The front dust-jacket illustration of "The Bauhaus - Masters & Students by Themselves" which is a detail from a hand-coloured lithograph of invitation to the Bauhaus Lantern Festival, 1922, by artist Paul Klee.

Double-page spread from "The Bauhaus - Masters & Students by Themselves" with the page left showing the typography of a cover for 'State Bauhaus Weimar, 1919-1923' by Herbert Bayer. the right hand page shows two postcards by Herbery Bayer and Lazlo Moholy-Nagy for Bauhaus exhibitions.

Double-page spread from "The Bauhaus - Masters & Students by Themselves" with the page left showing a 1928 tubular dining chair by Marcel Breuer; and page right the 1926-1927 commercial version of the same 'B5' chair; and lower, a negative image of the famous cantilevered bent chrome metal armchair with sling arm, seat and back supports. This chair celebrates 100 years of production in 2025.

Art books on my shelves No.026...

"The Bauhaus" 328pp, pub. 1993 Overlook Press, NY, is the first fully illustrated 'art book' reproducing many of the most notable Bauhaus designs alongside writings by the artists and designers themselves.

#Books #BookSky #ArtBook #ArtBookShelf #Design #Bauhaus

Front cover illustration of the hardback exhibition catalogue handbook "Graver la Lumière" with 138 works from 100 artists including Durer, Rembrandt, Canaletto, Piranesi, Dégas, Corot, Manet, Picasso and many others.

Double-page spread from the exhibition catalogue handbook "Graver la Lumière" with a work by Odilon Rédon.

Double-page spread from the exhibition catalogue handbook "Graver la Lumière" with works by Jacqueline Oyex (left) and Louis Soutter (right).

Art books on my shelves No.025...

"Graver la Lumière" 208pp, pub. 5 Continents Editions to accompany the major etchings exhibition held at the Musée Marmottan Monet in 2023. I could have spent all day there, but, downstairs was the Monet permanent collection!

#Books #BookSky #ArtBook #ArtBookShelf

Front covers of two hardback volumes on the Russian Constructivist artist Vladimir Tatlin, showing a detail one of his three-dimensional works titled "Eck-Konterrelief" 1914. The second volume contains descriptive text of the exhibition and is printed in Russian, German and English.

A double-page spread from the art book on the Russian Constructivist Vladimir Tatlin which shows three three-dimensional works made in 1923.

A double-page spread from the art book on the Russian Constructivist Vladimir Tatlin which shows three works made in 1915; drawings based on masts and rigging of sailing ships.

Art books on my shelves No.024...

"Tatlin" 2 vols, 240pp (illustrated) +320pp (text), pub. Hatje Cantz in Russian, German and English to accompany the major Vladimir Tatlin exhibition held at the Museum Tinguely in Basel, Switzerland in 2012.

#Books #BookSky #ArtBook #ArtBookShelf #Tatlin #Russian

Front cover of "72 Jours", a communal fanzine by Fred Sochard. Alongside are bookmarks and a presentation card.

Double-page spread from "72 Jours" which was created as a “Diary of the Commune”, drawn and produced day by day between March and June 2021, on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the Paris Commune when a French revolutionary government seized power in the capital on 18 March 1871 and controlled parts of the city until 28 May 1871.

Double-page spread from "72 Jours" which was created as a “Diary of the Commune”, drawn and produced day by day between March and June 2021, on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the Paris Commune when a French revolutionary government seized power in the capital on 18 March 1871 and controlled parts of the city until 28 May 1871.

Art books on my shelves No.023...

"72 Jours" not a book, but a very good 76 pp A4-size communal fanzine by Bluesky graphic artist Fred Sochard describing the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the Paris Commune, and worth support!

#Zine #Books #BookSky #ArtBook #ArtBookShelf #FredSochard #French

Front cover (heavily marked through handling) of the softback catalogue "Painting & Sculpture of a Decade, 54 64" published on the occasion of the exhibition organised by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation at Tate Gallery, London 22 April - 28 June 1964. The exhibition highlighted significant artists and works of art of the previous decade.

