Ars Sacra: Christian Art and Architecture of the Western World from the Very Beginning Up Until Today, by Rolf Toman, Achim Bednorz
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Ars Sacra: Christian Art and Architecture of the Western World from the Very Beginning Up Until Today, by Rolf Toman, Achim Bednorz
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Ars Sacra is an unique tribute to 2000 years of Christian art, architecture and spirituality. This glorious tome takes the reader on a tour through seventeen centuries of sacral art, architecture, and culture, from the late antiquity to the middle ages, renaissance, baroque, art nouveau to works by contemporary artists such as Marc Chagall and Gerhard Richter.
Ars Sacra: Christian Art and Architecture of the Western World from the Very Beginning Up Until Today, by Rolf Toman, Achim Bednorz- Amazon Sales Rank: #928684 in Books
- Published on: 2015-10-15
- Format: Deluxe Edition
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 3.70" h x 11.00" w x 16.00" l, .0 pounds
- Binding: Hardcover
- 800 pages
Review WHPK-FM radio 88.5 FM in Chicago "This may be the biggest coffee table book I've ever seen: It's about 800 pages, it weighs 25 pounds. It's not just a coffee table book, it is a coffee table... But, what the book is, ARS SACRA, is a history of Christian Art in the Western World, beginning to contemporary""Talk about comprehensive? This goes beyond the word... It is gorgeous, it is mind blowing, it is beautiful when you see the pictures and reproductions in this book. It's extraordinary... I didn't know where to put it because it's one of those books you want to put it in a vault, let alone a coffee table. It took me maybe a week just to go through it, page by page, in awe of the images as well as the history of Christian Art.""If you want a book that will truly astound you, it is ARS SACRA published by hf Ullmann Publishers. Once again, a great book company doing some really superior, beautiful work in books of arts and culture"In our technology-infatuated era, we've become accustomed to the idea that whatever is smaller and faster must surely be better.The slim, omnipotent iPhone is obviously superior to the primitive rotary dial mechanisms that people once used. The whisper-thin laptop looks like an almost comical repudiation of the great beeping, flashing, wall-size computers of the early jet age.These comparisons do not flatter the old stuff. Even books seem increasingly quaint, and imperiled. What, after all, can a book do for you that a computer or smart phone can't instantly outdo?This Easter Sunday I am happy to say that I have an answer, one that perfectly suits the day's deeper meanings. It's a monumental book called "Ars Sacra," first published in late 2010, that weighs almost 22 pounds. Over its 800 pages, this miraculous achievement chronicles the art and architecture of Christianity from the gorgeous mosaics of antiquity all the way through to the computer-designed abstract stained glass cathedral windows of today.It's the biggest book I've ever held -- certainly the biggest I've ever seen outside a museum or library (I had to wrestle a bit just to get it into the house). Unlike most glossy art books, "Ars Sacra" is less of a coffee table book than an actual coffee table. You could serve lunch on the thing. Yet you wouldn't want to, for though the golden, seemingly bejeweled cover would make a lovely tablecloth, what's inside is more beautiful still.Here are delicate gilded paintings from 9th century Byzantine manuscripts, precious chalices from medieval Ireland, stave churches from 11th century Norway and painted statuary from the Romanesque period. In stunning photographs, we see the remarkably detailed figure of John the Baptist from a niche high on the Cathedral at Reims and Duccio's exquisite chronicle of Christ's Passion from the Cathedral of Siena.And on it goes, each page more engrossing than the one before: grotesque gothic representations of demons torturing the damned, joyous cherubim dancing across a Renaissance frieze and Masaccio's achingly sad painting of Adam and Eve in disgrace, from the Brancacci chapel in Florence. You could get lost in the Renaissance era alone -- and I plan to -- such is the beauty and abundance of that artistic flowering as it appears in these pages.Not everything is here, mind you - no mortal could print, let alone lift, the book containing all Christian art -- and the English translation (from the German) is not always felicitous, but there are treasures almost beyond measure, in stunning photographic detail.The marvelous solidity of a book like "Ars Sacra" makes technology seem frail and even feeble. Such a compendium is like a physical rebuttal to the Kindle and the Nook. It's an aesthetic and intellectual rebuke of the Twitterized sensibility that so values breeziness and disposability.In fact, in subject and physicality, it's a countercultural book, about the Eternal, for the ages. Once today's chocolate and jellybean frenzy is over and we've finished our feast, I plan to disappear into its pages for the rest of the day. Technology can wait until tomorrow. Happy Easter!Meghan Cox GurdonWashington Examiner ColumnistBig, visually stunning art book may bolster publishing's future There are art books, coffee table books, books that are themselves artworks. "Ars Sacra: Christian Art in the Western World" is all of the above.First and foremost, it is a visual treasure chest, comprising 800 pages brimming with 1,000 brilliantly colored, sharply detailed images of Christian art and architecture drawn from the fourth to the 21st centuries. The big names