Petite but Powerful
A sweeping survey of small-scale architectural invention
Small Houses is a tribute to the endless artistic inventiveness of architects and ingenuity of perception of the familiar and known concepts. It is also a conscious pivot towards sustainability and reduction of impact on the environment as well as a daring attitude of change in lifestyle. As humanity faces inevitable pressures such as climate change, an increase in population, and strain on resources, these solutions are helping shape what the world may look like in the future.
Whether in the dense urban areas of Tokyo, the wilderness of Australia, the woods of Canada, or a rooftop in Ecuador, this is the world of Small Houses. The one common point they share, is that they all have an area of no more than 100 square meters. Spanning 25 countries such as Brazil, Hungary, South Korea, Netherlands, USA, Japan, and Australia, described here there are houses designed by 54 architects, including Takeshi Hosaka’s Love2 House, Aranza de Ariño’s Casa Tiny, and the work of Jakub Szczęsny, Charles Pictet, Lada Hršak, BIG, and Fran Silvestre. This is a journey not only through recent evolutions in architectural design and creativity, but it is also a step toward a more sustainable world.
J. C. Volkamer’s 18th-century ode to the citrus fruit
Have you ever thought of citrus fruits as celestial bodies, angelically suspended in the sky? Perhaps not, but J. C. Volkamer (1644–1720) did—commissioning an extravagant and breathtaking series of large-sized copperplates representing citrons, lemons, and bitter oranges in surreal scenes of majesty and wonder.
Ordering plants by post mostly from Italy, Germany, North Africa, and even the Cape of Good Hope, the Nuremberg merchant Volkamer was a devotee of the fragrant and exotic citrus at a time when such fruits were still largely unknown north of the Alps. His garden came to contain a wide variety of specimens, and he became so obsessed with the fruits that he commissioned a team of copperplate engravers to create 256 plates of 170 varieties of citrus fruits, many depicted life size, published in a two-volume work. The first volume appeared in 1708, with the impressively lengthy title The Nuremberg Hesperides, or: A detailed description of the noble fruits of the citron, lemon and bitter orange; how these may be correctly planted, cared for and propagated in that and neighboring regions.
In both volumes, Volkamer draws on years of hands-on experience to present a far-reaching account of citrus fruits and how to tend them—from a meticulous walk-through of how to construct temporary orangeries, glasshouses, and hothouses for growing pineapples to commentary on each fruit variety, including its size, shape, color, scent, tree or shrub, leaves, and country of origin.
In each plate, Volkamer pays tribute to the verdant landscapes of Northern Italy, his native Nuremberg, and other sites that captured his imagination. From Genovese sea views to the Schönbrunn Palace, each locale is depicted in the same exceptional detail as the fruit that overhangs it. We witness branches heavy with grapefruits arching across a sun-bathed yard in Bologna and marvel at a huge pineapple plant sprouting from a South American town. The result is at once a fantastical line-up of botanical beauty and a highly poetic tour through the lush gardens and places where these fruits grew.
Few colored sets of Volkamer’s work are still in existence today. This publication draws on the two recently discovered hand-colored volumes in the city of Fürth’s municipal archive in Schloss Burgfarrnbach. The reprint also includes 56 later discovered illustrations that Volkamer intended to present in a third volume.
The world’s most beloved pet photographer turns his lens on our canine companions
The world appears to be divided into cat and dog lovers, but fortunately Walter Chandoha, the 20th century’s greatest pet photographer found himself happily in the middle. He loved these intriguing creatures equally for their unique beauty and individualism, and as subjects to photograph in a career spanning over 70 years. While working on his critically acclaimed TASCHEN book Cats, Chandoha handpicked his favorite dog photos for a potential follow-up title, putting into carefully marked boxes hundreds of contact sheets, prints, and color transparencies.
Chandoha sadly passed away in 2019 at the age of 98, but his legacy lives on in this dashing sequel dedicated to man’s best friend. “Walter Chandoha’s photographs of dogs are compelling not just because dogs have an inherent charm, but because the person behind the camera was a master of his craft,” writes the photography critic Jean Dykstra in the book’s introduction.