Double-page spread from "Painting & Sculpture of a Decade, 54 64" featuring a colour artwork by French artist Pierre Soulages. The left page is introductory text, plus the loose folded list of the 354 artworks in the exhibition.

Double-page spread from "Painting & Sculpture of a Decade, 54 64" featuring on the right-hand page four artworks in black-and-white from the Russian artist Mark Rothko and on the left the brief title, size, date created and whose private and public collections the artworks were loaned from for the exhibition.

Art books on my shelves No.022...

"Paintings & Sculptures of a Decade 54-64". 272 pp catalogue with 354 artworks from 170 artists. This was my first major exhibition visit as a 20-year old student and which changed my thinking about art.

#Books #BookSky #ArtBook #ArtBookShelf #TateGallery #London

Front cover artwork of hard-back book "Robert Motherwell - Pure Painting" showing a black on white abstract action painting with the book title in red above and the publisher Hatje Cantz below in small lettering.

Part double-page spread from book the art monograph "Robert Motherwell - Pure Painting" showing a black-and-white photograph of Motherwell in his studio, surrounded by pots and tins of paint and other artist's materials. On the right is part of a page of text.

Part double-page spread from book the art monograph "Robert Motherwell - Pure Painting" showing a large colour detail of an abstract artwork titled "Elegy to the Spanish Republic No.171".

Art books on my shelves No.021...

"Robert Motherwell - Pure Painting", pub. Hanje Cantz 2023, 208 pp. More than 60 large artworks, four critics and Motherwell's writings make a valuable profile of the work of this important artist.

#Books #BookSky #ArtBook #ArtBookShelf #RobertMotherwell #American

Intro flyleaf pages and protective tissue from "The History of Don Quixote" book published in 1885 by Cassell & Co. with illustrations from engravings by Gustave Doré.

Double-page spread from "The History of Don Quixote" by Cervantes showing text and chapter ending and intro illustrations.

Full-page illustration from an engraving by Gustave Doré of Don Quixote in armour hanging from stone wall, his wrist tied with a rope, and with his horse rearing its head.

Art books on my shelves No.020...

"The History of Don Quixote", by Cervantes, pub. Cassell & Co. 1885, 855+ pp. My oldest, treasured art book - presented to my grandfather at school in 1899 - with many illustrations by Gustave Doré

#Books #BookSky #ArtBook #ArtBookShelf #GustaveDore #DonQuixote

Front cover artwork of softback book "Ninth Street Women" on the abstract art of Lee Krasner, Elaine de Kooning, Grace Hartigan, Joan Mitchell and Helen Frankenthaler... five painters and the Movement that changed modern art.

Double page spread from "Ninth Street Women", the left page showing text; the right page two colour reproductions of artwork... the top a self-portrait by Lee Krasner, the lower image a still-life by Krasner.

Double page spread from "Ninth Street Women", the left page showing (top) a self-portrait by Joan Mitchell and the other four illustrations abstract paintings by Mitchell created in the 1950s.

Art books on my shelves No.019...

"Ninth Street Women", by Mary Gabriel, pub. Back Bay Books 2018, 928 pp. A truly comprehensive account of five women artists who challenged the art world in the 1950s... a long, enjoyable, revealing read on abstract art. Buy!

#Books #BookSky #ArtBook #ArtBookShelf

Front of the softback art book "Art Without Boundaries: 1950-1970" with the cover illustration depicting an American 'Mr.Freedom' embracing a scantily clad cheerleader, all resembling overlapping fly-posters on a billboard.

Double-page spread in monochrome from "Art Without Boundaries: 1950-1970" depicting artwork and text bio of American artist Allan d'Archangelo and his abstractions of road markings.

Double-page spread in monochrome from "Art Without Boundaries: 1950-1970" depicting artwork and text bio of American artist Sol Lewitt and his textural, segmented drawings.

Art books on my shelves No.018...

