BRITISH MUSEUM PRESS

(P/B) MASTER PRINTS
Is a work of art still a work of art if it exists in several hundred identical examples? This illuminating introduction to masterpieces of printmaking reveals why prints can be considered to be every bit as original as any other visual art form. Offering a fresh look at printmaking, this stunningly illustrated book explores through magnified details the subtle differences in texture, shading, line, tone and colour that an artist can achieve in engravings, etchings, lithography and screen printing. The book discusses forty-five individual p...
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(P/B) ARABIC CALLIGRAPHY
Naskh is one of the six major cursive Arabic scripts. Its origins can be traced back to the late 8th century AD and it is still in use today, over 1300 years later. In its earliest form Naskh was a utilitarian script, mainly used for ordinary correspondence on papyrus, but during the 10th and 11th centuries it was completely transformed by the elegant refinements of the great Abbasid calligraphers. The Ottoman Turks also considered Naskh the script most suited for copying the Quran. Today, more Qurans are copied in Naskh throughout the Isl...
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(P/B) THE BRITISH MUSEUM CONCISE INTRODUCTION TO ANCIENT GREECE
This book is a lively and readable overview of the fascinating history of ancient Greece, from its earliest origins through to its legacy in the modern world. Beginning with the rediscovery of the Classical Greeks, the author then traces theirevolution from Bronze Age civilizations through the emergence of the city state, discussing topics such as writing and art, government and philosophy, warfare and hunting, trade and colonization, gods and heroes, entertainments and domestic life.This accessible book will appeal to a wide range of gene...
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(P/B) 7000 YEARS OF JEWELLERY
This comprehensive reference book on jewellery spanning thousands of years also includes a panoramic illustrated history exploring the varied styles, techniques and materials used to make jewellery throughout the world since earliest times. Egyptian necklaces, Celtic torcs, South American gold masks, Renaissance pendants and Art Nouveau buckles are among the range of masterpieces described by a team of experts from the British Museum and illustrated with 400 superb photographs. This reissue includes images of major acquisitions made in the...
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(H/B) DEFINING BEAUTY
The accompanying title to the major Museum exhibition, Defining Beauty, the body in ancient Greek art, 6th March - 5 July 2015. This title features a visually stunning and thought-provoking exploration of the human condition seen through ancient Greek eyes, with a particular focus on the human form. In a series of lively introductory chapters, written by a selection of academics, historians and artists, it is revealed how the Greeks themselves viewed the sculpture (which was vividly enhanced with colour), and how it was regarded and treate...
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(H/B) INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIA
The accompanying title to the major Museum exhibition, Indigenous Australia: enduring civilisation, 23 April - 2 August 2015. This book features superb new photography and stunning landscape shots with an extraordinary selection of objects showcasing the beauty and knowledge embodied in works of art and everyday life from Indigenous Australia. This ground-breaking new publication explores the profound impact and legacy of colonialism, the nature of collecting and the changing meaning of objects now in the collection of the British Museum...
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(H/B) GREEK ARCHITECTURE AND ITS SCULPTURE
The Greek and Lycian architecture and architectural sculpture in the British Museum is second to none in its quantity, quality, and geographical and chronological spread. 'Greek Architecture and its Sculpture' is the first book to explore this fascinating subject, taking the Museum's unique collection as its starting point. These remarkable works make a continuous story featuring the archaic and later temple of Artemis at Ephesos, the Parthenon and other temples of the Athenian Acropolis, the temple of Apollo at Bassai, the sculptured tomb...
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(P/B) THE ANCIENT EGYPTIAN BOOK OF DEAD
Life along the fertile Nile, with its rich harvests and fresh-flowing waters, could seem idyllic, but was often comparatively short for most ancient Egyptians. At death they hoped to make a transition into an eternal life, travelling with the sun god or dwelling in the Field of Reeds - a lush pastoral paradise located in the netherworld, ruled over by the god Osiris. Despite unwavering belief in a blissful afterlife, the ancient Egyptians perceived the journey to the hereafter as a perilous one, for which they would need magical protection...
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(P/B) JAPANESE PRINTS
This richly illustrated book gives a unique introduction to the world of Shah ?Abbas and the beautiful mosque and shrines that he created and adorned in the so-called Golden Age of Persian art. It unfolds new insights into the artisticachievements of one of the most compelling periods of modern history in a blaze of gold, fabulous carpets and decorative treasures of all kinds. (from the publisher)...