We see terriers, collies, beagles, bloodhounds, poodles, small dogs, big dogs, show dogs, working dogs, and many more, featuring over 60 breeds photographed in both black-and-white and glorious Kodachrome.
Spanning a 50-year period, the book is divided into six sections, and each chapter reveals Chandoha’s exceptional combination of technique, versatility, and soul. The opening chapter “In the Studio” focuses on formal portraiture; next it’s “Strike a Pose” where our canine companions ham it up for the camera; in “Out and About” they get to roam and play, often photographed with Chandoha’s own children; next it’s “Best in Show” with Chandoha using his reportage skills to capture vintage dog shows from the Mad Men era; in “Tails from the City,” the dogs are hitting the streets of mid-century New York; and in the closing chapter “Country Dogs,” it’s back to nature, the fields, and the beaches. Dogs is an unleashed photographic tribute to these lovable and loyal creatures.
Messaging on a Mission
A vivid history of 150 years of graphic design
Through the turbulent events of the last century-and-a-half, graphic design—with its vivid, neat synthesis of image and idea—has distilled the spirit of each age. It surrounds us every minute of the day, from minimalist packaging to colorful adverts, environmental graphics to sleek interfaces: graphic design is as much about reflecting society’s aspirations and values as it is about transmitting information.
Now published as part of our popular Basic Art series, this vibrant compendium lays out the evolution of graphic design from its inception in the 1890s up until the present day. Using his sweeping knowledge of the field, author Jens Müller has curated hundreds of examples from across the globe, arranged by decade.
Each chapter also includes thumbnails of significant movements and influential publications, plus concise biographies of design masterminds like Massimo Vignelli (New York subway wayfinding), Otl Aicher (Lufthansa identity), Paula Scher (Citibank identity), Milton Glaser (I Love New York), Louise Fili (packaging), and Stefan Sagmeister (handwritten posters).
This succinct but authoritative collection reflects on the development of a creative field that is constantly changing and challenging itself. The design classics Müller has curated act as coordinates, helping to trace the incontrovertible influence of graphic design on our daily lives. It’s both a handy primer and an informed exploration of how graphic design shapes our choices, from the products we buy and the media we consume, to how we behave and think of ourselves.
This inspiring collection covers the work, the lives, and the enduring impact of five key Impressionists, in one volume that’s a primer and a celebration of probably the most popular artistic genre of all time. Each featured artist broke boundaries in different ways, astounding late 19th-century society with their boldness of vision and technique.
Edgar Degas explored movement and the human form with masterly style and innovative compositions, most famously of dancers, racehorses, and busy streetscapes. Claude Monet was a maestro of light and atmosphere, capturing the fleeting moment with his iconic water lilies and series paintings. Pierre-Auguste Renoir celebrated beauty and sensuality, bringing vibrancy to everyday scenes with lush brushwork and a radiant palette. Paul Gauguin sought inspiration in the exotic, using bold colors and symbolism, often to unsettling effect. Finally, Vincent van Gogh’s highly emotive use of color and vigorous brushstrokes conveyed his private turmoil and did much to lay the groundwork for Expressionism.
Together, these five creative masters redefined what art dared to achieve, emphasizing personal expression alongside their exploration of light, color, and perspective. Their output marked a pivotal shift to modern artistic freedoms and expectations.
This collection looks beyond their most famous works and includes an extensive text on each artist’s oeuvre, alongside a detailed biography and more than 400 high-quality color illustrations.
Art, Reprogrammed
A definitive guide to the art and impact of NFTs, now in a compact, budget-friendly edition
Formerly published as a Collector’s Edition, the first major art historical survey on the most compelling, disruptive area of contemporary art is now available in an updated, more affordable edition which includes 11 additional artists. A rigorous examination of all facets of the NFT ecosystem, it takes a multidimensional, artist-led approach to give a richer understanding of a topic often shrouded in pixelated mystery.