"Art Without Boundaries: 1950-1970", pub. Thames & Hudson 1972, 215 pp. Bought in 1972 at a time when art was bursting out from it's traditional home... good book, but unfortunately it now creaks and cracks when I open it!

#Books #BookSky #ArtBook #ArtBookShelf

Front cover illustration of "Illustrators' Sketch Books" edited by Martin Salisbury... showing an open sketchbook with the book title written with brush and white paint and to the lower right the bare outline of half a person holding a closed sketchbook with colourful feathers sticking out of it.

A single-page illustration from the "Illustrators' Sketch Books", this example from Hergé, the originator of the famous TinTin comic book character. The drawing is in black pencil showing two cars to the lower left, and a rocket in front of two structural buildings on the right. The paper is roughly torn at the bottom.

A single-page illustration from the "Illustrators' Sketch Books", this example from Mick Marston showing an abstract geometric design of a figure with arms and legs but no head... or rather the head is at right-angles to the body and wearing a red, white and blue hat.

Art books on my shelves No.017...

Landscape format profusely illustrated book titled "Illustrators' Sketch Books" edited by illustrator Martin Salisbury, pub. Thames & Hudson 2023, 304 pp. A superb, inspiring diverse collection from 70 creatives.

#Books #BookSky #ArtBook #ArtBookShelf #Sketchbook

Front dust-jacket illustration of book of Ted Avery's comic and film illustrations showing a red-head glamour girl with blue eye-shadow, off the shoulder form-fitting dress and her arms folded across her chest. behind her a black stretch limo convertible drives past.

Double-page spread from the book on illustrator Ted Avery with the dust-jacket fly-leaf also in the picture to the left which shows a monochrome portrait of the author Pierre Lambert.

Double-page spread from the book on illustrator Ted Avery, the left-hand page showing a drawing and part-finished artwork of the image on the cover of the book. The right-hand page shows an illustration for the M.G.M. Technicolor cartoon "Wild and Woolfy".

Art books on my shelves No.016...

A large-format compilation of cartoon illustrations of "Ted Avery" by Pierre Lambert, pub. 1993 by Démons & Merveilles in French, 224 pp including an original film cel. Fascinating record of Avery's work.

#Books #BookSky #ArtBook #ArtBookShelf #TedAvery #American

The illustrated front covers of two issues of the graphic, punk, graffiti, typographic publication titled "46pgs", edited by Nevio B, whose credo was to produce a magazine to show passion with words, pictures and letters... with an experimental difference.

A double-page spread of the graphic magazine "46pgs" showing multicoloured typography on photo collage.

A double-page spread of the graphic magazine "46pgs" showing black and white photo collage of a woman's face.

Art books on my shelves No.015...

I can describe "46pgs" as a graphically illustrated, typographically punk, graffiti spread, photo collaged magazine. It was both weird and wonderfully produced by designers and contributors the world over.

#Books #BookSky #ArtBook #ArtBookShelf #Magazine #46pgs

Front cover and artwork of of the hardback catalogue of artworks by Irish artist Sean Scully at the Galerie Lelong in Paris in late 2016.

Double-page spread from the exhibition catalogue of the show titled "Metal" by Irish artist Sean Scully. The left page illustrates a close-up of the broad expressive brushstrokes typical of the artist. On the right an English translation of the introduction by Daniel Abadie for the Galerie Lelong.

Double-page spread from the exhibition catalogue of the show titled "Metal" by Irish artist Sean Scully whilch illustrates a large artwork 279 x 677 cm / 110 x 266 inches titled "Passage" painted in 2016.

Art books on my shelves No.014...

"Sean Scully - Metal" a French/English 80-page exhibition catalogue from the Galerie Lelong in Paris. Many writers and critics talk about Scully's art, but you really have to stand in front of it!

#Books #BookSky #ArtBook #ArtBookShelf #Artist #SeanScully #Irish

Clam-shell box opened to show an example of the watercolour paintings of fungi by Claus Caspari. On the left is the included booklet explaining the scientific biology of fungi and mushrooms.

