Dover Painting

The "painters' painter," Anders Zorn (1860–1920) studied at the Stockholm Royal Academy of Art and took up residence in London and Paris, where he established an international roster of high-society clients. His striking portraits rivaled those of his contemporary John Singer Sargent in their popularity. Zorn excelled at both watercolor and oil painting, and his etchings are of the highest quality. Uninhibited by the limitations of the medium, the Swedish artist exhibited complete mastery of the plate, bending the art form to suit his own direction. His etchings display the same characteristics and likeness of his paintings, consisting chiefly of portraits and genre scenes.

This great classic is still unrivalled for its clear, detailed presentation of thousands of fundamental features of the human figure. Every element of the body (such as the overhang of the upper lip; the puckering at the corners of the mouth; the characteristic proportions of the head, trunk, limbs, etc.; the tension between connected portions of the body; etc.) is carefully and concisely pointed out in the text. Even more helpful are the 430 pencil and charcoal drawings that illustrate each feature so that you are, in effect, shown what to look for by a master teacher.

Whether you're a complete beginner or have already attempted to learn the art of Celtic knotwork, this is the book for you! Artists at all levels will treasure this guide, which not only demonstrates how to duplicate patterns from a rich and varied gallery of examples but also how to take the next step to creating your own unique designs.

Fine-line images of roses, butterflies, tulips, caterpillars, and other specimens of plant and insect life in elegant full-page compositions. These plates are considered among the finest achievements of a great age of floral painting and the engraver's art. Reprinted from the classic, influential works of the famed artist/entomologist Merian (1647–1717). New English captions.