There is nothing more delicious than an unhurried day, curled up under a throw blanket in front of a roaring fireplace with wine and fine food, surrounded by great books. The light dancing off the glass, the crackle and warmth soothing, your mind delighted within the pages of your chosen volumes. From fiction, photography books, entertaining, enlightening and each one, a great escape while indulging in the pleasures of great books. Here are a few recommended books to consider for your next read by the fire.
Treasures of the Goldmith's Art
The Michael Wellby Bequest to the Ashmolean Museum
The Wellby Bequest, received by the Ashmolean Museum in 2013, consists of some 500 precious and exotic objects, mainly from Continental Europe, from the late medieval to the rococo, and is the most remarkable accession of this kind of material to any museum in the UK since the bequest of Ferdinand de Rothschild to the British Museum in 1898 (the Waddesdon Bequest).
The collection was assembled by three generations of the Wellby family with an intention that it should reflect the great princely treasure chambers (Kunstkammer) preserved in Dresden, Vienna, Innsbruck, and elsewhere.
Aesthetic Dining
The Art Restaurant Around the World
“I went to Noma and interviewed René (Redzepi). We were talking about art and food but the restaurant was closed. Everybody asked me how was the food, what did you eat - and he basically gave me some marmite. The best marmite I’ve ever had.” - David Shrigley
This is the definitive guide to Art Restaurants — a new way to appreciate food. Christina Makris, collector of art and a Patron of The Tate and RA, takes the reader on a tour of 25 of the world’s greatest art restaurants, from New York to Hong Kong and Cairo to London.
Makris traces their stories, details the art highlights, and meets artists, restaurateurs and chefs including Vik Muniz, Julian Schnabel and Tracy Emin. A captivating guide to where great art and memorable food meet.
The Impressionist Era
The Story of Scotland’s French Masterpieces
A vibrant, colourful and beautiful book that introduces readers to Impressionism and Post-Impressionism. It explains the difference between the two movements and the main artists associated with each. Illustrations are drawn from the renowned and outstanding collection of French art held by the National Galleries of Scotland and they include a number of rarely seen works.
This book tells the fascinating stories of how key paintings and drawings found their way into the collection.
Artists include Monet, Millet, Gauguin, Bastien-Lepage, Charles Jacque, Troyon, Corot, Degas, Seurat, Van Gogh, Cézanne, Vuillard, Bonnard, Derain, Matisse, Legros and Rodin.
Cellar Collection No 1
The ultimate collection of your favourite wine books by your favourite writers, the Cellar Edition sits in a beautiful Wibalin cloth-covered slipcase with foil embossing. It is the perfect way to display and store titles that every good cellar or library should include.
Enjoy Hugh Johnson’s exploration of the long and fascinating history of wine, along with the work of other writers including George Orwell and PG Wodehouse. The father of formal wine tasting, Michael Broadbent, guides you through the knowledge you need to get the most out of what you drink. Learn about glorious wines including sherries, clarets and the extraordinary Lebanese wines made by Chateau Musar. Meet the legendary wine commentators, including Steven Spurrier, and get to know some of the noblest winemaking families of Europe with Fiona Morrison MW.
The titles featured this collection include:
The Story of Wine 9781913141066
A Life in Wine 9781913141073
On Bordeaux 9781913141059
Chateau Musar 9781913141042
In Vino Veritas 9781913141035
Sherry 9781913141028
10 Great Wine Families 9781913141011
Wine Tasting 9781913141004
Versailles
From Louis XIV to Jeff Koons
The glittering Château de Versailles; recounting the most important historical, social, and cultural milestones of Versailles, beginning with the original proposal for a modest hunting lodge requested by Louis XIII in 1623, this volume encompasses the expansive property, from the palace and gardens to the Grand Trianon and the Queen’s Hamlet.Lavishly illustrated with archival images and beautiful photography, Versailles: From Louis XIV to Jeff Koons features insightful texts by Catherine Pégard, president of the Château de Versailles, with the collaboration of Mathieu da Vinha, scientific director of the Château de Versailles Research Center, revealing all the stories that have unfolded within this glorious monument.
The Timekeepers
by Vivienne Becker (ASSOULINE)
Sevan Biçakçi is a jeweller suited for an Ottoman emperor, with a mastery of classical metalsmithing and gem cutting skills rarely seen in modern metalsmithing and gem cutting. Sevan, an Istanbul native, is a creative jeweller who incorporates natural elements, ancient mythology, Ottoman history, literature, and architecture into his award-winning works. For years, his inventive designs and singular craftsmanship have piqued the interest of other jewellers and connoisseurs, and his awe-inspiring gems, which are one-of-a-kind in their storytelling creativity, are sought after by the world’s most discerning and sophisticated collectors.