Featuring insight from the leading voices in art and the blockchain, including Hans Ulrich Obrist, On NFTs celebrates unlikely and thought-provoking connections from across art history. Expect to find Rembrandts examined alongside CryptoPunk avatars, and 10 extensive essays explaining the nitty-gritty of NFTs—including Sol LeWitt’s influence on today’s artistic algorithms—plus behind-the-scenes glimpses of the creative processes of pioneering artists, from Beeple and Emily Xie to Snowfro and Refik Anadol.
In examinging the evolution of NFTs from the 1960s onwards, the author references artists and projects electrifying the digital art space up to the present day. With about 1,400 images and nearly 200 QR codes, readers can explore the works interactively and in rich visual detail. In addition to a glossary of terms, and a comprehensive exhibition history and timeline, there’s a survey of 111 key practitioners working today, with each profile uniquely authored by experts, including curators, critics, artists, and AI.
On NFTs captures a seismic shift in art history, inviting both natives and newcomers to experience the bold, boundary-breaking future of creativity.
Glasgow Style
The life and work of Glasgow School pioneer Charles Rennie Mackintosh
Scottish architect, designer, and painter Charles Rennie Mackintosh (1868–1928) was one of the earliest pioneers of modern architecture and design. While he did not receive much recognition in his hometown of Glasgow during his lifetime, his bold new blend of simplicity and poetic detail inspired modernists across Europe.
Mackintosh’s avant-garde approach embraced a variety of media as well as fresh stylistic devices. His multi-faceted oeuvre incorporated architecture, furniture, graphic design, landscapes, and flower studies. He embraced strong lines, elegant proportions, and natural motifs, combining an adventurous dose of japonisme with a modernist sensibility for function. He preferred bold black typography, restrained shapes, and tall, generous windows suffusing rooms with light.
Much of his work was collaborative practice with his wife, fellow artist Margaret Macdonald. The couple made up half of the loose Glasgow collective known as “The Four”; the other two were Margaret’s sister, Frances, and her husband, Herbert MacNair. On the continent, the “Glasgow Style” was met with delight. In Italy, Germany, and, in particular, Austria, artists of the Viennese Secession and Art Nouveau drew much from its rectilinear yet lyrical forms.
In this introductory book, we take in Mackintosh’s practice across art, architecture, and design to explore his particular combination of the statuesque and sensual and its vital influence on modernist expression across Europe. Featured projects include his complete scheme for the Willow Tea Rooms and the Mackintosh Building at the Glasgow School of Art, widely considered Mackintosh’s masterwork.
Crossing the Threshold
Stepping Through into the Realms of Spirits
A voyage through mysterious and haunted lands, the sixth volume of The Library Esoterica delves into the art, rituals, and global mythologies of the spirit realms. Unearthing our complex beliefs around death, rebirth and resurrection, we explore the art, traditions and ancient stories of the afterlife. Through interviews with scholars and practicioners, insightful essays and over 400 works of visionary art, Spirit Worlds delves into the shadows of the supernatural, from dark domains of ghosts and demons to the light-filled lands of angels and celestial beings.
Across more than 500 pages, we celebrate the ways in which we connect with both our ancestors and with ourselves, as we worship, mythologize and honor our dead. We study the rites of death around the globe, highlighting the ancient monuments and sacred temples we build out of our sorrow. We showcase the altars we create and the communities we nurture as we share our grief with our gods. We dive into the rituals that connect us to those we’ve lost. And we decipher the messages communicated to us from the other worlds by mediums and prophets, through the elaborate séances of the Spiritualists, and in the storied words of oracles and fortunetellers bent at their crystal balls. And finally, we showcase artworks that that channel not only the muse, but the unknown, eloquent voices and visions from the other side. In this expansive volume, we board the ferry across the storied river and enter the gloomy passages between lands, stepping across the threshold—to part the most sacred of veils.
City lights and cherry trees
The woodblock prints of Tokyo that captured Europe's imagination
Utagawa Hiroshige (1797–1858) was one of the last great artists in the ukiyo-e tradition. Literally meaning “pictures of the floating world,” ukiyo-e was a particular genre of art that flourished between the 17th and 19th centuries and came to characterize the Western world’s visual idea of Japan. In many ways images of hedonism, ukiyo-e scenes often represented the bright lights and attractions of Edo (modern-day Tokyo): beautiful women, actors and wrestlers, city life, and spectacular landscapes.
