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|  | The Age of Elegance
John Singer Sargent (1856-1925) was American by parentage, though born in Florence. After studying in Paris, he arrived in London in 1884 calling himself an Impressionist although his work also showed the influence of both Frans Hals and Velasquez. He soon became a prolific and fashionable painter, known for his elegant ladies and sophisticated gentlemen. Although he spent much of his time working on a series of decorative paintings for public buildings, it is for his portraits that he is best known. This book concentrates on 100 paintings from his significant output, showing how they capture tbe charm and elegance, the opulence and assurance of the late Victorian and Edwardian eras and the place of the American ex-patriot in European society. Occasional quotes from Henry James reinforce the spirit of the age.
PUBLISHER: Phaidon Press, Incorporated
FORMAT: Paperback
CATEGORY: Art & Architecture 
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 | Complete Drawing Course by Group Diagram Staff
This progressive course enables even the complete novice to tap into the magic of drawing, to use art to discover the world, and to create significant personal responses to reality and ideas. 768 illustrations. AUTHOR: Group Diagram Staff
PUBLISHER: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.
FORMAT: Paperback
CATEGORY: Art & Architecture
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 | My New Apartment by Michele Michael
Tips for turning a first apartment into a home that reflects a personal style. Starts with a nuts-and-bolts room-by-room tour and proceeds through sections on displaying collectibles, creating a mosaic countertop, making the most of awkward spaces, and much more. AUTHOR: Michele Michael
PUBLISHER: Crown Publishing Group
FORMAT: Paperback
CATEGORY: Art & Architecture
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 | Respect for Acting by Haskel Frankel, Uta Hagen
This is a book for people who respect--or wish they could--the theatre on both sides of the footlights, for the actor and audience who favor truth in a creative process. The constructive stages of work delve into performance as well as the issues surrounding a necessary change in the theatre. Among Hagen's distinguished students were Jack Lemmon, Geraldine Page, and Jason Robards. AUTHOR: Haskel Frankel, Uta Hagen
PUBLISHER: Wiley, John & Sons, Incorporated
FORMAT: Hardcover
CATEGORY: Art & Architecture
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 | Crucible by Alexandra Stoddart, Arthur Miller, Jerome Dempsey, Stuart Pankin
Set during the Salem witchcraft trials, this play is most famous for its metaphor for McCarthyism--in fact, three years after the play was produced, Miller himself was called before HUAC. In the play, Miller used colonial language to near-poetic effect; the plot involves characters who have to make certain moral choices concerning their communities and their friends. Miller explores the handy scapegoat that an accusation of witchcraft can be: a father can dismiss his daughter's behavior, a landowner can acquire still more land, a serving girl can attract attention to herself, and emotions can be displaced onto other people. Miller fully explores the power of an accusing figure. AUTHOR: Alexandra Stoddart, Arthur Miller, Jerome Dempsey, Stuart Pankin
PUBLISHER: HarperTrade
FORMAT: Audio
CATEGORY: Art & Architecture
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 | A Midsummer Night's Dream by A. L. Rowse, Alan Durband, Alfred Alexander Evans, Barbara A. Mowat, David Bevington
Confusions of the heart reign in Athens, where everyone is pining away for the wrong person except Theseus, the Duke and his fiancee, Hippolyta, whose wedding day is fast approaching. Hermia, the Duke's daughter, is intent on marrying Lysander, although her father disapproves and threatens to make her a nun if she refuses to marry his choice for her, Demetrius. However, Helena loves Demetrius, who courted her once, and Lysander and Hermia plan to elope despite the Duke's orders. Hoping that Demetrius will fall for her instead, Helena plans to alert Demetrius that Hermia will shortly be spoken for. Meanwhile, in a subplot, the artisans Quince, Snug, Flute, Snout, Starveling, and Bottom, are rehearsing the play PYRAMUS AND THISBE to be performed at the Duke's wedding. As Hermia and Lysander head into woods to elope, with Helena and Demetrius following, the amateur acting troupe likewise takes cover in the woods to rehearse in privacy. This leads all the players into the realm of fairy magic, where fairies Oberon and Titania are arguing over a changeling. When Oberon decides to play a trick on Titania with the aid of a magic flower that causes people to fall in love with the first person (or beast) they set eyes on, the real trouble starts. The flower is used liberally on both the humans and the fairies by the trouble-making sprite Puck, inspiring many amorous entanglements. There is no known source for Shakespeare's fantastic plot, though the structure is classical, as the events begin in the court, relocate to an uncivilized environment, and return to the court with renewed order, and aspects of the imagery are drawn from classic works, such as Apuleius's THE GOLDEN ASS and Ovid's METAMORPHOSES. Evidence in the play, like Titania's remark about three unusually unpleasant summers in a row--documented elsewhere in England's records--suggest a composition date of 1595 or 1596. A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM was listed in a 1598 catalogue of Shakespeare's works, and was publi AUTHOR: A. L. Rowse, Alan Durband, Alfred Alexander Evans, Barbara A. Mowat, David Bevington
PUBLISHER: HarperTrade
FORMAT: Audio
CATEGORY: Art & Architecture
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