Publisher Description

The fascination of precious stones has held the peoples of all cultures and civilisations in thrall, a phenomenon that has lasted to the present day. Bernd Munsteiner, a gem-cutter (trained at Pforzheim) living near Idar-Oberstein has revolutionised gem-cutting. His aim was not perfecting the superficial sheen or brilliance of a crystal; he wanted to reveal the 'inner-workings' of precious stones. The cuts he has invented, 'Natural Movements', 'Inside Selecting' and 'Rhythmus' (Rhythm) exemplify Munsteiner's approach to handling precious stones. His gems are encountered in numerous pendants, brooches and rings. In recent years Munsteiner's oeuvre has also featured gem sculpture. His 'Dom Pedro' and 'Metamorphosen' (Metamorphoses) open up entirely new dimensions in creative gem design.

Flap

From its beginnings in the seventeenth century, the eccentric and tumultuous forms of the Baroque spread across not only Europe but colonial Latin America and Asia as well. With Reflections on Baroque , Robert Harbison brings together discussions of aesthetics, science, mysticism, politics, religion, and culture to offer a surprising reinterpretations of the baroque style and its influences and echoes into the twentieth century.

Long Description

The appeal of precious stones has held people of all cultures and civilizations enthralled, it is a phenomenon that has lasted to the present day.

Details