Three examples of the watercolour paintings by Claus Caspari in the "Champignons d’Europe - Documents d’Histoire Naturelle" series.

An example of the watercolour paintings by Claus Caspari in the "Champignons d’Europe - Documents d’Histoire Naturelle" series with on the left an example of the German text from another illustrated plate.

Art books on my shelves No.013...

"Champignons d’Europe - Documents d’Histoire Naturelle" watercolour illustrations by Claus Caspari, pub. SFL, 1967, 180 loose plates + 64 pp in a clam-shell box. Printed in German, but a superb reference.

#Books #BookSky #ArtBook #ArtBookShelf #Fungi #Mushroom

Dust-jacket title and illustration of the catalogue raisonné of the Spanish artist Fenosa... the image showing him at his studio worktop creating an artwork with a drawing implement.

The intro double-page spread tinted monochrome photograph of Spanish artist Fenosa sat at his desk creating a drawing.

Double-page spread from the catalogue raisonné on Catalan artist and sculptor Fenosa... the left page showing a drawing of a male torso; the right page five smaller illustrations with detail of size, media, provenance, etc.

Art books on my shelves No.012...

"Fenosa - Catalogue Raisonné" compiled by Bertrand Tillier, pub. Ediciones Poligrafa, 2008, 542 pp. Vol.1 lists the 2,043 drawings and prints by the Catalan artist and sculptor Apel·les Fenosa.

#Books #BookSky #ArtBook #ArtBookShelf #Sculptor #Fenosa #Spanish

A minimalistic dust-jacket illustration of the book "Nova - 1965-1975" which was a compilation of pages from the magazine of the same title using their stylistic masthead at the top of a white background and underneath a pair of red lips printed vertically.

A toned monochrome double-page spread from the September 1969 issue of "Nova" magazine mainly illustrating a young hippie couple on a motorbike with, on the left page, a newspaper style spread using images taken by the famous American photographer Diane Arbus.

A full-colour double-page spread reproducing ten typical covers of "Nova" magazine over the decade.

Art books on my shelves No.011...

"Nova" compiled by Hillman and Peccinottir, pub. Pavilion, 1993, 224 pp large format; graphically illustrated throughout. Again, not strictly an 'art' book but graphically important for many creatives and photographers.

#Books #BookSky #ArtBook #ArtBookShelf #Nova

Left : Front cover typography of Karl Gerstner's book titled "Designing Programmes". Right : A stapled multi-page insert included with the first edition.

Double-page spread from Karl Gerstner's book titled "Designing Programmes". Shown are a selection of black and white graphic layouts arranged on a grid pattern.

Double-page spread from Karl Gerstner's book titled "Designing Programmes". Shown are a selection of black and white graphic layouts arranged on a grid pattern for business stationery and advertising items.

Art books on my shelves No.009...

"Designing Programmes" by Karl Gerstner, pub. Alec Tiranti, 1968, 60 pp, graphically illustrated throughout. Not strictly an 'art' book but tutorially very important for graphic and typography creators.

#Books #BookSky #ArtBook #ArtBookShelf #KarlGerstner #Swiss

Illustrated slip case for the two volumes of "Piet Mondrian - Catalogue raisonné".

Double-page spread from "Piet Mondrian - Catalogue raisonné" showing examples of his earlier work.

Double-page spread from "Piet Mondrian - Catalogue raisonné" showing examples of his later abstract geometric artworks.

Art books on my shelves No.009...

"Piet Mondrian - Catalogue raisonné" pub. Mercatorfonds, 1998, 482 + 662 pps, fully illustrated. Vol.1 covers all the 'naturalistic' work 1888-1911; vol.2 his 'modern' work from 1911-1944. Indispensible!

#Books #BookSky #ArtBook #ArtBookShelf #Mondrian #Dutch

Front cover illustration of Louis Vuitton's "100 Malles de Légende" which documents the history of the famous Vuitton trunks and traveling luggage. The illustration depicts the Eiffel Tower in the background whilst in the foreground is a stack of Vuitton luggage in the shape of the tower and topped by an opened umbrella.

