Classical Greece, Persia, Byzantium, the Islamic world, Venice, and the art nouveau style can all be seen as sources for Chihuly's Persian series, argues art historian Tina Oldknow in 'An Ancient Legacy', her insightful essay in 'Chihuly Persians'. However, she concludes by saying, that the impetus is the marvellous -- la merveille -- that other, magical world where the source of wonder and delight reside.. Oldknow sets the stage for 'Chihuly Persians' by reviewing the accomplishments of his artistic ancestors from the anonymous Egyptian makers of core-formed vessels from 1500BC to Louis Comfort Tiffany. She then goes on to discuss in contemporary aesthetic terms Chihuly's romantic Persian series, which began in 1986 as a search for new forms. Particular attention is paid to their use in the architectural context, and the author suggests a comparison with Persian gardens and carpets. Oldknow's thoughtful essay is illustrated by stunning examples of Chihuly's glass works with their swirling colours and exotic forms.

Dale Chihuly is the most famous and influential artist working in glass today. A career-spanning biographical essay by curator Timothy Anglin Burgard and stunning colour photography of the works will captivate Chihuly's myriad fans - both old and new.

Dale Chihuly is the most famous and influential artist working in glass today. A career-spanning biographical essay by curator Timothy Anglin Burgard and stunning colour photography of the works will captivate Chihuly's myriad fans - both old and new.

As we look back at a career over fifty years and counting, we realize that Dale Chihuly's five best- known series"€"the Baskets, Seaforms, Macchia, Persians, and the Venetians"€"which were created sequentially in rapid succession over a nine-year period from 1977 through 1986"€"were the ones that really defined his aesthetic and effected the most dramatic change in the centuries-old medium of glass. In recognition of the importance of these five series, Chihuly Workshop has chosen to reissue in this single-volume format, essays on these bodies of work that were initially part of a multi-volume edition published in 2009 and 2010. The texts have been updated slightly with some fresh observations about how this modern master continues to grow and refine his aesthetic and impact the art of today.

Artforum art critic Joan Seeman Robinson discusses Chihuly's most exquisite and ethereal series, invoking the spontaneous automatic drawings of the Surrealists, the water lilies of Claude Monet, the action painting of Jackson Pollock, and, most cogently, Henri Matisse's Swimming Pool. Oceanographer and explorer Sylvia Earle, former Chief Scientist of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, finds in Chihuly's evocative 'Seaforms' not only 'reflections of skill, passion, teamwork and sheer genius' but also 'tributes' to the sea. Together these writers help to illuminate what many consider Chihuly's quintessential series, which was begun in 1980. The saturated colour of the 40 full-colour pages, including many double-page spreads, conveys the sensuousness of Chihuly's work.

Team Chihuly describes the relationship and developement between master glassblower Dale Chihuly as well as other renowned artists including Dante Marioni, Benjamin Moore, William Morris, and Richard Royal as well as Italian Glass Masters, Pino Signoretto and Lino Tagliapietra.

"Drawing on the museum's historic Renaissance collections and expertise, the book also explores the development of the Venetian glass workshop and Chihuly's enormous influence in introducing it and Venetian glassmakers to the United States. It also includes a brief resume of his career and an assessment of his art and its significance."--BOOK JACKET.