In a book that is itself beautifully written, renowned philosopher Roger Scruton explores this timeless concept, asking what makes an object--either in art, in nature, or the human form--beautiful.--From publisher description.

After losing someone she loved, artist Candy Chang painted the side of an abandoned house in her New Orleans neighborhood with chalkboard paint and stenciled the sentence, "Before I die I want to _____." Within a day of the wall's completion, it was covered in colorful chalk dreams as neighbors stopped and reflected on their lives. Since then, more than four hundred Before I Die walls have been created by people all over the world. This beautiful hardcover book is an inspiring celebration of these walls and the stories behind them. Filled with hope, fear, humor, and heartbreak, Before I Die presents an intimate portrait of the dreams within our communities and a chance to ponder life's ultimate question.

The purpose of writing this work was to establish a basis for the view that the art of the painter and sculptor is imitative, not innovative. He claims that all art stems from nature, and those who are the most genius painters or sculptors are the ones who can best imitate nature. This treatise contains insightful opinions on the relation of art to nature, expressed by artists famous artists themselves. These are some well-celebrated personalities in painting and sculpture-making from different times and principles. The author includes the opinions of philosophers and intellectuals also. The Relation of Art to Nature is well-written by painter John W. Beatty who created the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh. It is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand why the art museum was set up the way it is. Contents include: Argument The Artist and His Purpose Ancient Conceptions of Art Evidence of Painters and Sculptors Opinions of Philosophers and Writers Symmetry Conclusion

As can be guessed from the title, this book is a collection of essays about art (as well as other subjects), written by A. Clutton-Brock. He was an English essayist, critic and journalist, and has written on a plethora of subjects, from gardening to religion. Featured titles include 'Leonardo da Vinci', 'A Defence of Criticism', 'Waste or Creation?', and 'Professionalism in Art'.