The Lost Carving: A Journey to the Heart of Making
Condition: SECONDHAND
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Awestruck by the sight of a Grinling Gibbons carving in a London church, David Esterly chose to dedicate his life to the art - its physical control, intricate beauty and intellectual demands. Forty years later, he is the foremost practitioner of Gibbons's forgotten technique, which revolutionised ornamental sculpture in the late 1600s.After a fire at Hampton Court Palace in 1986 destroyed much of Gibbons's masterpiece, the job fell to David Esterly to restore his idol's work to its former glory. It turned out to be the most challenging year in Esterley's life, forcing him to question his abilities and delve deeply into what it means to make something well.Esterly breathes life into the world of wood carving and deftly illustrates the union of man and material necessary to create a lasting work of art. He also describes the determination, concentration and skill that go into achieving any form of excellence.'This is a strange and wonderful book, simultaneously a meditation on the nature of making and a reflection on time. It is riveting' - Edmund de Waal'David Esterly's memoir is a beautiful, intricate meditation on creativity and discovery, on fire and rebirth, on culture and history. Truly, this is a story to be pored over with love and admiration' - Elizabeth Gilbert
Author: David Esterly
Format: Hardback, 281 pages, 150mm x 230mm
Published: 2013, Duckworth Books, United Kingdom
Genre: Autobiography: The Arts
Description
Awestruck by the sight of a Grinling Gibbons carving in a London church, David Esterly chose to dedicate his life to the art - its physical control, intricate beauty and intellectual demands. Forty years later, he is the foremost practitioner of Gibbons's forgotten technique, which revolutionised ornamental sculpture in the late 1600s.After a fire at Hampton Court Palace in 1986 destroyed much of Gibbons's masterpiece, the job fell to David Esterly to restore his idol's work to its former glory. It turned out to be the most challenging year in Esterley's life, forcing him to question his abilities and delve deeply into what it means to make something well.Esterly breathes life into the world of wood carving and deftly illustrates the union of man and material necessary to create a lasting work of art. He also describes the determination, concentration and skill that go into achieving any form of excellence.'This is a strange and wonderful book, simultaneously a meditation on the nature of making and a reflection on time. It is riveting' - Edmund de Waal'David Esterly's memoir is a beautiful, intricate meditation on creativity and discovery, on fire and rebirth, on culture and history. Truly, this is a story to be pored over with love and admiration' - Elizabeth Gilbert
The Lost Carving: A Journey to the Heart of Making