Giant steel visages, finely detailed pistols, and sharpened halberds provide the "shiny shapes" of the title. Taken from Landesmuseum Joanneum, a fine Austrian armory and museum, these exquisite weapons and armor of the 15th to 18th centuries come to life in marvelous, full-page photographs that show every detail of selected items. The arsenal was the result of heated wars between the Syrian state and invading Ottoman Turks. The text of the book focuses, disappointingly, not on the fine examples of weapons and armor but on the history and cultural background that necessitated their construction and use, ruminating on the symbolism and philosophy of the art of war. For a bit more detailed description of this collection and its history, see Peter Krenn's Imperial Austria: Treasures of Art, Arms & Armor from the State of Syria (Houston Museum of Fine Arts, 1992). This is a fine picture book, but the lack of an index limits its research value. Recommended for specialized collections or larger academic libraries.AKaren Ellis, Baldwin Boettcher Lib., Humble, TX
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Review
... Text, photography and design combine to create an exciting and surprising volume, which reflects the uniqueness and sensual aura of the armory and its fascinating objects... (Grapewein)
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