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(H/B) MEDIEVAL LOVE POETRY
The quest is the essence of medieval romance, whether it is for the Holy Grail or the jewel of Love. This richly illustrated book explores the two distinct but related themes of love and romance, comparing their verbal and visual display in the Middle Ages. A selection of extracts, translated from original texts of the troubadours' poems and chansons, are prefaced by brief plot summaries and juxtaposed with contemporary images of medieval romances -stories of knights and their adventures- such as Tristan and Isolt, Lancelot, Sir Gawain and...
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(P/B) FRA ANGELICO TO LEONARDO
More than any other medium, drawings give a direct insight into how Italian Renaissance artists worked. This book charts the development of drawing in Italy from 1400, just prior to the emergence in Florence of the classically inspired naturalism of the Renaissance, to around 1510 when Michelangelo, Raphael and Titian were on the verge of taking the innovations of earlier masters, such as Leonardo da Vinci and Pollaiuolo, in a new direction. It brings together just over a hundred of the most remarkable drawings from the collections of the ...
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(P/B) THE QUEEN OF THE NIGHT
This large Old Babylonian plaque, found in southern Iraq, was made between 1800 and 1750 BC. It is made of baked straw-tempered clay, modelled in high relief, and probably stood in a shrine. The figure could be an aspect of the goddess Ishtar, Mesopotamian goddess of sexual love and war; or Ishtar's sister and rival, the goddess Ereshkigal who ruled over the Underworld; or the demoness Lilitu, known in the Bible as Lilith. This book explores the symbolism and history behind this beautiful relief. The figure wears the horned head-dress char...
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(H/B) GERMANY DIVIDED
The accompanying title to the British Museum exhibition, Germany Divided: Baselitz and his generation, 6 February - 31 August 2014. This hardback art history title showcases a selection of works from six artists who re-defined art in Germany in the second half of the twentieth century; Georg Baselitz, Marcus Lupertz, Blinky Palermo, A.R. Penck, Sigmar Polke and Gerhard Richter. The majority of the works are published here for the first time. In-depth biographical essays on each artist show how the division of Germany into separate states a...
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(P/B) MING
The accompanying title to the current Museum exhibition, Ming: 50 years that changed China, 18 September 2014 - 5 January 2015. This titles explores the early Ming period in the years 1400-1450, a time when China was the largest (and one of the most prosperous) states in the world, ruled by a single family through a network of imperial and regional courts. Through the themes of court people and their lives, extraordinary developments in culture, the military, religion, diplomacy and trade, this book brings the wider history of this fascina...
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(P/B) REGARDING THE DEAD
A key publication on the British Museum's approach to the ethical issues surrounding the inclusion of human remains in museum collections and possible solutions to the dilemmas relating to their curation, storage, access management and display. The inclusion of human remains in museums has long been a matter of academic and public discourse. The issues surrounding the rightful ownership, proper care, research and display of human remains are strongly debated, both within the museums and heritage sector, and in the media on an international...
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(H/B) RAPHAEL
A beatifully illustrated introduction, featuring the highlights of Raphael's master drawings from the British Museum's world-class collection. (From the publisher)...
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(P/B) ANCIENT LIVES
The accompanying title to the major interactive exhibition at the British Museum: Ancient lives: new discoveries. What secrets lie beneath the wrappings of an ancient Egyptian mummy? In recent years, British Museum curators have collaborated with scientists and medical experts to find new ways of studying ancient Egyptian mummies. New non-invasive scanning techniques have produced astonishing results, allowing us to understand more clearly how people lived and died in the ancient Nile Valley. Eight significant mummies are 'explored', eac...
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(P/B) VIKINGS
A rich and vivid account of the impact of the Vikings throughout the world, published to accompany the exhibition Vikings: life and legend, 6 March - 22 June. This title and exhibition presents the ever-popular subject in a new way, viewing the Vikings in a global context (rather than focusing on northern Europe) and examining the extent of cultural, religious and economic influences as a result of these contacts. Beautifully illustrated with an extraordinary range of objects from international collections and featuring new discoveries by ...
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(P/B) THE LEWIS CHESSMEN
Carved in wonderful detail, unexpectedly expressive and individual, the ivory chessmen from the Isle of Lewis give every indication of having marvellous secrets to share. In this storybook Irving Finkel tells of their many adventures, from their discovery on a Scottish beach long ago, to the present day. (From the publisher)...
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(P/B) TEXTILES FROM THE BALKANS
This book presents the first published overview of the fascinating textiles from this region, setting the techniques for making them within their historical and geographical context. The author's personal experience collecting many of the pieces in the field allows her to offer completely new insights into the highly decorated textiles produced by the various ethnic, clan and religious groups of the area. The items range from everyday to festive clothing and also include accessories and textiles for the home. The makers employed a wide ran...
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