are well represented -- Bernini, Caravaggio, Raphael, Michelangelo, Le Corbusier -- but, significantly, so are rarely seen works and sites.Each page holds a new wonder and presentation is paramount. "Ars Sacra" weighs nearly 23 pounds due to its thick, glossy paper, and size, 171/2 by 111/2 inches, which reflect the publisher's commitment to the project, as do double-page spreads, fold-out pages and an exquisite reproduction of the 10th-century "Limburg Staurotheque" on its covers.The reader's eyes soar to a Baroque ceiling fresco, which fills two pages and invites examination of each cherub, cloud and figure in a way that even the most avid church-touring, binocular-toting visitor couldn't achieve. Another double-page image reveals the skilled craftsmanship of a reliquary artisan through larger-than-life detail, the rainbow colors of cabochon gemstones set elegantly amid gilding and cloisonne, populated with narratives of the faith."Ars Sacra" is arranged by art epochs and begins with "Late Antiquity -- Byzantium" and images of a fourth-century catacomb. The final image, within the section "Art Nouveau -- Expressionism -- Modern Age," is of a stained-glass window by internationally hailed contemporary artist Gerhard Richter, who used a computer to randomly generate its abstract color squares arrangement.Such chronology, grouping and resultant juxtapositions prompt cultural comparisons, including the differing ways groups perceive and relate to divinity. The pictures, then, are instructive as well as beautiful and the information more complex than that of a straightforward art historical timeline. Texts by eight scholars are illuminating but brief by necessity of space, and at times awkwardly translated from the original German.Editor Rolf Toman's ambition for the book was high, but containing Christian-themed aesthetic achievements in one volume -- no matter how superb -- must have required some soul-searching choices.That presumption was confirmed by Lucas Ludemann, commissioning editor at publishing house h.f. ullmann, in Potsdam, Germany, near Berlin. He explained, by telephone, that photographer Achim Bednorz traveled approximately 93,000 miles to 20 countries to shoot the thousands of photographs that were carefully winnowed to those included.The upside is that digital photography makes taking large numbers of photographs more economically feasible, and more choice allows for creative approaches to book design, Mr. Ludemann said. Pictures of the same object may be shot in "different constellations of light" that can be patched together in Photoshop to get "the perfect light for an object" and thereby the most authentic representation. One part of a cathedral, for example, may be brightly lit while another is very dark. "The eye can focus on the dark and light at the same time, but the camera can't focus on both.""It's a technology we didn't have 10 years ago," Mr. Ludemann said, and it's "so important for making a book like this."The selection task was even more difficult due to the variety of content, including majestic cathedrals and remote monasteries, paintings and illuminated manuscripts, sculpture and liturgical objects."We tried to make not only very well-known artworks the focus in this book, but also not so known works of art," Mr. Ludemann said.Mr. Toman's idea for the book was large from the inception. When the publishers saw Mr. Bednorz's photographs, they realized they could do an immense format, Mr. Ludemann said."If we do a topic like this, we have to show something magical so that people will say it's magnificent and it's the right medium for Christian art."Last year, ullmann released "1,000 Sacred Places," a smaller book that similarly explored spiritual heritage, a topic that appears to be gaining increasing interest."You're right," Mr. Ludemann said. "We think at the moment, and also in the long term, people are looking more toward spiritual things. They need something beyond what they are doing on earth. Life is getting faster and faster. Book editor Toman is fond of his Christian culture and his spiritual life. He has a love for art and for history, and a feeling for spiritual things."The first edition of "Ars Sacra" was published simultaneously in German, English, French, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese in a print run of 20,000, high for such a specialized publication. It is now in its second printing with added Czech and Slovak language editions.Due to its sales success, and people responding so positively, Mr. Ludemann said this will not be the last book of its kind. And it may be the sort of publication that saves the printed book."We see it as an answer to the ebook. We love ebooks, too. We will also do ebooks. But we also love our printed books. ... You can't present content like 'Ars Sacra' on a medium like an iPad," Mr. Ludemann said, pointing out the impossibility of controlling things like color and format. "A book is a medium that's binding."Wednesday, December 14, 2011By Mary Thomas, Pittsburgh Post-GazetteARS SACRA, DENVER POST - "This book is an accomplishment worthy of endless page turning."ARS SACRA, MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW - "A magnificent feast for the eye, "Ars Sacra" presents its reader with unforgettable vistas of Christian art history and accomplishment."ARS SACRA, WALL STREET JOURNAL - "For anyone whose travels include stops to look at sacred art, "Ars Sacra" will be a godsend."ARS SACRA, AMERICA MAGAZINE - "This massive encyclopedic survey covers Christian art and architecture in Europe from its beginnings in the catacombs of third-century Rome to the present day."
