Friday, September 28, 2007

A Syndication of Gould's Birds of Asia



We are pleased to announce a syndication of John Gould’s spectacular Birds of Asia. This set of hand-colored lithographs contains some of the most exquisite depictions of birds ever executed by an ornithologist. John Gould strove to record as many known species of the birds of Asia as possible, which resulted in 530 images of beautiful, exotic birds. The Birds of Asia is considered Gould’s greatest accomplishment, an undertaking that resulted in over 30 years being produced.

John Gould (1804-1881) was without question the most prolific and successful ornithological artist of the 19th century, and the only one to rival John James Audubon in ambition and quality. The 19th century was a time of intense fascination with discoveries in natural history, especially regarding knowledge of the wildlife of exotic lands. Gould shared the romantic enthusiasm of his time for such subjects, as well as the popular impulse to catalogue exotic wildlife. He combined his passion for natural history with outstanding scientific, artistic, and entrepreneurial talents. Drawing on these abilities, he embarked on a series of projects that would eventually make him the leading publisher of ornithological illustrations in Victorian Britain. Gould’s unparalleled career spanned five decades, during which he produced a monumental series of books of birds found throughout the world.

Considered one of Gould’s greatest achievements, the Birds of Asia was in production longer than any of his other works, taking 34 years for the appearance of its 35 parts. The ornithologist was fascinated by the diversity of the exotic, colorful species of Asia, and he conveyed his enchantment to viewers, creating one of his most monumental and magnificent sets. The subjects of the plates are among the most varied of Gould’s folios: trogons, kingfishers, sunbirds, woodpeckers, partridges, parrots, parakeets, pheasants, and many other genera are beautifully drawn, printed and colored. Gould placed many of the vibrant, showy and elegant birds in their appropriate settings.

530 hand-colored lithographs, each measuring 21 ½" x 14 ½", will be distributed by way of syndication on Saturday, November 10, 2007, at 1:00 pm in New York City at our 1016 Madison Avenue gallery. For more information, please contact Arader Galleries at 415.788.5115.

Piranesi as Designer exhibition at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum

"Piranesi as a Designer" is the first museum exhibition to show Piranesi's full range and influence as a designer or architecture, elaborate interiors and exquisite furnishings. On view will be etchings, original drawings and prints by Piranesi, as will as a selection of three-dimensional objects. Read a review of the show at nytimes.com.
“Piranesi as Designer” continues through Jan. 20 at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, 2 East 91st Street, Manhattan; (212)849-8400, cooperhewitt.org.

Image shown: "The Drawbridge”: Staircases and bridges dwarfing tiny figures.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Arader Galleries at Art International Fair, San Francisco









Arader Galleries will be participating in the upcoming Art International Fair at Fort Mason Center in San Francisco: Friday, September 28 through Sunday, September 30th. We invite you to stop by the special Gala Preview event, Thursday, September 27, from 7 – 10 p.m.

For more information, visit: http://www.artinternationalfair.com/