflects on the systemic gender biases women have faced in an industry that has long excluded them. Across 16 essays, an international array of contributors present a wealth of research data, biographical content, and musical analysis of film, television, and video game scores to understand how the industry excludes women, the consequences of these deficits, and why such inequities persist – and to document women’s rich contributions to screen music in diverse styles and genres.The chapters amplify the voices of women composers including Bebe Barron, Delia Derbyshire, Wendy Carlos, Anne Dudley, Rachel Portman, Hildur Guðnadóttir, Mica Levi, Winifred Phillips, and more. From the mid-twentieth century to the present, and from classic Hollywood scores to pioneering electronic music, these are the stories and achievements of the women who have managed to forge successful careers in a male-dominated arena. Suitable for researchers, educators, and students alike, Women’s Music for the Screen urges the screen music industry to consider these sounds and stories in a way it hasn’t before: as voices that more accurately reflect the world we all share.
Wonder Walls: How to Transform Your Space with Colorful Geometrics, Graphic Lettering, and Other Fabulous Paint Techniques
by Phoebe Cornog Roxy PrimaWallpaper may be desirable, but it can be expensive, difficult to install, and damaging to the wall upon removal. Street art and graffiti might seem unattainable, but everyone has an interior wall they can paint. Wall painting offers a way to achieve these modern design effects in the home, and it can be accessible to everyone — even those who don&’t consider themselves artists. This bright and colorful book from the creators of Pandr Design Co. features DIY how-to wall painting techniques that will help readers discover the possibilities of paint and see their walls as their canvas. Authors Phoebe Cornog and Roxy Prima take readers through wall preparation and paint selection and then teach how to achieve different techniques step by step, from marbling to sponging to geometric design to lettering and more. They address tips, tricks, and troubleshooting and help readers customize their home — without breaking a sweat or breaking the bank. For fans of interior design or anyone seeking to bring color into their home and make their space unique, this book will spark the imagination, feed creativity, and deliver the confidence to do it themselves. This publication conforms to the EPUB Accessibility specification at WCAG 2.0 Level AA.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
by L. Frank BaumA deluxe gift edition of L. Frank Baum’s cherished children’s classic, vividly reimagined with beautiful four-color artwork and nine interactive features created by MinaLima, the award-winning design studio behind the graphics for the Harry Potter film franchise.Hailed as “America’s greatest and best-loved homegrown fairytale” by the Library of Congress, L. Frank Baum’s classic story has been enjoyed by generations of young readers since its publication in 1900. One of the most-read children’s books, it is a staple of American literature and the inspiration for the beloved 1939 Academy Award-winning movie (widely acclaimed as one of the greatest films of all time), as well as stage plays and musicals.When a tornado strikes the Kansas prairie, young orphan Dorothy Gale and her little dog Toto are blown away to Oz, a magical place filled with witches, munchkins, winged monkeys, and other unusual inhabitants. Lost and afraid, all Dorothy wants is to return to her Uncle Henry and Auntie Em. But to do so, the Good Witch of the North tells her, she must follow the Yellow Brick Road that leads to the Emerald City. There, she will find the fearsome Wizard of Oz who can help her find her way home. Along the way, Dorothy encounters three unforgettable characters—the Scarecrow, the Tinman, and the Cowardly Lion—who join her in her quest. Their journey to the Emerald City, fraught with peril and adventure, teaches them the true meaning of friendship and reminds us all that there is no place like home. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Interactive reimagines the novel’s iconic imagery and highlights phrases from the original book in a unique and delightful style that will enchant readers of all ages. Sure to become a collector’s item, this deluxe illustrated edition contains specially commissioned artwork and nine exclusive interactive features, including:A cyclone map that opens up to reveal the Land of OzA pop-up Yellow Brick RoadOz glasses that provide a different look at the worldFighting trees with branches that moveDorothy’s silver shoes that can be clicked togetherThis marvelous edition will enchant young and adult readers and is a thoughtful gift for any occasion.
