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New

Albert & The Whale

by Philip Hoare
$10.90
Albert & The Whale
Albert & The Whale

Art's intersection with nature, sea, and vision.

"Albert & The Whale" is a treasure for those who appreciate the meticulous blend of nature, history, and art. If you're intrigued by how Albrecht Dürer's work forever altered our perspective on the natural world, this literary voyage by Philip Hoare offers a captivating exploration. Beyond the artistic genius, it's a book that frames profound questions about the world, art's role in it, and our place as observers — all wrapped in exquisite narrative that weaves history with the author's personal reflections.

  • PEN/Jacqueline Bograd Weld Award for Biography Nominee for Shortlist (2022)
Note: While we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.
New

Albert & The Whale

by Philip Hoare
$10.90
Condition guide

Book Condition Guide

Books in Like New Condition

This book may contain very minor cosmetic defects, but it is in pristine condition. There should be no yellowing, no foxing, no water damage, and no annotations of any kind on the cover and the pages. For paperbacks, there should not be any crease marks on the spine. This book is good as new — lucky you!

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

Books in Very Good Condition

This book has been used, but it is still in a clean condition. There should be no foxing or annotations of any kind on the inner pages, but a sparse amount may be present on the cover, title pages, or outside edges of the book. There should be no water damage of any kind. For paperbacks, there may be light crease marks on the spine.

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

Books in Good Condition

We do our best to ensure the quality of our books, but there is no escaping the wear and tear that comes with time. Slight foxing and some annotations may be present on the pages and the cover. There should be no water damage of any kind. For paperbacks, there may be several crease marks on the spine.

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

Books in Well Read Condition

This is a well-read book, which means that the previous owner probably really enjoyed it! The cover and pages may include moderate foxing and annotations, but the text is not obscured and still readable. Moderate cosmetic defects and minor water damage may be present on the edges of the book. For paperbacks, there may be multiple crease marks on the spine.

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

 

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ISBN: 9780008323325
Authors: Philip Hoare
Publisher: Fourth Estate Ltd
Date of Publication: 2022-03-03
Format: Paperback
Related Collections: History, Nature, Art, Biographies & Memoirs
Related Topics: Biography Memoir, Memoir, Art History, Biography
Goodreads rating: 3.57
(rated by 522 readers)

Description

An illuminating exploration of the intersection between life, art and the sea from the award-winning author of Leviathan. Albrecht Dürer changed the way we saw nature through art. From his prints in 1498 of the plague-ridden Apocalypse – the first works mass produced by any artist – to his hyper-real images of animals and plants, his art was a revelation: it showed us who we are but it also foresaw our future. It is a vision that remains startlingly powerful and seductive, even now. In Albert & The Whale, Philip Hoare sets out to discover why Dürer's art endures. He encounters medieval alchemists and modernist poets, eccentric emperors and queer soul rebels, ambassadorial whales and enigmatic pop artists. He witnesses the miraculous birth of Dürer's fantastical rhinoceros and his hermaphroditic hare, and he traces the fate of the star-crossed leviathan that the artist pursued. And as the author swims from Europe to America and beyond, these prophetic artists and downed angels provoke awkward questions. What is natural or unnatural? Is art a fatal contract? Or does it in fact have the power to save us? With its wild and watery adventures, its witty accounts of amazing cultural lives and its delight in the fragile beauty of the natural world, Albert & The Whale offers glorious, inspiring insights into a great artist, and his unerring, sometimes disturbing gaze.
 

Art's intersection with nature, sea, and vision.

"Albert & The Whale" is a treasure for those who appreciate the meticulous blend of nature, history, and art. If you're intrigued by how Albrecht Dürer's work forever altered our perspective on the natural world, this literary voyage by Philip Hoare offers a captivating exploration. Beyond the artistic genius, it's a book that frames profound questions about the world, art's role in it, and our place as observers — all wrapped in exquisite narrative that weaves history with the author's personal reflections.

  • PEN/Jacqueline Bograd Weld Award for Biography Nominee for Shortlist (2022)
Note: While we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.