Gold, The impossible Collection (book)

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Gold, The Impossible Collection (book) by Bérénice Geoffroy-Schneiter. Black rubber clamshell box with metal plate. 214 pages, 125 illustrations. Dimensions: W 15.4 x L 18.5 x D 3 inches. Weight 22 lbs. 2022. Luxury book, hardcover, new in English.

Pure gold, indestructible, dazzling: since the dawn of time, this precious metal has aroused countless fantasies and beliefs. Whether it leads powerful sovereigns into the afterlife, illuminates the Buddhist pagodas of Southeast Asia with a delicate glow, lights up the halos of saints, makes the crowns of kings and popes shine or sparkles on the catwalks of haute couture, gold is an eternal symbol of wealth and glory, its malleability allowing it infinite metamorphoses.

What explains this universal and enduring fascination? Thanks to its irresistible luminosity and remarkable resilience, gold is the ideal material to symbolize visible and invisible forces. From Gustav Klimt to Andy Warhol to Yves Klein, artists have exalted its metaphysical and fantastical nature.

Gold has always added a divine spark to every human endeavor. The dazzling effect of this hypnotic metal is universal and it remains the supreme representation of luxury.

With insightful texts by art historian Bérénice Geoffroy-Schneiter, this handcrafted volume in the Ultimate Collection presents 100 of the rarest and most valuable treasures, combining natural splendor and human craftsmanship, from incredibly detailed artifacts of ancient world civilizations to the astonishing modern creations of artists Man Ray, Hu Qin, and Chris Burden.

Art historian Bérénice Geoffroy-Schneiter is a journalist and art critic who regularly contributes to art publications such as Beaux-Arts, L’objet d’art, Le Journal des arts, and Connaissance des arts.

Please see additional photos at top left.