BEAUTIFUL, great content, hard to find with all prints well attached
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 15 years ago
One of the nicest books in Russian art that I have ever owned. Absolutely STUNNING. The only real problem with this book when found today is that basically all the art prints are seperate sheets attached to the pages. with age and reading wear, these can loosen and become separated from the book. Or, just as bad, some may have been purposely taken from books as they are all suitable for framing. One needs to make sure that every print is with the book when buying it now as it is 45 yrs old as of 2009
a glorious visual treat
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 16 years ago
This is a stunning book overstuffed with spectacular photos of priceless treasures that make the Crown Jewels of QEII look like a handful of mud. Page after page brims with crowns, breastplates, Faberge eggs, and glorious religious artworks. The photographic backbone of the book is well supported by just the right amount of historical background, examining the origins and growth of the Russian state, the provenance and purpose of the artifacts, and something about official functions and events in the modern-day (from 1979's perspective) Soviet Union. HRH Michael of Greece has written a coffee-table book called "Jewels of the Romanovs" that is far more expensive than Duncan's work; it is also printed on paper that seems to be about three times as thick. Admittedly, the focus of the two works differs, as Prince Michael devotes much of his attention to empresses' parures and brooches and such. As beautiful as those might be, they really can't hold a candle to crowns, whether for historicity or just plain jaw-dropping beauty. You simply can't go wrong with Duncan's outstanding and reasonably-priced opus.
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