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“A Room without Books is like a Body with no Soul”

“Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen.” — Leonardo da Vinci

Literature and writing, storytelling and poetry, the verbal and written arts that are so seldom recognised for what they are and could potentially be. Books hold the essence of their author and their subject, they are a unique insight into the thinking, ideologies and behaviours of the individuals and topics they espouse. The development of language and writing evolves alongside the evolution of mankind, a means to hone and preserve our knowledge.

One can access different worlds through reading, learn about space, history, nature and of course, art. Should exquisite texts with beautifully illuminated imagery and delicate printing and binding be considered separate to art? Why are these magnificent objects, containing the essence of knowledge, be considered less?

Here at The David Krut Projects, our bookstore is dedicated to linking books back to art. Whether they are children’s story books or finely crafted artist monographs, we appreciate them all.

Here are a few examples of the absolute gems available at The David Krut Bookstores:

The Happy Prince

‘One night a swallow arrived in the city. He was on his way to Egypt to meet his friends, but he decided to rest on the feet of the statue. The swallow was very happy with his golden perch. But as he drifted off to sleep, a large drop of water fell on him. This was odd, because the night sky was clear and warm. Then another drop fell on him. When the third drop fell, the swallow wondered if he should find a new place to sleep. Then he looked up…’

So begins Maisie Paradise Shearring’s beautifully rendered interpretation of Oscar Wilde’s classic tale. Maisie’s award-winning illustrations offer a fresh and lively take on this much-loved story, which will move and enthral a new generation of children.

Enchanted Forest: An Inky Quest & Coloring Book

This magical coloring book by Johanna Basford takes colorists through an enchanted forest to discover what lies in the castle. Similarly interactive like SECRET GARDEN, ENCHANTED FOREST also features hidden objects and fun mazes. Beginning at the entrance to a fairy-tale forest, the journey progresses through highly embellished woods and through intricate flora. Castles, treasure chests, and other magical elements add a fairy tale narrative to the designs. Special features include a gate-folded two-page spread, and a colorable jacket.

Mystical Symbolism: The Salon de la Rose+Croix in Paris, 1892–1897

Bound in red velvet with gold-stamped lettering to conjure the evocative atmosphere of the Salons, the catalog features essays about the history, themes and often spiritual aims of the Rose+Croix (Vivien Greene), its reception by the press and the public in the 1890s (Jean-David Jumeau-Lafond) and the importance of spiritualism to early 20th-century abstraction (Kenneth E. Silver). This richly illustrated volume also contains 46 color plates, entries on each exhibited artist and a bibliography of contemporary sources on Symbolist art.

Rembrandt and the Dutch Golden Age: Masterpieces from the Rijksmuseum

This book introduces the work of the greatest artists of the Dutch golden age, an era of unparalleled wealth, power and cultural confidence. It presents a vivid and compelling panorama of a place and period, from tranquil landscapes, symbolladen stilllifes, the colorful life of the cities and the characters of the people to maritime power. 

Beautifully illustrated and designed, and written in an engaging and accessible style, Rembrandt and the Dutch Golden Age enlightens readers on the artists, the art, and the times. The seventy-eight artworks by some fifty artists are organized in themes: meeting the Dutch; inside and outside the town walls; across the oceans; the home and the inn; Rembrandt, master of light and shade; tales from the past; and arrangements of life and death.

William Kentridge: Triumph and Laments

Triumphs and Laments is not only a celebration of William Kentridge’s (born 1955) monumental frieze drawn along the banks of the Tiber River in Rome and the performance which inaugurated it, but a gorgeously produced guide to one of his most memorable and ambitious projects.

Designed with the early Baedekers in mind, this bilingual book acts as an essential component to viewing Kentridge’s erased-graffiti figures and understanding the process of their creation, with useful gatefolds, a poster and a leporello of the frieze to accompany the texts.

These include a conversation between Carlos Basualdo and the artist and two essays, by Salvatore Settis and Gabriele Guercio, which explore the meaning behind the work and its resonance with the millennia-long history of the city of Rome.

All of these and many more, available at The David Krut Bookstores, to browse our beautiful collection, click here.