Category Archives: Art

Hermitage

Posted on March 25, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

I was very fortunate to spend an entire day in the world renowned Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg, Russia a few years ago. It’s almost overwhelming to try and take in the immense institution in one visit. To save our … Continue reading →

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Mondays are miscellaneous now

Posted on March 23, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

Antiquarian books – from the bookshelf’s view point.. This book records a Buddhist text given to the Qianlong emperor by a Panchen Lama from Tibet. The calligraphy was written by the court official Liang Guozhi (1723–1774) then engraved into the jade pages and painted … Continue reading →

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Million Cat Caturday

Posted on March 21, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

“Millions of Cats” is a picture book written and illustrated by artist Wanda Gag in 1928. The book won a Newberry award in 1929 and is the oldest American picture book still in print.            

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Library of Exile

Posted on March 20, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

I first discovered the ceramic artist and writer Edmund de Waal through his best-selling book The Hare with the Amber Eyes. If you are not familiar with the memoir, it’s a compelling read that encompasses not only de Waal’s family history, … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Art, Books, Europe, Freedom of Speech, History, Libraries, Museums, Writing | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

As above, So below

Posted on March 18, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

Dutch artist and printmaker Jaco Putker uses both traditional and digital methods to produce his surreal images. He usually works with photopolymer, or solar plate, etching. This allows him to create photo-realistic depictions. His finished pieces are at once amusing … Continue reading →

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Conquest of Mars

Posted on March 17, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

Here is copy number 55 of the first edition of Edison’s Conquest of Mars by Garrett P. Serviss. There were only 1,500 copies in the first edition, and only 1,450 of those were offered for general distribution. Serviss, an astronomer, wrote Conquest in 1898; … Continue reading →

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Ugliest Place I’ve Ever Seen

Posted on March 9, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

When designer Amber Share found that there were one-star reviews for all 62 of the U.S. National Parks she decided to illustrate and hand letter travel posters for them “as a way to put a positive, fun spin on such … Continue reading →

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Why Real Books Are Great

Posted on March 8, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

h/t to Strand Books NYC  

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Everything has been done

Posted on March 4, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

Mads Lynnerup Everything Has Been Done (2019) ‘In this video a book lights on fire, as it gets opened. The book was published by Colpa Press in San Francisco and is in a limited edition of 50 in which 10 out of … Continue reading →

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World Book Day Through History

Posted on March 3, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

 

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