A double page spread from the "100 Malles de Légende" book on Louis Vuitton's famous luggage items... here the left page showing eight examples of travel and destination labels attached to luggage. The right page shows an invoice with an illustrated engraved heading from the Vuitton company.

A double page spread from the "100 Malles de Légende" book on Louis Vuitton's famous luggage items, both pages with line engraved illustrations showing the tools used in the making of Vuitton luggage.

Art books on my shelves No.008...

"100 Malles de Légende - Louis Vuitton" pub. Ed. de La Martinière, 2010, 494 pp, illustrated in colour throughout. Not strictly an 'art' book though the items illustrated are craftworks of art... superb!

#Books #BookSky #ArtBook #ArtBookShelf #LouisVuitton #French

Illustration of slip-case (same as book's front cover) showing fine line drawing of a woman with long wavy hair resting her chin on her hands and looking pensive. The book's title is Léonerd-Tsuguhare Foujita.

Double-page spread of the catalogue raisonné on Japanese-French artist Foujita showing on the right page two illustrations of cats, on the left a column of text and two smaller illustrations.

Double-page spread of the catalogue raisonné on Japanese-French artist Foujita showing on the right page a street scene of Montmartre in Paris with the Sacré-Coeur in the background rendered with a muted palette; on the left a column of text and a still-life of flowers painted in bright colours. There is a red ribbon bookmark dividing the pages.

Art books on my shelves No.007...

"Foujita - Catalogue Raisonné" vol.1, pub. ACR Edition 2001, Ed. Sylvie Buisson, 636pp in slip-case, profusely illustrated with beautiful artworks and especially drawings of women and cats.

#Books #BookSky #ArtBook #ArtBookShelf #Artist #Foujita #Japanese #French

A stack of the American bi-monthly "On Paper" journals which after two years were re-titled "Art on Paper". These date from 1996 to 2003. The journal changed name three times... from 1970-1996 it was a stapled news-sheet titled "The Print Collector's Newsletter". From 1996-1998 it was "On Paper", then from 1998-2009 it became "Art on Paper" after which the journal ceased publication.

Front covers of the American bi-monthly "Art On Paper" journal. These date from 1998 to 1999.

Front covers of the American bi-monthly "Art On Paper" journal. These are from 2002.

Art books on my shelves No.006...

I have the first 41 issues of this bi-monthly art journal, published from 1996 to 2009. Its editorial scope included limited-edition prints and artists' books, drawings, photographs and ephemera... sadly long gone!

#Books #BookSky #ArtBook #ArtBookShelf #American

A luscious 2-volume large format catalogue raisonné with 358 + 372 pages on 95-year old French artist, lithographer and ceramicist André Brasilier; beautifully illustrated mostly in colour with several fold-out sheets.

#Books #ArtBooks #BookSky #ArtBookShelf #AndreBrasilier #French

Covers of the two volumes of the catalogue raisonné on French artist André Brasilier shown partly enclosed in a protective slip-case. The repeated image is of horses being ridden in the shallow waters of the seashore. The sky is coloured from red to blue.

A double-page spread showing a minimalistic ink drawing of a cliff-top view of a flotilla of yachts sailing in a wide bay with a lighthouse in the distance by French artist André Brasilier from his catalogue raisonné.

A double-page spread showing an acrylic painting of a group of six naked female bathers with arms aloft entering the sea, by French artist André Brasilier from his catalogue raisonné.

Art books on my shelves No.005...

"Catalogue Raisonné - André Brasilier", a French artist living here in the Touraine. Pub. 2002 by Acatos, 730 pp. Brasilier’s images portray a peaceful world with delicate compositions and color harmonies.

#Books #BookSky #ArtBook #ArtBookShelf #Brasilier #French

Front cover of book on British artist Tracey Emin written by "The Guardian" newspaper art critic Jonathan Jones. The illustration semi-abstract figurative artwork is titled "I wanted you to come all over me" a 6x6 ft acrylic on canvas painted by Emin in 2019.