Wood Additive Technologies: Application of Active Design Optioneering (Springer Tracts in Civil Engineering)
by Marco Imperadori Federica Brunone Marco Cucuzza Andrea VanossiThe book encodes a vision for the actively sustainable management and development of the built environment by referring to the application of timber-based construction systems as additive solutions for the multi-purpose improvement of existing buildings. It translates this vision into an innovative methodology for the management of the entire building process – from design to production, operation, and maintenance - and the assessment of timber-based construction performances across the whole building life-cycle. This approach is based on a multi-dimensional analysis, which starts from the structure of the Active House (AH) protocol, improved through information-integrated digital environments and multi-criteria evaluation methods, such as BIM and Design Optioneering. During the design stage, indeed, it analyzes and compares different design choices, according to the DO method, until the definition and validation of the “As-Built” step, while in the operational phase, it refers to sensors-retrieved data to show the evolution of the building behaviour, accounting for real users’ interaction, building performances decay and needs of maintenance, defining the digital twin of the building: a real Cognitive Building. Finally, the application of this methodology identifies innovative models of processes, products, and design of wood-based construction technologies, suitable to satisfy the needs of the 2D/3D construction layering for the sustainable transformation of the built environment.
Woodwork Step by Step: Carpentry Techniques Made Easy (DK Step by Step)
by DKFind everything you need to know to begin woodworking in this compact visual guide. Master all essential techniques, including every aspect of joinery. Discover all the tools for working wood and how to use them safely and effectively. Practice your craft and create beautiful handmade pieces of furniture through a series of tried-and-true projects.With its visually driven approach, using Woodwork Step by Step is like being in a carpentry class with the teacher by your side. Tool use, techniques, and projects are broken down into short steps with crystal-clear photography demonstrating detailed instructions. With this book as your constant workshop companion, you'll learn all the carpentry skills needed to become a master craftsman, from planing a face edge to creating a dovetail joint, handling a jigsaw, and applying finishes.A series of inspiring projects, gradually increasing in difficulty, enable you to hone your skills and produce attractive, practical objects for the home--from a simple coatrack to a wall cabinet and a freestanding bookcase. Each project comes with fully measured-out plans, a list of tools and materials, and exploded-view diagrams to show how it all fits together. You will also find a handy visual directory of all major wood types and veneers, explaining what they are best used for and giving tips on how to work with them. Get started with woodworking using this complete fine carpentry course in one book.
Woodworking: Techniques, Tools, Projects, and Everything You Need to Know
by Vicenç Gilbert Frederic A. Martín Rodrigo LazcanoBecome a woodworking master with this all-encompassing reference! This practical manual, both for the person who is attracted to the subject of workshop carpentry and for someone beginning in this subject, is the essential reference for learning and honing your woodworking and carpentry skills. With this book, you will learn about: MaterialsMetal FittingsAdhesivesFinishesMachineryJoint TechniquesToolsHandling of WoodAnd Much More! This comprehensive book is divided into three parts so that your education is well-rounded and approaches multiple perspectives on the matter. These three sections: provide the principles of construction in wood, then discuss the preparation of wood and information about various tools and machinery. The final portion consists of a more advanced section with ways to decorate and create your projects and is lavishly photographed and illustrated to help guide readers along with the instructions.
The Work of Reading: Literary Criticism in the 21st Century
by Derek Attridge Anirudh Sridhar Mir Ali HosseiniThe Work of Reading: Literary Criticism in the 21st Century is a sustained critical examination of the developments in the field of literary studies from the early 2000s onwards within the context of the systematic problems in the humanities. This volume analyzes the origins of the current methods—including New Historicism, empiricism, New Formalism, postcritique, and others—and posits alternatives to the present state of literary studies. At a time when many aspects of current methods show a desire to adopt values from other disciplines to solve internal crises, this volume advocates a renewed focus on questions of form by means of the praxis of aesthetic study, close reading, and other modes of engaging directly with literary texts.
Working Backstage: A Cultural History and Ethnography of Technical Theater Labor
by Christin EssinWorking Backstage illuminates the work of New York City’s theater technicians, shining a light on the essential contributions of unionized stagehands, carpenters, electricians, sound engineers, properties artisans, wardrobe crews, makeup artists, and child guardians. Too-often dismissed or misunderstood as mere functionaries, these technicians are deeply engaged in creative problem-solving and perform collaborative, intricate choreographed work that parallels the performances of actors, singers, and dancers onstage. Although their contributions have fueled the Broadway machine, their contributions have been left out of most theater histories. Theater historian Christin Essin offers clear and evocative descriptions of this invaluable labor, based on her archival research and interviews with more than 100 backstage technicians, members of the New York locals of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. A former theater technician herself, Essin provides readers with an insider’s view of the Broadway stage, from the suspended lighting bridge of electricians operating followspots for A Chorus Line; the automation deck where carpenters move the massive scenic towers for Newsies; the makeup process in the dressing room for The Lion King; the offstage wings of Matilda the Musical, where guardians guide child actors to entrances and exits. Working Backstage makes an significant contribution to theater studies and also to labor studies, exploring the politics of the unions that serve backstage professionals, protecting their rights and insuring safe working conditions. Illuminating the history of this typically hidden workforce, the book provides uncommon insights into the business of Broadway and its backstage working relationships among cast and crew members.
