In the course of his short, dramatic life, Aleksandr Pushkin gave Russia not only its greatest poetry–including the novel-in-verse Eugene Onegin–but a new literary language. He also gave it a figure of enduring romantic allure–fiery, restless, extravagant, a prodigal gambler and inveterate seducer of women. Having forged a dazzling, controversial career that cost him the enmity of one tsar and won him the patronage of another, he died at the age of thirty-eight, following ...

Note that due to the limitations of some ereading devices not all diacritical marks can be shown.A major biography of one of literature’s most romantic and enigmatic figures, published in hardback to great acclaim: ‘one of the great biographies of recent times’ (Sunday Telegraph).Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin is indisputably Russia’s greatest poet – the nearest Russian equivalent to Shakespeare – and his brief life was as turbulent and dramatic as anything in his work. T.J B...

Au Japon, plus que partout ailleurs probablement, le talent, et surtout le talent artistique, fut héréditaire. La coutume très répandue de l’adoption fit paraître ce fait encore plus frappant qu’il ne l’est en réalité ; il est cependant assez remarquable en soi. Il ne manque pas de familles dont les noms sont devenus illustres dans l’histoire de l’art japonais. A leur tête, parmi celles qui ont fourni le plus de génies à l’art national, se place la famille de peintres des ...

"The Mind of the Artist" by Cicely Margaret Powell Binyon delves into the intricate psychology of artists, exploring the creative process and the emotional landscapes that shape their work. Binyon examines the motivations behind artistic expression, highlighting the interplay between personal experiences and artistic output. Through a blend of analysis and anecdote, she invites readers to understand the complexities of the artist's mind, revealing how passion, struggle, and inspiration con...

« Pour la plupart d’entre nous, l’art de la Chine et du Japon, quelle que soit la force de son attrait et de son pouvoir sur notre sensibilité, apparaît étrange, ou contient du moins une grande part d’étrangeté. En face d’une vieille peinture ou d’une antique statue d’Extrême-Orient, nous pouvons nous sentir charmés par la ligne et la couleur, par des formes expressives et un travail exquis ; mais, derrière toutes ces apparences, quelque chose demeure caché que nous avons toujours le désir...

"The Mind of the Artist" speaks for itself, and really requires no word of introduction. These opinions as a whole, seem to me to have a harmony and consistency, and to announce clearly that the directing impulse must be a desire for expression, that art is a language, and that the thing to be said is of more importance than the manner of saying it. This desire for expression is the driving-force of the artist; it informs, controls, and animates his method of working; it governs the hand a...

The Flight of the Dragon by Laurence Binyon is a masterful exploration of the philosophical principles, aesthetics, and cultural significance of Chinese and Japanese art. First published in the early 20th century, the book offers a thoughtful and deeply informed essay on the theory and practice of Eastern art, drawing from original sources to provide readers with an authentic understanding of the traditions that shaped these artistic expressions.Binyon delves into the spiritual and ...

Eric Ravilious was among the foremost of English artists to emerge between the wars - and one of the great original wood engravers. His body of work was wide-ranging and multi-faceted; in his relatively short career after he left the Royal College of Art he produced an extraordinary amount of work - murals, watercolours, wood engravings, lithographs, pottery designs for Wedgwood. Successful and enterprising as he was in these diverse fields, it was in the field of landscape painting in wat...

"Dutch Etchers of the Seventeenth Century" by Laurence Binyon is a comprehensive exploration of the remarkable etching techniques and artistic contributions of Dutch artists during the 1600s. Binyon delves into the lives and works of prominent figures such as Rembrandt and Saenredam, highlighting their innovative approaches to printmaking. The book serves as both a historical account and an artistic analysis, showcasing how these etchers influenced the medium and left a lasting legacy in t...

Présentation de l'éditeur« Pour la plupart d’entre nous, l’art de la Chine et du Japon, quelle que soit la force de son attrait et de son pouvoir sur notre sensibilité, apparaît étrange, ou contient du moins une grande part d’étrangeté. En face d’une vieille peinture ou d’une antique statue d’Extrême-Orient, nous pouvons nous sentir charmés par la ligne et la couleur, par des formes expressives et un travail exquis ; mais, derrière toutes ces apparences, quelque ch...

Beautifully curated, The Poetry of World War One is a stunning collection of verse from some of the greatest writers of the twentieth century. Whether fighting on the frontline themselves or observing the destruction of the Great War from home, these poets capture the horrors of the trenches, the fragility of life itself and the resilience of the human spirit in haunting detail.As devastating as it is hopeful, this collection provides a poignant and evocat...

The language of Poetry is an art that most of us attempt at some point in our lives. Although its commonplace exposure has been somewhat marginalised in today’s often fast-paced lives we all recognise good verse that can empathise with our thoughts or open us up to experience new things in new ways, to better understand and to enjoy the many strands of our lives.But finding a starting point can be overwhelming, even off-putting, so in this series we offer up our Top 10 classic poet...