Though he captured a variety of subjects, Hiroshige was most famous for landscapes, with a final masterpiece series known as “One Hundred Famous Views of Edo” (1856–1858), which depicted various scenes of the city through the seasons, from bustling shopping streets to splendid cherry orchards.
This reprint is made from one of the finest complete original sets of woodblock prints belonging to the Ota Memorial Museum of Art in Tokyo. It pairs each of the 120 illustrations with a description, allowing readers to immerse themselves in these beautiful, vibrant vistas that became paradigms of Japonisme and inspired Impressionist, Post-Impressionist and Art Nouveau artists alike, from Vincent van Gogh to James McNeill Whistler.
Sentence Structures
The architectural treatises which shaped our world
If you’ve ever wondered what goes through architects’ minds when they design buildings, you’ll be happy to know that there’s no shortage of brilliant reading material to satisfy your curiosity. Wading through the archives at your local library may prove fruitful to your endeavor, but it won’t give you the instant gratification that Architectural Theory will.
This book brings together all of the most important and influential essays about architecture written since the Renaissance, copiously illustrated and neatly organized chronologically by country. From Alberti and Palladio to Le Corbusier and Koolhaas, the best treatises by architecture’s greatest masters are gathered here, each accompanied by an essay discussing its historical context and significance. This is the all-in-one, must-have book for anyone interested in what architects have to say about their craft.
The comprehensive overview that will help transform even the most uninformed novices into well-informed connoisseurs!
The End Was Nigh
Awesome apocalyptic visions of the 16th century
The Book of Miracles first surfaced several ago and is one of the most spectacular discoveries in the field of Renaissance art. The near-complete illustrated manuscript, created in Augsburg around 1550, is composed of 169 pages of large-format illustrations in gouache and watercolor, depicting wondrous and often eerie phenomena.
The mesmerizing images deal with both biblical and folkloric tales, depicting stories from the Old Testament and Book of Revelation as well as events that took place in the immediate present of the manuscript’s author. From shooting stars to swarms of locusts, terrifying monsters to fatal floods, page after page hypnotizes with visions alternately dreadful, spectacular, and even apocalyptic.
This volume presents the revelatory Book of Miracles in a new, compact format, making this extraordinary document accessible to everyone. It comes with a translation of the manuscript texts and an essay that gives an introduction to the cultural and historical context of this unique Renaissance work.
Experience vintage children's book illustrations by early Disney artists
In Los Angeles during the 1940s and 1950s, Disney artists popularized illustration for children both on the big screen and in the pages of the Golden Books, a series of affordably priced children's books. These stories distilled the visual language of Disney films and brought historic and contemporary tales to life through compelling and inventive works of art. The selection of material in this book by 7 different artists reflects the variety of stylistic approaches that defined animation and illustration at the Disney studio.
The book begins with an introduction to the artistic milieu that characterized the Disney studio, and each of the 10 stories is illustrated with complete original art and text. Biographies of the artists featured are included in the appendix. This hardcover anthology of vintage illustration will captivate adults and children alike.
The following Disney stories are featured in the book:
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, Dumbo, Bambi, Peter and the Wolf, Once Upon a Wintertime, The Adventures of Mr. Toad, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan
The art of astrology, from ancient science to modern-day practice
From the beginning of human history, individuals across cultures and belief systems have looked to the sky for meaning. The movement of celestial bodies and their relation to our human lives has been the central tenant of astrology for thousands of years. The practice has both inspired reverence and worship, and deepened our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
While modern-day horoscopes may be the most familiar form of astrological knowledge, their lineage reaches back to ancient Mesopotamia. As author Andrea Richards recounts in Astrology, the second volume in TASCHEN’s Library of Esoterica series, astronomy and astrology were once sister sciences: the King’s Chamber of the Great Pyramid at Giza was built to align with constellations, Persian scholars oversaw some of the first observatories, and even Galileo cast horoscopes for the Medicis. But with the Enlightenment and the birth of exact science, the practice moved to places where mystery was still permitted, inspiring literature, art, and psychology, and influenced artists and thinkers such as Goethe, Byron, and Blake. Later movements like the Theosophists and the New Agers, would thrust the practice into the mainstream.
