Reproductions of paintings by the Scottish artist Craigie Aitchison.

The painter and printmaker Craigie Aitchison (1926-2009), born in Edinburgh and trained at the Slade School for Art, is best-known for his spare compositions and intense, luminous palette. His subject-matter is equally distinctive - single flower, Bedlington terriers, sheep and crucifixions - rendered, as in the early Italian religious paintings that he so admired, in simple but powerful forms. These hallmarks are also present in Aitchison's prints, most of which are the legacy of his longstanding relationship with the technicians at Advanced Graphics, London. His prints are all brought togethers for the first time in his authoritative publication, an essential purchase for all those interested in Aitchison's work.

This fully illustrated study of the life and work of Scottish artist Craigie Aitchison (1926-2009) is the first book to cover the entire oeuvre of a painter whose distinctive and powerfully evocative style has earned him widespread critical acclaim and public popularity. Award-winning writer Cate Haste draws for the first time on original documents, family archives, letters, published interviews with the painter, and new interviews with those who knew Aitchison to explore the relationship of his life to his work, the influences which shaped his visual imagination, the emergence of his distinctive themes, and the development of his painting style.

Join Sister Wendy on a journey through Lent, and discover the timeless wisdom to be found in some of the world’s greatest paintings. Illustrated in full colour with over forty famous and lesser-known masterpieces of Western art, this beautiful book will lead you into a deeply prayerful response to all that these paintings convey to the discerning eye. ‘For those who want to appreciate the spirituality behind some of the world’s greatest works of art, this book will be hugely inspiring – not only during Lent but at any time of the year.’ Dr Janina Ramirez, art historian and broadcaster

In the 43rd year of the reign of the Emperor Augustus Caesar, a son of a Roman official posted near Bethlehem, is sent on an errand by his mother. On the way, he encounters all the usual sights and sounds of village life in Judaea, but Bethlehem is even more crowded that usual.

A visual feast of some of the best examples of this beautiful, powerful art form from the Middle Ages to the present day, including stained glass, paintings, icons, frescoes and sculpture. The craftsmanship of this devotional art is truly inspirational and many of the examples explained in this book can be seen in British cathedrals and galleries. More titles available in the Pleasures and Treasures Series Aftertoon Tea Picnic English Pudding