A Working Costume Designer's Guide to Color
by Jeanette deJongA Working Costume Designer's Guide to Color provides readers with the skills and knowledge to create coherent color schemes for costumes. Drawing on decades of experience in the costume shop, the author guides readers through every step of the process, from finding inspiration for a color scheme and successfully working with the design team to understanding how lighting design can affect costume color choices. Filled with step-by-step illustrations of how to add colors to a set of renderings and color-block samples to illustrate color theory, terminology, and usage of colors, the book covers a wide range of topics, including: How to add colors to a set of renderings to clarify characters and character relationships. How color interacts with surface pattern and fabric textures. Color theory and terminology. How to combine colors to make a coherent color scheme using different methods, including using dominant, supporting, and accent colors. How to flatter actors while staying within an overall color scheme. Color meanings in different cultures and for different time periods. How to manage costume changes to preserve or extend a color scheme. A valuable resource for students of costume design courses and professional costume designers, A Working Costume Designer's Guide to Color provides readers with the tools to create harmonious color schemes that will enhance the look of a production as whole.
The World According to Color: A Cultural History
by James FoxA kaleidoscopic exploration that traverses history, literature, art, and science to reveal humans' unique and vibrant relationship with color.We have an extraordinary connection to color—we give it meanings, associations, and properties that last millennia and span cultures, continents, and languages. In The World According to Color, James Fox takes seven elemental colors—black, red, yellow, blue, white, purple, and green—and uncovers behind each a root idea, based on visual resemblances and common symbolism throughout history.Through a series of stories and vignettes, the book then traces these meanings to show how they morphed and multiplied and, ultimately, how they reveal a great deal about the societies that produced them: reflecting and shaping their hopes, fears, prejudices, and preoccupations.Fox also examines the science of how our eyes and brains interpret light and color, and shows how this is inherently linked with the meanings we give to hue. And using his background as an art historian, he explores many of the milestones in the history of art—from Bronze Age gold-work to Turner, Titian to Yves Klein—in a fresh way. Fox also weaves in literature, philosophy, cinema, archaeology, and art—moving from Monet to Marco Polo, early Japanese ink artists to Shakespeare and Goethe to James Bond. By creating a new history of color, Fox reveals a new story about humans and our place in the universe: second only to language, color is the greatest carrier of cultural meaning in our world.
World as Family: A Journey of Multi-Rooted Belongings
by Vishakha N. DesaiA Vedic phrase asks us to “treat the world as family.” In our age of global crises—pandemics, climate crisis, crippling inequality—this sentiment is more necessary than ever. Solutions to these seemingly insurmountable problems demand new approaches to thinking and acting locally, nationally, and transnationally, sometimes sequentially but often simultaneously. This is the mentality of the immigrant, the exchange student, the global native, and all who have made a life in a new place by choice or by necessity. Yet we suffer from a lack of the truly capacious thinking that is so urgently needed.Vishakha N. Desai uses her life experiences to explore the significance of living globally and its urgency for our current moment. She weaves her narrative arc from growing up in a Gandhian household in Ahmedabad to arriving in the United States as a seventeen-year-old exchange student and her subsequent career as a dancer, curator, institutional leader, and teacher against the broad sweep of political and social changes in the two countries she calls home. Through her personal story, Desai reframes the idea of what it means to be global, considering how to lead a life of multiple belongings without losing local and national affinities. Vividly conjuring the complexities and exhilaration of a life that is rooted in many places, World as Family is a vital book for everyone who aspires to connect across borders—real and perceived—and bring to fruition the ideal of a global family.
World-Forming and Contemporary Art (Routledge Focus on Art History and Visual Studies)
by Jessica HoltawayThis book explores how contemporary art can alter the ways in which we visualise and conceptualise the world and the social relations that shape it. Drawing from the writings of philosopher Jean-Luc Nancy, it spotlights the concept of ‘world-forming’ and the political significance of art-making and viewing. The central theme of ‘world-forming’ focuses attention on the processes of globalisation. The book explores how artists can facilitate shared creative spaces within and beyond the apparatuses of global capitalism. The book traces a philosophical progression from ontology to the political through a series of participatory practices. It forwards Jean-Luc Nancy’s idea of ‘world-forming’ in order to show how contemporary art sustains critical and creative engagement with social practices. The overall objective of the book is to show, through participatory practices, how contemporary art can facilitate social change. The book will be of interest to scholars working in art history, contemporary art, philosophy and politics.