A double-page spread from the art book on Tracey Emin, the monochrome photograph taken in 2000 showing Emin sewing in her studio.

A double-page spread from the art book on Tracey Emin; the left image showing the classic painting "Grande Odalisque" by the French painter Ingres. As a striking contrast the larger right image is Emin's "Dreamt of you", an acrylic on canvas from 2016 and also of a nude subject.

Art books on my shelves No.004...

I wasn't a fan of Emin's work until viewing two pieces at an exhibition of 'money' at, appropriately, the Monnai de Paris. There I bought the book and now understand much more about Emin... now I'm a fan!

#Books #BookSky #ArtBook #ArtBookShelf #TraceyEmin #British

Front illustration on dust-jacket of "Le Miserere de Georges Rouault" which, as Frédéric Cherchève, the grandson of Georges Rouault describes... "A little more than a century ago Georges Rouault began a series of copper engravings which thirty years later were published under the title Miserere. This monumental work, the gestation of which was as long as painful, Rouault considered it as representative of its artistic effort: "I was like a peasant in its field, attached to the globe as hanged from the hemp rope, like the beef at the coupling, although resentful as a devil, nohill the nose of my work only to fix the light, the shadow, the half-tone, theuntil I believe that I will keep it beyond the faithful tomb of remure." Inspired by the terrible war of 1914, the work whose first title was: Miserere and War, goes beyond these events and becomes by its universality a vast fresco of the human condition. Poverty, sorrow, suffering, death are the eternal companions of man, but the gaze of the believer gives them the strength and the light of hope."

Double page spread of illustrations by Georges Rouault from "Le Miserere de Georges Rouault" showing the figure of Jesus suffering.

Double page spread of illustrations by Georges Rouault from "Le Miserere de Georges Rouault" showing an upper-class woman who believes she is taking a reserved place in heaven; and a free woman at two o'clock, sings noon.

Art books on my shelves No.003...

I rarely pass a charity shop without taking a quick browse for art books at 50 cents. One day I struck lucky with "Le Miserere de Georges Rouault" 1st Ed. pub 1951 with 58 superb engravings by Rouault.

#Books #BookSky #ArtBook #ArtBookShelf #GeorgeRouault #French

Front cover of softback art book published with the 2005 exhibition at Ingelheim in Germany and dedicated to the Swiss kinetic sculpture artist Jean Tinguely.

Double-page spread of a section of the "Tinguely in Ingelheim" art book which accompanied Jean Tinguely's 2005 exhibition in Germany. The pages are divided alphabetically with each section using a different font.

Another double-page spread of a section of the "Tinguely in Ingelheim" art book, here showing a selection of his kinetic sculptures.

Art books on my shelves No.002...

"Tinguely in Ingelheim" pub. 2005 by Boehringer Ingelheim, 260 pp, spiral-bound, German text. An exhibition book graphically illustrated about Tinguely's life and work with neat typographical tabbed sections.

#Books #BookSky #ArtBook #ArtBookShelf #Tinguely #Swiss

Cover of the hardback book on Irish artist "Sean Scully - Bricklayer of the Soul" which shows one of his 2012 abstract paintings titled "Oisin in Red" size 42 x 47 inches.

Double page spread from the book "Sean Scully - Bricklayer of the Soul" illustrating the 1981 large abstract artwork titled "Backs and Fronts" size 96 x 240 inches.

Double page spread from the book "Sean Scully - Bricklayer of the Soul" illustrating (top) the 1993 abstract artworks titled "Tiree" size 24 x 36 inches and (below) "Untitled" 12 x 16 inches.

A personal series on art books on my shelves No.001.

"Sean Scully - Bricklayer of the Soul" by Kelly Grovier, pub. 2015 by Hatje Kantz, 208 pp, profusely illustrated with text by sixty critics. An excellent intro to the artwork of Scully.

#Books #BookSky #ArtBook #ArtBookShelf #SeanScully #Irish