Random House New Releases - Art - History - Medieval

Medieval Heraldry by Richard Hook

2012-04-17T00:30:00-05:00

Medieval Heraldry
Written by Terence Wise
Illustrated by Richard Hook

eBook, 48 pages | Osprey Publishing | History - Military; History - Medieval; Art - History - Medieval | $13.95 | 978-1-78096-626-7 (1-78096-626-1)

Coats of arms were at first used only by kings and princes, then by their great nobles, but by the mid-13th century arms were being used extensively by the lesser nobility, knights and those who later came to be styled gentlemen. In some countries the use of arms spread even to merchants, townspeople and the peasantry. From the mundane to the fantastic, from simple geometric patterns to elaborate mythological beasts, this fascinating work by Terence Wise explores the origins and appearance of medieval heraldic devices in an engagingly readable style accompanied by numerous illustrations including eight full page colour plates by Richard Hook.

Church Misericords and Bench Ends by Richard Hayman

2011-11-22T00:30:00-05:00

Church Misericords and Bench Ends
Written by Richard Hayman

eBook, 64 pages | Shire | Art - History - Medieval; Antiques & Collectibles - Furniture | $9.95 | 978-0-7478-1183-1 (0-7478-1183-0)

Although misericords were originally installed on the hidden undersides of church folding seats to provide comfort to those standing for long periods of prayer, the have gradually become more ornately carved and decorated. Now they, along with the benches installed in parish churches in the later middle ages, are the objects of a large proportion of the surviving medieval woodcarving in Britain. The subject matter of these carvings is not merely concerned with religion and religious symbolism. This book outlines the history of church seating, considers the status of the craftsmen and the influences on their work, and then explains the subject matter of the carvings.

From the Trade Paperback edition.

Gargoyles and Grotesques by Alex Woodcock

2011-05-24T00:30:00-05:00

Gargoyles and Grotesques
Written by Alex Woodcock

Trade Paperback, 64 pages | Shire | Art - History - Medieval; Architecture - History - Medieval; History - Great Britain | $12.95 | 978-0-7478-0831-2 (0-7478-0831-7)

Gargoyles are an architectural feature designed to throw rainwater clear of the walls of a building. Widely used on medieval churches, these water spouts were often richly decorated, and fashioned as serpents' heads and other fanciful shapes. Today, the term gargoyle is also popularly applied to any carved decorative head or creature high up on a building and this book is an exploration of all of these enchanting features. Written by an academic and stonecarver, it is the perfect introduction to this fascinating subject.

Gargoyles aims to provide a concise introduction to the stone carvings often found on religious and secular buildings in Britain from the medieval period to the modern. It will explore the typical imagery, some of the theories put forward to explain them, as well as consider the carvings within their architectural and social contexts. Incorporating recent and current research, the book will nevertheless be accessible to the general reader.

Medieval Church and Churchyard Monuments by Sally Badham

2011-03-22T00:30:00-05:00

Medieval Church and Churchyard Monuments
Written by Sally Badham

Trade Paperback, 64 pages | Shire | Art - History - Medieval; Architecture - History - Medieval; Architecture - Religious Buildings | $12.95 | 978-0-7478-0810-7 (0-7478-0810-4)

Churches contain much of the most interesting medieval sculpture in Britain. Magnificent effigies, whether of cast copper-alloy or stone, never cease to provoke awe and wonder, conjuring up glamorous images of an age of chivalry.

Among the many joys of visiting churches is the experience of discovering sculptural treasures; monuments open doors to the past and introduce us to the characters from our history books that inhabited that lost world. Yet in their intended setting such monuments are often little known to non-specialists.

Lavishly illustrated with high-quality color photographs, this book uncovers monuments as a rich source of information for anyone interested not only in church history but also in costume, armor, heraldry, sculpture and genealogy.

The Green Man by Richard Hayman

2010-06-22T00:30:00-05:00

The Green Man
Written by Richard Hayman

Trade Paperback, 56 pages | Shire | Architecture - History - Medieval; Art - History - Medieval | $12.95 | 978-0-7478-0784-1 (0-7478-0784-1)

Green men are figures or heads that were carved in churches, abbeys and cathedrals from the twelfth to the sixteenth centuries. Inspired by the illustrations in book margins where heads were used to terminate trails of foliage, they were usually carved in the form of human masks, cats' or demons' heads. The earliest architectural green men are found in the churches of the wealthy and influential, such as Henry I's private chapel in Derbyshire but they were still produced in lesser numbers into the nineteenth century. Richard Hayman discusses the origins and definitions of these fascinating figures and traces their many declines and revivals throughout history - a valuable guide for any church history enthusiast.

Church Monuments by Brian Kemp

2010-03-23T00:30:00-05:00

Church Monuments
Written by Brian Kemp

Trade Paperback, 32 pages | Shire | Art - History - Medieval; Architecture - History - Medieval | $11.95 | 978-0-85263-768-5 (0-85263-768-3)

Church monuments are memorials in various forms within the church itself (this was more prestigious than being buried in the graveyard, and so the most important people tended to have memorials inside the building). They can take the form of chest tombs, often with an effigy of the deceased atop it, and can have ornamental canopies over them, usually reflecting the architectural fashions of the time. Particularly from the sixteenth century, monuments might be recessed into the walls of the church, and might feature a bust of the deceased rather than a full effigy. There is always some form of epitaph included, and particularly from the eighteenth century, effigies were less prominent, a wall-mounted cartouche with an epitaph being more favored.

This book provides a basic introduction to the subject of English church monuments. An enormous number of monuments dating from the twelfth century to the twentieth century can be seen in cathedrals and churches throughout England. In addition to making visits to these places more interesting and rewarding, taken together they make up a valuable part of the country's cultural heritage. Not only are they often important as works of art but they also throw light on many aspects of English history and life. After dealing with matters such as conservation the book considers the historical development of monuments, the changing forms and attitudes of effigies, the symbolism of death and immortality and the making of monuments. It concludes with a list of English cathedrals, churches and chapels where interesting collections of monuments can be seen, and suggestions for further reading.

Random House New Releases - Art - History - Medieval

Medieval Heraldry by Richard Hook

Medieval Heraldry Written by Terence Wise Illustrated by Richard Hook

Church Misericords and Bench Ends by Richard Hayman

Church Misericords and Bench Ends Written by Richard Hayman