Provocative and original, this fresh look at Leonardo da Vinci’s formative years in Florence and Milan provides a radically different scenario of how he created his signature style that would transform Western art forever.The traditional view of Leonardo da Vinci’s career is that he enjoyed a promising start in Florence and then moved to Milan to become the celebrated court artist of Duke Ludovico Sforza. Young Leonardo presents a very different view. It reveals how the young Leonardo struggled against the prevailing style of his master Verrocchio, was stymied in his efforts to produce his first masterpiece in Florence, and left for Milan on little more than a wing and a prayer. Once there, he was long ignored by Duke Ludovico, and enjoyed only tepid Sforza support after his great equestrian project came to nothing. Meanwhile, all the major Sforza commissions went to artists whose names are now forgotten. Isbouts and Brown depict Leonardo’s seminal years in Milan from an entirely new perspective: that of the Sforza court. They show that much of the Sforza patronage was directed on vast projects, such as the Milan Cathedral, favoring a close circle of local artists to which Le... [Read More]

DER RING DES NIBELUNGENOn a single High Fidelity Pure Audio DiscContaining Wagner s libretti, this audiophile edition offers something that is the supreme sound experience of what is generally acknowledged to be the greatest version of Wagner s supreme masterpiece. Deluxe 300pp hard-back book in black and gold foil with slipcaseComplete libretti in original German with English translation. 1 BluRay Audio disk containing the complete Ring cycle remastered and presented in 24bit High Fidelity Pure Audio. Sir Georg Solti s recording of Wagner s epic music-drama Der Ring des Nibelungen was a recording project on a scale without precedent and the first-ever studio recording of Wagner s masterpiece. Recorded between September 1958 and November 1965, it was masterminded by legendary producer John Culshaw and his technical team under the direction of chief engineer Gordon Parry. This massive undertaking set new standards in both opera recording and the possibilities of the effective and imaginative use of stereo.The combination of Sir Georg Solti and the Vienna Philharmonic with an international cast of the greatest Wagnerian singers available resulted in a recording which was greeted with... [Read More]

Elegant aristocratic sitters, luxurious fashion and European monarchs - Franz Xaver Winterhalter did it all Incorporates a costume component to explore the interplay between the haute couture creations of Charles Fredrick Worth and the exquisite female portraits by WinterhalterAccompanying exhibitions in Freiburg (Germany) Nov. 2015 - March 2016; Houston (US), April 2016; Compiègne (France), Sept. 2016Franz Xaver Winterhalter (1805-1873) was the most renowned portraitist of European aristocracy of his day, expertly capturing the refinement and opulence of his distinguished sitters. Born and trained in Germany, Winterhalter settled in Paris in 1834, where he became the official court painter to King Louis-Philippe. He gained such international acclaim for his state portraits that he painted all but a few of the monarchs in Europe. In Paris in 1855, at the pinnacle of his career, he painted the noble portrait Empress Eugénie and her Ladies-in-Waiting, which would go on to symbolise an entire era. His 1865 portrait of the Austrian Empress Sissi is also known the world over. The lavishly illustrated publication complements Winterhalter's magnificent portraits of crowned heads of stat... [Read More]

The Train to Orvieto, set in Orvieto, Florence, and Milan, Italy, and in the heartland of America, is an intimate story of love, loss, betrayal, and reconciliation that unfolds against an historical background of war and dramatic social change. It is a story enacted by fascinating three-dimensional characters and told by one of them, Fina, a history teacher who warns the reader, "The truth never mattered." It is a story depicting the clash of opposites―the desire for union with another and the need for solitude; loyalty and betrayal; change and tradition; the fatalism of rural Italy and the sense of familial and social duty, as against one's obligations to oneself―and it explores the classic theme of how the consequences of decisions made in youth carry through the remainder of one's life. The Train to Orvieto invites us to consider how much we re able to understand the truths of our own lives and what it costs to accept them.The novel consists of the three parts. The first part concerns Willa, her adventurous mother; the second Losine, Willa’s elegant lover; and the third, Fina herself. Together, they compose a cross-cultural family saga of the marriage of Willa, a passionat... [Read More]

Express yourself on skin with Body Mark by BIC temporary tattoo markers! Unlike permanent markers and other inks not meant for drawing on the body, Body Mark Tattoo Markers allow you to create fun and unique designs that are skin-safe. * (*Complies with cosmetic regulations. Follow all warnings and instructions. Not tested on sensitive skin. ) Test out a tattoo design without the pain or commitment, or just use them for fun. Great for parties, festivals, Halloween costumes, or anytime you’re feeling creative! Collect all the bright and vivid color options and see what you can create!