A presentation of close-up studio photographs of one of the most varied and beautiful species on the planet: the beetle. The range of shapes and colours featured should be a source of inspiration to professional designers and a visual wonder to the general reader. As the introduction explains, beetles were deified in Ancient Egypt, used for necklaces and brooches by the Amazonian Indians of Peru, and worn live, tethered to gold chains, by fashionable ladies in Victorian times. The photographs here provide evidence of why beetles have been such a valuable commodity to various cultures.
FREE Two-Day Shipping for students on millions of items. Learn more |
| |||||||||||||||
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Library Journal
Intended as a visual introduction to the beauty and diversity of beetles, this volume is a photographic study of a small sampling of some of the world's most beautiful insects. A seven-page introduction to beetle varieties, folklore, collecting, and how we humans have regarded beetles over the centuries precedes the 79 full-color plates. The photographs are striking in their much-larger-than-life portrayals of beetle colors, patterns, textures, and body designs, and the solid white backgrounds focus the reader's attention entirely on the insects themselves. The authors are artists rather than entomologists and approach their subjects accordingly. Photographer Beckmann is responsible for the eye-catching images, and Kaspin, a painter, wrote the introduction. Both have been involved in jewelry design, which helps explain their interest in these particular creatures. This book is a good choice for art and design collections in public and academic libraries. For a science-based yet very readable introduction to beetles with considerable text to accompany the attractive color photography, see Arthur Evans & others' An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles (LJ 4/15/97). William H. Wiese, Iowa State Univ. Lib., Ames
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Review
"...this book puts forward a strong case for a revaluation of bugs." -- Creative Review, January 2002
"It’s sure to be the topic of conversation..." -- Shutterbug, May 2002
"Paul Beckmann’s Living Jewels is one of the season’s happiest marriages of science and art." -- Houston Chronicle, December 2001
"The photographs are striking in their much-larger-than-life portrayals of beetle colors, patterns, textures, and body designs." -- Library Journal, February 2002
"The season’s most beautiful and original illustrated book." -- Wall Street Journal, November 2001
"It’s sure to be the topic of conversation..." -- Shutterbug, May 2002
"Paul Beckmann’s Living Jewels is one of the season’s happiest marriages of science and art." -- Houston Chronicle, December 2001
"The photographs are striking in their much-larger-than-life portrayals of beetle colors, patterns, textures, and body designs." -- Library Journal, February 2002
"The season’s most beautiful and original illustrated book." -- Wall Street Journal, November 2001
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A gorgeous piece of work!,
By A Customer
This review is from: Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles (Art & Design S.) (Hardcover)
Living Jewels shows just that: the tremendous variety of jewels that make up the population of beetles. Upon closer examination of the photographs, the "jewels" have a tremendous amount of detail, showing tiny hairs, fuzz and various protuberances. How can that much detail show up in a photograph?The text at the beginning of the book contains many fascinating, and at times hysterical, facts about beetles. I got a good laugh about the treatment of beetles in medieval times!
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A work of art,
By David Feldman (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles (Art & Design S.) (Hardcover)
This is a beautiful and unique book; the photography and printing are outstanding, and the images of the beetles are simultaneously gorgeous and bizarre.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
tiny overpriced,
By bookbuyerr "bookbuyerr" (Blue States, USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles (Prestel Minis) (Hardcover)
Book is very tiny, less than five inches by 3 and a half inches. It is a mini taken from a full sized book. Way overpriced.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
