The Summer Palaces of the Romanovs: Treasures from Tsarskoye Selo Product Bundle – November 5, 2012

This is a very beautiful book that is very well presented with excellent production valuesIt deals with Tsarskoye Selo ( Puskin) aloneThe Editor Emmanuel Ducamp has been associated with some of the very best material related to Romanov Palaces. He is always well worth considering if one is looking for a book on this subject.The focus of the book is on a large number of very high quality photographs with accompanying textIt will more appeal to those with a interest in the decorative arts or to those of a scholarly bent. Personally I think it has much wider appealIt will also appeal to those who linger over objects in museums and who move slowly through country houses.The focus of the book is best seen in listing the table of contents and page numbers. It becomes very apparent that the text focuses on the decorative features of this truly great palace. As the authors are Russian I have not put in there names by their chaptersContentsIntroduction. Pages. 19--38Palaces , Parks and Pavilions. Pages 39--84Interiors. Pages 85--136Stucco, Scagliola and Painted decoration. Pages 137--162Marble and Coloured Stone. Pages 163--190Textiles and Costumes. Pages 191--220Carved Wood and Marquetry Pages 221--248Decorative Metal. Pages. 249--286Porcelain and Pottery. Pages 287--310Coloured Glass and Crystal. Pages 311--330Amber and Exotic Materials. Pages 331--355Notes, chronological Bibliography and IndexAbout 290 colour illustrations ( 336 in total) the photographs are of excellent qualityEach section is briefly introduced with several pages of text then there are breathtaking photos . These are captioned with informative commentary every few pages. Many of the illustrations are double page spreadsThere are beautiful spreads of rooms, halls, staircases and parks at one end of the scale and a 2 page spread of a close up of some golden object be it inkstand ,clock or guilding on the Julius Caesar ClockThe effect of the book is that of being able to take a very lie surly tour though the palace and it's grounds. The focus is one the interiorExamples of two sectionsIn the Costumes and Textiles section you see there are Portraits showing costumes, Furniture, period photos, beautiful close ups of embroiled Russian Eagles, women's and girls dresses and men's military uniforms along with a selection of epaulettes . The is a beautiful traveling suitcase with cap, sword, white gloves etc. on another page there is a selection of decorative regimental headgear. There are also uniforms of the Imperial ChildrenOne of my strongest early memories of Russian decoration was the beautiful coloured stone especially the rich green malachite and the deep blue lapis lazuliIn the Marble and Coloured Stone section there are portrait busts, beautifully carved fireplaces,pictures made of hard stone and semiprecious stones-- the detail in the picture is amazingThe close up of a gilt greyhound on a malachite base is very impressive (it is a paperweight )One is always wishing that there were even more objects in each section but I think the editor and authors have made excellent choices, one could occasionally have wished for a different object but that probably reflects my own tasteOne could go through other chapters but hopefully this will give some idea of what is contained in the bookSummaryThis book will appeal to those with a reasonable knowledge of art. For those who appreciate the chance to pause,think and look this will really appealFor those looking to educate the eye then there are a vast number of objects of the very highest museum quality to look atIt also gives a much closer look at a great palace than one gets in many other books and in that sense is a great supplement to themFor those luck enough to have been through the palace and grounds it will bring back memories and bring forth new joyFor others who have not seem the Palace it is like having a detailed tour-- although one needs other books to show the many other rooms and parts of the ground not coveredHighly recommended to these readers Risen from the ashes: Petrodvorets, Pushkin, Pavlovsk This covers the post WWII restoration of Puskin ( Tsarskoye Selo) and the other palaces mentioned .Has a good selection of colour photographs of both the interior and exterior of the Palaces, there Outhouses ,Gardens and Parks -- well recommended. See my review Tsarskoe Selo: Watercolours, paintings and engravings from the XVIIIth and XIXth centuries (Imperial Palaces in the Vicinity of St. Petersburg, Volume 4 "Views of the Palaces of Tsarskoe Selo") Mainly a selection of lucid 19th century watercolours that were useful in the restoration of the palaces. See my review

