October book review

 Jacques Grange: New Projects (Hardback) by Pierre Passebon et le photographe Nicolas Mathéus.

Thirty inspiring interiors by French master designe rJacques Grange. For over fifty years, Jacques Grange has been the decorator of choice for the homes of prominent collectors, artists, designers, and trendsetters.

With a classical education from the Ecole Boulle and École Camondo in Paris, combined with his passion for contemporary art, Grange has developed a unique vision and an inimitable approach to interior design.

In this stunning new book, illustrated with previously unpublished photographs by Nicholas Mathéus, readers willdiscover thirty of Grange’s latest projects across Europe and the United States, showcasing his wide-ranging inspirations and his natural elegance. From luxurious private mansions in Paris, residences in London and New York, trendy hotels that feel like homes, chic seaside retreats in New England and Comporta, to sensitive restorations of important historical homes in Normandy and on the Riveria, each project bears Grange’s singular touch and unparalleled artistry.

With insightful commentary by Pierre Passebon, the text delves into the foundations of Grange’s creative evolution,his extensive travels and inspirations, examining his eclectic, unique, and refined aesthetic. Despite his long and illustrious career, Jacques Grange remains as original, inspired, and opento the world as ever, continuing to influence younger generations of clients and designers with his boundless vision and passion for beauty.

Pierre Passebonis founder of the Galerie du Passage in Paris. He is the author ofJacques Grange: Recent Work(2022), Jacques Grange: Interiors (2009), Man to Man: An Obsession (2022), and Obsession: Marlene Dietrich (2018). Photographer Nicolas Mathéus contributes to numerous design magazines, including Elle Décoration, Art et Décoration, Marie Claire Maison, Côté Sud, Interiør Magasinet, and AD.

BRASSAÏ: PARIS BY NIGHT, Foreword by Paul Morand

This essential reference in the history of urban photography—compiled by Brassaï himself and first published in 1933 has been meticulously reproduced in a new edition with gilt edging.

The city of Paris bewitched Hungarian-born Brassaï. Working as a journalist by day in the early 1930s, he roamed the streets of the capital by night, visiting its bistros and sharing moments in the lives of avant-garde artists, prostitutes, peddlers,down-and-outs, and illicit lovers. He captured portraits of a hauntingly dramatic nocturnal world.

With these sixty-two poetic photographs, which demonstrate his technical mastery in depicting darkness, he quickly established himself as one of the most original photographers of his generation.The city’s atmospheric night landscape of back alleys, metrostations, and sinewy streets are at turns eerily empty or peopledby dancers, revelers, laborers, and thugs.

This important work—a stunning portrait of night time in the City of Light—portrays the birth of Brassaï as an artist. This book serves asa perpetual source of inspiration for creatives in photography, fashion, and design, and this new edition, printed using the latest engraving technology to faithfully reproduce the quality of the original photographs, features a cloth binding and tinted page edges.

Brassaï (1899–1984), one of the most important and influential photographers of the twentieth century, moved to Paris from Hungary in 1924. He is best known for chronicling the cityin the 1930s and for his portraits of artists such as Picasso and Matisse, and writers including Henry Miller. His fi fty-year artistic career also encompassed drawing, sculpture, writing, and filmmaking.

Paul Morandwas a French author of shortstories and novellas associated with modernism.

POP CULTURE

French savoir faire meets the carefree joy of childhood in the form of pop culture sculptures produced by the artisans of the Leblon Delienne studio.

From Snoopy to Hello Kitty, from Batman to Harry Potter,and from Pokemon to the Smurfs, our beloved pop cultureicons come to life in the hands of the talented artisans of the Leblon Delienne sculpture studio.

Collaborating with the most celebrated artists and designers of our time—including Paul Cocksedge, Martin Lawrence Bullard, Kelly Hoppen, Megan Hess, Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, and Sickboy—the Normandy-based studio recreates life-size 3D models of beloved characters such as Mickey and Minnie, We Bare Bears, and Maneki-neko, and transforms them into resin, marble, or bronze sculptures.

The resulting pop art figurines add a creative, playful ambiance to any interior, and demonstrate how art andpop culture can brighten a home and appeal to children and adults alike.This book takes readers inside the atelier to follow the designers and artisans through the creative process, from inspiration to the final reinterpretation via design sketches,mold making, and hand-painted finishing touches—all rendered to the exacting standards of Leblon Delienne’s rigorous craftsmanship.

The mission of the Leblon Delienne workshop—an accredited Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant (living heritagecompany)—is to reimagine these impish, endearing  characters through exceptional artistry. Published to celebrate the studio’sfortieth anniversary, this exuberant book invites readers insidethe blissful world of “pop sculpture.”

Juliette de Blegiers is president of Leblon Delienne, a popsculpture studio that promotes French artisans and collaborates with international artists. She previously worked in the luxury sector at Dior and Baccarat. Elisabeth Quin, journalist, writer, and television presenter, coauthored The Killer Detail.Michel Bussiwrites thriller novels.

THE WATCH? STORIES AND SAVOIR FAIRE de Audemars Piguet

This ultimate reference on fine watchmaking offers a comprehensive overview of the history and anatomy of luxury timepieces.

Taking readers behind the scenes to discover the captivating realm of mechanical watches, this indispensable reference provides rare insight into the world of fine watchmaking. Designed for watch enthusiasts, experts, and industry professionals alike, it examines every detail of the anatomy of the watch through informative text and photographs that highlight iconic models and innovations from the range of fine watchmaking brands.

Each facet of the watch—dial, case, strap, movements, complications—is explained through key concepts or features, from face displays or hands to engravings or case materials, and from escapements or powering movements to the three families of complications.

This encyclopedic work celebrates the watchmaker’s savoir faire—through historical accounts and archival documents, interviews with technical experts and specialized artisans, definitions of major horological termsand fascinating anecdotes, newly commissioned photographs and modern illustrations by Arthur Junier.

This ground breaking volume is essential reading for aficionados of watches and fine watchmaking and its publication coincides with the 150th anniversary of Swiss luxury watch manufacturer Audemars Piguet. Audemars Piguetis a Swiss luxury watch manufacturer founded by visionaries Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet in 1875 and renowned worldwide for its high-quality and innovative timepieces.