About the Author Rolf Toman has worked as an independent art publisher for various international publishing houses for several decades. He authored and edited many acclaimed publications on art history and spirituality. Cologne-based photographer Achim Bednorz has specialized in photographing sacred places. The principle behind his method of interpretation is simple: to get as close to reality as possible. This means presenting the object in well balanced directed light, making the object recognizable as if in ideal circumstances, and foregoing any special effects.
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84 of 85 people found the following review helpful. Unbelievable Treasure By Honoria Glossop This is the kind of book that seems to come along only once in a generation, and if you miss it, you wish you could have been lucky enough to have purchased it when it was still available.First, as to logistics. The publisher's information about the book on this page currently says the book weighs 4 pounds. This is a serious error - my scale says it weighs 21 pounds. Perhaps they meant kilos?In order to enjoy this book, I think it's essential to have a bookstand. I found a nice inexpensive one on ebay - if you search "big bible stand" you will probably find the seller I used, who makes a very simple but very effective book stand. I would be afraid to let this lie flat on a table while browsing through it, for fear that the spine would break.Now to the content of the book. As you might expect, the majority of this book presents art and architecture of Christian churches of the Western world through the ages. There are also some illuminated manuscripts, paintings and sculpture that might not be displayed in Churches, but the great majority of the photos encompass the architecture and art works in Western churches and monasteries. The work is grouped chronologically and while most of the works are from Western Europe, there are some works from other areas, such as Byzantine churches, and a few from Ethiopia, Russia and in the later chapters, North and South America.The reproductions are exceptional, large, clear, lush and deep colors. Many of the photos present close-up views and details of intricate cathedral carvings that one doesn't often see. The paper is heavy and the book appears to be quite sturdy, with a beautiful cover. You can randomly open this book to almost any page and have your breath taken away by the glorious art on display.My only disappointment is with the text accompanying the photos. It is quite obvious that this was written in one of sevral foreign languages (German, Italian and Spanish?) and translated into English. The syntax is clunky and difficult to read, and it seems to me that the translator and/or editor do not have English as a first language. While the text is mainly technically correct and therefore it is possible to understand what is meant, the sentence structure and frequent mis-use of definite articles slows down the reader.Also, there are some odd mistakes that make me believe the English translator is not familiar with Catholicism, and since the majority of these art works are associated with Catholic culture, that is strange. For instance, I would think most English speaking Catholics are aware of the fact that the great pilgrimage church of Santiago De Compestela is dedicated to St. James. However, the text repeatedly refers to "St. Jacob" when discussing St. James. Some northern european languages use the name Jacob and James interchangeably but English does not, and I would think that an editor familiar with the matter would have caught this error. . [See, eg pages 190, 206, etc.)"St. Francis of Assisi was the burial place of the preacher St. Francis". [p. 392] By which they mean the Basilica bearing his name is the resting place of St. Francis. The bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ during the sermon? [p. 344] No. Transubstantiation means that the altar is a "magical" place, where parishoners stare "as if spellbound." [p.344] Anti-Catholic, much?. The crucified Christ is standing right behind the altar "flanked by angels with the weapons of Christ, to demonstrate the connection between Passion and Salvation." [p.373] Of course, they mean "the weapons of Christ's passion" which were used to kill Him, not His own store of armaments. "Romanesque sculptors had the task to keep the demons from entering the churches and destroying people's souls. The Holy Scripture itself contained the means, as the Evangelist Matthew repeatedly reported Christ replacing one evil with another.(Matthew 9:34; 12:24-27)" [p.232] How can anyone read that sentence and not see that it is completely wrong? The cited scripture passages relate to the false charges that Christ cast out devils by the power of the devil, which he refutes, not confirms, as the author here suggests. I could go on, but you get the point. To be fair, it's not necessarily the case that the translator made all these errors, and some might be in the original text. But I would think a competent editor would correct them.Finally, I would have hoped that a lush and overwhelmingly respectful presentation of Sacred Art would perhaps have found someone sensitive to the spiritual dimension of the works. Instead the text almost exclusively focuses on technical and historical matters without any seeming concern to address the underlying spirituality being expressed by the artists. Indeed in the few places where a theological explanation is offered, the perspective is simplistic, usually contentious and not overly sympathetic to Christianity. For instance, did you know that the Church in the Middle Ages had "a negative evaluation of sexuality" because of the story of Adam and Eve? [p.210] And, counter-intuitively, this demonization of sex led church leaders to place fertility symbols on their churches. Of course, the story