Edited by Jessica Hundley, this vibrant visual history of Western astrology explores the symbolic meaning behind hundreds of images, from Egyptian temples and illuminated manuscripts to contemporary art from across the globe. Works by artists from Alphonese Mucha and Hilma af Klint to Arpita Singh and Manzel Bowman are sequenced to mirror the spin of the planets and the wheel of the zodiac. Astrology celebrates the stars and their mysterious influence on our everyday lives.
A visual history of Tarot
To explore the Tarot is to explore ourselves, to be reminded of the universality of our longing for meaning, for purpose and for a connection to the divine. This 600-year-old tradition reflects not only a history of seekers, but our journey of artistic expression and the ways we communicate our collective human story.
For many in the West, Tarot exists in the shadow place of our cultural consciousness, a metaphysical tradition assigned to the dusty glass cabinets of the arcane. Its history, long and obscure, has been passed down through secret writing, oral tradition, and the scholarly tomes of philosophers and sages. Hundreds of years and hundreds of creative hands—mystics and artists often working in collaboration—have transformed what was essentially a parlor game into a source of divination and system of self-exploration, as each new generation has sought to evolve the form and reinterpret the medium.
Author Jessica Hundley traces this fascinating history in this pocket-sized edition of Tarot from TASCHEN’s Library of Esoterica series. The book explores the symbolic meaning behind hundreds of cards and works of original art, spanning from Medieval to modern, and artfully arranged according to the sequencing of the 78 cards of the Major and Minor Arcana. It explores the powerful influence of Tarot as muse to artists like Salvador Dalí and Niki de Saint Phalle and includes the decks of dozens of contemporary artists from around the world, all of whom have embraced the medium for its capacity to push cultural identity forward.
May the Force Be with You
George Lucas’s vision of a galaxy far, far away
When Star Wars was released in 1977, everybody who saw and reviewed it considered the movie an exciting, innovative piece of pop culture, a fast-moving, special-effects laden fairy tale in space. The film, and the episodes that followed, created a worldwide phenomenon, a massive success for creator George Lucas’s production company Lucasfilm, his special effects company Industrial Light & Magic, and for the studio Twentieth Century Fox.
Over six movies and 28 years writer, director and producer George Lucas created the modern monomyth of our time, one that resonates with the child in us all.
The book begins with Anakin Skywalker as we watch him being trained as a Jedi under Obi-Wan Kenobi, find love with the Queen of Naboo, Padmé Amidala, and ultimately turn to the dark side of his nature and become more machine than man. Years later we follow moisture farmer Luke Skywalker on his journey through a galaxy far, far away, meeting extraordinary characters like the mysterious hermit Obi-Wan Kenobi, space pirates Han Solo and Chewbacca, loyal droids C-3PO and R2-D2, bold Princess Leia and the horrific Darth Vader, servant of the dark, malevolent Emperor.
To achieve his epic vision George Lucas created the space for ground-breaking visual effects and digital technologies that have forever changed the way we make and see visual entertainment.
Life in the Woods
Creative cabin architecture, from California to Sapporo
Ever since Henry David Thoreau’s described his two years, two months, and two days of refuge existence at Walden Pond, Massachusetts, in Walden, or, Life in the Woods (1854), the idea of a cabin dwelling has seduced the modern psyche. In the past decade, as our material existence and environmental footprint has grown exponentially, architects around the globe have become particularly interested in the possibilities of the minimal, low-impact, and isolated abode.
Cabins combines insightful text, rich photography, and bright, contemporary illustrations by Marie-Laure Cruschi to show how this particular architectural type presents special opportunities for creative thinking. In eschewing excess, the cabin limits actual spatial intrusion to the bare essentials of living requirements, while in responding to its typically rustic setting, it foregrounds eco-friendly solutions. The cabin comes to showcase some of the most inventive and forward-looking practices of contemporary architecture, including Renzo Piano, Terunobu Fujimori, and Tom Kundig, all embracing such distilled sanctuary spaces.
