Other books that might interest you

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  Leonardo da Vinci and artworks

  Gabriel Séailles

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  Leonardo’s early life was spent in Florence, his maturity in Milan, and the last three years of his life in France. Leonardo’s teacher was Verrocchio. First he was a goldsmith, then a painter and sculptor: as a painter, representative of the very scientific school of draughtsmanship; more famous as a sculptor, being the creator of the Colleoni statue at Venice, Leonardo was a man of striking physical attractiveness, great charm of manner and conversation, and mental accomplishment. He was well grounded in the sciences and mathematics of the day, as well as a gifted musician. His skill in draughtsmanship was extraordinary; shown by his numerous drawings as well as by his comparatively few paintings. His skill of hand is at the service of most minute observation and analytical research into the character and structure of form. Leonardo is the first in date of the great men who had the desire to create in a picture a kind of mystic unity brought about by the fusion of matter and spirit. Now that the Primitives had concluded their experiments, ceaselessly pursued during two centuries, by the conquest of the methods of painting, he was able to pronounce the words which served as a password to all later artists worthy of the name: painting is a spiritual thing, cosa mentale. He completed Florentine draughtsmanship in applying to modelling by light and shade, a sharp subtlety which his predecessors had used only to give greater precision to their contours. This marvellous draughtsmanship, this modelling and chiaroscuro he used not solely to paint the exterior appearance of the body but, as no one before him had done, to cast over it a reflection of the mystery of the inner life. In the Mona Lisa and his other masterpieces he even used landscape not merely as a more or less picturesque decoration, but as a sort of echo of that interior life and an element of a perfect harmony. Relying on the still quite novel laws of perspective this doctor of scholastic wisdom, who was at the same time an initiator of modern thought, substituted for the discursive manner of the Primitives the principle of concentration which is the basis of classical art. The picture is no longer presented to us as an almost fortuitous aggregate of details and episodes. It is an organism in which all the elements, lines and colours, shadows and lights, compose a subtle tracery converging on a spiritual, a sensuous centre. It was not with the external significance of objects, but with their inward and spiritual significance, that Leonardo was occupied.

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  Holiday Crafting & Baking with...

  Jessica Strand

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  Kid-friendly crafts and recipes for traditional holiday festivities—from an autumn wreath to paper snowflakes, matzo bark to a popcorn Kwanzaa collage.  
   
  Holiday Crafting & Baking with Kids will bring the whole family together for some good holiday fun. Children ages four and up will love selecting their own materials and digging into these cheerful projects. There is something here for everyone and every winter occasion Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, New Year’s, and Boxing Day! Step-by-step instructions, helpful templates, and color photos make it a cinch for little ones to follow along. Best of all, the materials and ingredients for these projects are inexpensive, easy to find, and even easier to turn into amazing gifts, decorations, and treats. 
   
  “Such a wonderful holiday catch-all.” —In the Know Mom 
   
  “Enjoy some family bonding time with the young ones, using these easy to follow and inexpensive suggestions for holiday treats.” —Kirkland Reporter

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  What I Saw in America

  G. K. Chesterton

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  An enduring portrait of America’s virtues and vices as seen by one of England’s greatest thinkers After losing his brother in the Great War, a troubled and depressed G. K. Chesterton accepts an invitation to join a lecture tour that will take him across the United States for the first time. Part travelogue, part exploration of the American experiment, What I Saw in America begins with a man of letters trying to reconcile his faith with the atrocities and moral dilemmas of war and expands into an illuminating consideration of the limitations of capitalism, the concept of American exceptionalism, and the future of the democratic system.   This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.  

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  The Museum of the Wood Age

  Max Adams

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  A passionate and imaginative exploration of wood – the material that shaped human history.As a material, wood has no equal in strength, resilience, adaptability and availability. It has been our partner in the cultural evolution from woodland foragers to engineers of our own destiny. Tracing that partnership through tools, devices, construction and artistic expression, Max Adams explores the role that wood has played in our own history as an imaginative, curious and resourceful species. Beginning with an investigation of the material properties of various species of wood, The Museum of the Wood Age investigates the influence of six basic devices – wedge, inclined plane, screw, lever, wheel, axle and pulley – and in so doing reveals the myriad ways in which wood has been worked throughout human history. From the simple bivouacs of hunter-gatherers to sophisticated wooden buildings such as stave churches; from the decorative arts to the humble woodworking of rustic furniture; Max Adams fashions a lattice of interconnected stories and objects that trace a path of human ingenuity across half a million years of history.

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  A Dog's World - Imagining the...

  Jessica Pierce, Marc Bekoff

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  From two of the world's leading authorities on dogs, an imaginative journey into a future of dogs without peopleWhat would happen to dogs if humans simply disappeared? Would dogs be able to survive on their own without us? A Dog's World imagines a posthuman future for dogs, revealing how dogs would survive—and possibly even thrive—and explaining how this new and revolutionary perspective can guide how we interact with dogs now.Drawing on biology, ecology, and the latest findings on the lives and behavior of dogs and their wild relatives, Jessica Pierce and Marc Bekoff—two of today's most innovative thinkers about dogs—explore who dogs might become without direct human intervention into breeding, arranged playdates at the dog park, regular feedings, and veterinary care. Pierce and Bekoff show how dogs are quick learners who are highly adaptable and opportunistic, and they offer compelling evidence that dogs already do survive on their own—and could do so in a world without us.Challenging the notion that dogs would be helpless without their human counterparts, A Dog's World enables us to understand these independent and remarkably intelligent animals on their own terms.

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  Hammer It Home - The Complete...

  Larry Sobon, Jack Haun

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  Hammer It Home: The Complete Guide to Framing Your Dream House 🏡🛠️📘 
  Welcome home builders, dreamers, and do-it-yourself aficionados! Does the very thought of constructing your own home from the ground up ignite your imagination? Are you prepared to take the leap from vision to reality? Your comprehensive guide to the art of framing is at your fingertips! 
  Introducing "Hammer It Home: The Complete Guide to Framing Your Dream House." This volume isn't just a manual; it's a cornerstone of knowledge, sharing the artistry and expertise necessary to craft the skeleton of your sanctuary. 
  Embark on an in-depth venture into home framing: 
  🏡 Structural Foundations: Solidify your understanding of residential framing with core concepts that ensure strength and longevity for your home. 
  🛠️ Detailed Illustrations: Visualize your progress with detailed drawings and diagrams that guide you through each phase of construction, from sill plates to roof trusses. 
  📘 Material Mastery: Select the right lumber and hardware for your project with confidence, understanding the balance of quality and cost. 
  🏡 Sustainable Practices: Build with the future in mind, incorporating energy-efficient and eco-friendly framing techniques that benefit both your household and the environment. 
  Open the gateway to construction mastery with "Hammer It Home." Here begins the adventure of building not just a house, but a home filled with aspirations, memories, and stability, one joist at a time. 
  Grab your hammer, don your hard hat, and let "Hammer It Home" guide you to the proud moment when you can say, "I built this." Your dream house awaits! 🏡🛠️📘📐

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