of Adam and Eve is about disobeying God's command not to eat a particular fruit, not about having sex, and God directed the couple to be fruitful and multiply which requires having sex, but apparently Christians in the Middle Ages didn't know that (or that marriage was a sacrament). It's amazing that anyone was born to carry on such a civilization, much less create these unbelievably complex and wonderful works of art.But let's be real. No one buys a book like this to read the text. It is designed to offer a feast to the eyes of some of the most beautiful and profound art ever created. And at this it succeeds to a remarkable degree. My real problem in appreciating this work is in pacing myself to only view a chapter or so at a time to avoid being overwhelmed by the magnitude and majesty of this book.UPDATE --Ok, having read a bit more of the text, I am sorry to say that much of the text is laughably bad, and some of it is really incomprehensible. For instance, using words that aren't even words in the English language: "complementarability"? Or they use one word (presence) when they mean another (present). [p. 362] Or - "Christ thrones in the center of the Mandorla" - [p. 199]. Many sentences make absolutely no sense in English, but you can kind of catch their meaning if you stop and think about it. [See, e.g. pages 426, 479] Most of the content seems to be about the artists, who paid for the work, technical aspects of a work, lots of dates, and criticisms of Christians and Christian cultures (which aren't all that great apparently, other than making some really nice art in service to their weird ideas).Also, either the authors are not familiar with the most basic principles of Christianity, or they assume that the readers are not, and so they explain the most obvious things in very ponderous and overly-scholarly ways. And sometimes the explanations are simply incorrect. After World War II, the crucifixion expressed the suffering of humanity. Not before then? Hunh. Several passages seem to suggest that there's something novel about having an awareness that people suffer and die, or that this only happened in the past, when both "the rich and poor, the powerful and the weak" all were subject to mortality. Unlike today? Also, according to this book, Christians apparently think that something significant might happen after death. What??? Crazy. Helpfully, the author explains that this belief was needed in order to get people to join the early Church. [p.362] Some of it actually starts to sound like a satire of a graduate student's overblown effort to sound wise and well-read by using complicated words and obscure sentence structure, which only serve to reveal that he is very uncomfortable with the material.Such a shame - it would have been better to simply provide clear labels indicating basic identifying information and just delete the text altogether. And what a sad commentary on our culture's abandonment of its heritage that scholars are so inept at explaining the spiritual significance of the sacred treasures we have inherited. Buy it for the pictures, try not to be distracted by the text.UPDATE 2: I have added page citations for most of the quotes above, still looking for a couple of others. For those who are interested, I have added some additional points in the comments attached to this review - but I don't want to make this review longer.
21 of 22 people found the following review helpful. Superbly put together compendium of Christan art By Critics Corner [[VIDEOID:moXIQ037J7WPCU]]How many of us have spend a lifetime's savings going to Europe to look at the two millenia of art, architecture, painting and sculpture? We go into church after church to worship. But are we worshiping God or Jesus or Mary? The answer for most people is no. What we are really worshiping is two thousand years of inspirational creation carried out by absolutely exemplary artists.I say that because Ars Sacra (Sacred Art) is a superbly put together compendium of Christian art. In a sense, it is the book version of all those churches, cathedrals, galleries, palaces, public places, icons, frescoes, friezes, sarcophogii, manuscripts and gargoyles. It is the summation of virtually the sole expression of European art for more than a thousand years. That art went on to resonate, develop and evolve to the present day, and it is all covered magnificently in this generous tome. Ars Sacra is the European grand tour in a book. In fact, it is the guided specialist tour that most of us will never be able to afford. With its clear and lovely reproductions, insightful commentary and wonderful production, quite frankly you will be able to get a lot closer to those treasures from this book than you will from standing 10 deep and gazing at a Tintoretto in a gallery, or trying to pick out from the ground the features of a flying buttresses disappearing into that flat grey wintery sky.Ars Sacra is huge. It must weight something like 11 kilos and its 800 pages have more than 2000 colour images. It is presented shrink-wrapped with a simply breathtaking cover design of a bejewelled golden treasure with a two process dust jacket spelling out the title which allows glimpses through to the image behind.
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful. A Beautiful Mess By Diana This is a beautiful book. It's HUGE, and it weighs about 25 pounds. I could look at the images forever.That said, it's clear this book was originally published in a foreign language (most likely German, as the publisher is German). The translation is ABYSMAL. Pathetic, even. It breaks my heart to see such a beautiful book receive such shoddy treatment when it comes to the content. But that's what happens when design wins over editorial.Still, I recommend this book, if only for the pictures. Not sure it's worth the hefty price tag.
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