The book showcases the variety of cabins in use and geography. From an artist studio on the Suffolk coast in England to a bamboo bungalow in Sri Lanka, this collection is as exciting in its international reach as it is in its array of briefs, clients, and situations. Constant throughout, however, is architectural innovation, and an inspiring sense of contemplation and coexistence as people return to nature and to a less destructive model of being in the world.
With her music and boundless passion for life, Tina Turner enchanted millions of fans around the world and inspired the stars of tomorrow. Peter Lindbergh was a lifelong friend of the Queen of Rock 'n' Roll and shot intimate portraits of her over many years.
Lindbergh’s photographs do more than just document her iconic status; they reveal the powerful, joyful, and at times introverted woman behind the public persona. Through his lens, Peter Lindbergh captured Tina Turner’s radiant energy with an incredible sensitivity and his impeccable understanding of dramatic composition. His work shows Tina in all her complexity, blending her fierce spirit with quieter, more reflective moments.
Across numerous settings―from the stage to the beach, from the streets to the iconic Eiffel Tower, with the city of Paris sprawling beneath her―Peter portrayed Tina throughout the years, always capturing the real Tina. His photos depict her singing, dancing, and simply being herself, effortlessly showcasing the depth of her character. Each image tells a story, a testament to her vitality and complexity, both on stage and in life. In each of these portraits, Tina is immediately recognizable.
The book, which includes a personal foreword by Tina Turner’s husband Erwin Bach, is a heartfelt tribute to the friendship and deep connection between two artists who shaped the cultural landscape of the 20th century. It’s more than a collection of photographs; it’s a celebration of a shared journey of creativity, trust, and mutual respect.
“We were partners in crime,” remembers Tina. “He was willing to try anything―and so was I! Together, we made magic!” The magic they made together lives on in Peter Lindbergh’s photographs. This book―a collection of images created during their long professional collaboration and enduring friendship―tells their special story.
An album cover collection exploring 70 years of surprising, shocking and frankly hilarious nude and provocative art. Sexy covers sold all musical genres, from funk to punk, and the silly German schlager. Comedy albums range from mid-century “stag party” pin-ups to the undeniably raunchy ’70s sensation, Blowfly. Steamy, seamy and adults only.
The Best Years of Our Lives
The seminal architecture journal resurrected
From the end of World War II until the mid-1960s, exciting things were happening in American architecture. Emerging talents were focusing on innovative projects that integrated at once modern design and low-cost materials. The trend was most notably embodied in the famous Case Study House Program, a blueprint for modern habitation championed by the era’s leading American journal, Arts & Architecture.
The complete facsimile of the ambitious and groundbreaking Arts & Architecture was published by TASCHEN in 2008 as a limited edition. This new curation—directed and produced by Benedikt Taschen—brings together the magazine’s highlights from 1950 to 1954, with a special focus on mid-century American architecture and its luminary pioneers including Richard Neutra, Eero Saarinen, and Charles & Ray Eames.
A celebration of a politically, socially and culturally engaged publication, this special selection is also a testimony to one of the most unique and influential eras in the history of American architecture.
Super Mario does marvelous Rio
Inspired by the boys and girls from Copacabana
Mario Testino is one of the world’s most successful fashion and portrait photographers, whose images are noted for their freshness and intimacy. Peruvian by birth, Testino has been fascinated by Rio de Janeiro since his earliest summer vacations. "When I was 14, on holiday, and going from my house to the beach and seeing everyone walk everywhere in their tiny bathing suits—the girls and boys were so sexy and carefree and wild—I just could not believe it."
This easy sensuality, sexual freedom and lust for life left a deep impression; Testino has been going back ever since, for work and fun, passion and inspiration. Featuring candid shots of exquisite cariocas baring nubile flesh, including supermodel Gisele Bündchen, MaRIO DE JANEIRO Testino captures the essence of this incomparably seductive city and its sultry citizens. From its breathtaking sunset panoramas, to the throbbing chaos of its world-famous carnival, this is Testino’s love poem to the Brazilian metropolis that captured his teenage heart, and never let go.
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