After reading the reviews on Amazon, I was somewhat reluctant to buy this book. Now that I've had time to review it - I have no regrets. There are very few recent books available featuring Russian palaces. As one reviewer pointed out, there are limited new photographs available of the exterior and interior of this palace due to ongoing restoration. The older black and white photographs in this volume are mostly for historical purposes or, before and after pictures. The photo's of various art objects are beautiful and enrich the book.The book arrived well protected, in both a protective outer box and a baroque decorative inner box that resembles a cigar box. The book is weirdly shaped - it's short and very wide, basically rectangular. I would have preferred a large, standard sized art book. Even though it was printed in China the binding and paper is high quality and the photography and print is vivid, sharp and clear. Considering the rarity and opulence of this book, aficionados of Russian art and architecture would be wise to purchase a copy before it sells out. Soon they will be forced to buy an overpriced and battered used copy or pay an astronomical price for a new copy that will most likely be shopworn.

This book is certainly a fabulous addition to my library. First of all, it comes in a beautiful "box" so when you open it you feel like you are opening a wonderful present. Other reviewers here have called it a slipcase but it is not. You have to remove the box from your bookshelf, put it down and open the cover in order to access the book - something you don't have to do with a slipcase. Secondly, the book is printed on very high grade paper and the photos are so beautiful. If you are a fan of the Romanov's or Russian history, this book demands to be in your collection. If there is a downside to this book, it is the fact that (as other reviewers have stated) the photos focus more on the details of the Catherine Palace. For example, there are stunning photos of a chair leg, a wall relief, sculptures, snuff boxes, etc. There are very, very few photos of full room interiors. It would have been nice to get more of a view of black/white photo of a room and show it as it is now - in color. A few are in the book, but not enough to satisfy my curiosity. This is why I did not rate it a 5.

This book is a real treasure. The photography is gorgeous and the historical text is highly informative. This book is so wonderful because many readers are unaware of the massive damage that many, if not all, of the imperial palaces and residences suffered during World War II. Some reviewers lamented over not having enough photos or info on the other residences within Tsarskoe Selo besides the Catherine Palace, such as the Alexander Palace (which was the favorite residence of Tsar Nicholas II and his family). Unfortunately, the Alexander Palace and other monuments within the grounds are still under renovation (or pending renovation), so it's understandable that this volume centers on the Catherine Palace which has undergone extensive renovation (much of which has been completed within the last few years such as the magnificent Amber Room). I have visited Tsarskoe Selo and to say it is spectacular is an understatement. This text provides a glimpse of many of the artifacts within the Catherine Palace including gorgeous, and priceless, Russian portraits and paintings by other famous artists. The book does come in a superb slip cover which, as one reviewer indicated, is more like a box - but that is really due to the dimensions of the book itself. It is gorgeous and it is made of the trade cloth of which most fine books are made (I did not receive anything like a tin box). I highly recommend this stunning book for anyone fascinated by Imperial Russia. A definite Five Stars for me!!

Absolutely stunning book. One of the most beautiful produced books on this kind of subject that has fallen into my hands over the last few years. Perhaps the text does not offer a lot of news for fans of the Russian Palaces but the photographs are excellent, and for someone who is not very knowledgable on the subject, but would like to know more this is the book the buy on the subject. Worth every penny !

Beautifully photographed a book to treasure. I bought this because on arrival at St Petersaberg I had a bad accident to my knee and was therefore unable to visit the Summer Palaces. A big disappointment and this went some way towards showing me what I had missed!

This edition is beautifully presented in a magnificent box/ The photographs are superb and very detailed. I'd have liked a few more coloured photo's of entire rooms but that is a minor complaint. It is worth every penny,

purchased for a family member for Christmas gift. Excellent product. very good quality for price.

not very well presented