Shell Shock: Conchological Curiosities [Hardcover]

Patrick Mauries (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1994

Some of the wittiest and most artful decorative creations of all have been crafted from nature's miniature masterpiece: the shell. Its myriad forms and colours display a beauty and an intricacy that defy the mind and hand of man. Now Patrick Mauries takes us through the history of man's delight in and decorative use of the shell. From ancient times, the shell has been the focus of fantasy and fascination, playing a significant role in myth and religion. Gradually, as the age of exploration brought ever more exotic examples to European shores, it became an object of curiosity and ornament. Cabinets of rarities gave pride of place to conchological collections; fine books were filled with exquisite engravings of every type of mollusc; grottoes and architectural interiors encrusted with products of the sea became the rage; and finally the shell motif was carried into every branch of decoration and design. From Rococo and Rocaille, through Victorian kitsch to 20th-century refinement, in paintings and porcelain, furniture and fashion, the shell is everywhere. Contemporary artists have "rediscovered" the shell, exploiting its elegance, its variety, its patterns and its polish, to delight and surprise in sometimes unexpected ways.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: French

Product Details

• Hardcover: 112 pages
• Publisher: Thames & Hudson; 1st Edition. edition (June 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0500016097
• ISBN-13: 978-0500016091
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 8.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,390,593 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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