Worlds Beyond: Miniatures and Victorian Fiction
by Laura ForsbergAn innovative study of how the Victorians used books, portraits, fairies, microscopes, and dollhouses to imagine miniature worlds beyond perception In 1856, Elizabeth Gaskell discovered a trove of handmade miniature books that were created by Charlotte and Branwell Brontë in their youth and that, as Gaskell later recalled, &“contained an immense amount of manuscript, in an inconceivably small space.&” Far from being singular wonders, these two-inch volumes were part of a wide array of miniature marvels that filled the drawers and pockets of middle- and upper-class Victorians. Victorian miniatures pushed the boundaries of scientific knowledge, mechanical production, and human perception. To touch a miniature was to imagine what lay beyond these boundaries. In Worlds Beyond, Laura Forsberg reads major works of fiction by George Eliot, Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, and Lewis Carroll alongside minor genres like the doll narrative, fairy science tract, and thumb Bible. Forsberg guides readers through microscopic science, art history, children&’s culture, and book production to show how Victorian miniatures offered scripts for expansive fantasies of worlds beyond perception.
Worlds beyond My Window: The Life and Work of Gertrude McCarty Smith
by Thomas R. Brooks Pat Pinson Stephen Rosenberg Rick WilemonArtist, columnist, and poet Gertrude McCarty Smith (1923–2007) of Collins, Mississippi, carried herself as a demure and proper southern lady, yet this was deceiving as she was a prolific, creative trailblazer who had collectors and dedicated readers from coast to coast, and even in Europe. She grew up during the Great Depression with only some vivid storytelling and pictures from the family Bible to inspire and kindle her artistic spirit. However, at the age of ten, her career launched when her grandmother coaxed her with a box of crayons to milk the family cow—her seventy-year love affair with the arts was born. Over the years, she would express her creativity in many forms, resulting in thousands of paintings, sculptures, songs, poems, and newspaper columns and along the way a variety of artful cakes, as she ran a celebrated twenty-five-year cake business. Her art appeared in all shapes, sizes, materials, and “eatability.” For most of her early career, Gertrude dabbled with a variety of styles—with subjects mostly centered around life in rural Mississippi and her spiritual life. But in 1980 at the age of fifty-seven, she attended her first Mississippi Art Colony at Camp Jacob in Utica, Mississippi. Over the next fifteen years, she would make her pilgrimage twice a year to be inspired by celebrated guest instructors from around the nation and connect with fellow artists. The Colony was a major catalyst, exposing her to new styles, giving her encouragement and freedom to experiment. Gertrude said of the Colony, “I never knew anything about abstract art, but it fascinated me to no end. Abstract art to me is like a beautiful melody without words. In mixed media, I am in another world and often am surprised at the piece that evolves from the torn watercolor papers. The effect is a kaleidoscope of colors that makes the retinas dance.” This book features more than 150 images; a dozen poems; insightful essays from New York art dealer Stephen Rosenberg, acclaimed southern cultural scholar and curator Pat Pinson, and artist, curator, and instructor Rick Wilemon; along with a foreword by Tommy King, president of William Carey University; and a chronicle of her life’s journey by her son-in-law, Thomas R. Brooks. As Rosenberg has said, “Gertrude Smith is a remarkable and authentic American woman who teaches us that talent and creativity combined with a humanistic spirit is both a state of mind and a state of grace—at any age.” Book proceeds will benefit the Gertrude McCarty Smith Foundation for the Arts to bring access and passion for literature, performance, and visual arts to children in underserved communities throughout Mississippi.
Woven Arch Bridge: Histories of Constructional Thoughts (China Perspectives)
by LIU YanThis book focuses on the woven arch bridge, an arch-shaped structure that is one of the most extraordinary timber building traditions of the world. The woven arch bridge exists widely in different cultures and its specific nature is conceptualized by the author as a kind of “universal uniqueness”, challenging widespread viewpoints on its origin and genealogy.Taking this argument as its main thread, the book traces the histories of different woven-arch-bridge-cultures and investigates in particular the woven arch bridge in the mountains of Southeast of China from three angles, using both archaeological and anthropological methods. Resting upon these case studies, a definition of typology and a new theory of structural evolution are established, while the book also draws comparisons between western and eastern timber building cultures and offers new insights on the differences between East Asia and Europe.The book also provides a large number of examples and illustrations of the bridge, and will be of great value and inspiration for architects and scholars studying the history of architecture, bridges and construction, while also appealing to general readers interested in historical bridges and traditional construction technology.