Close Modal
Wish List 0 Wish List 0
Download high-resolution image Look inside

The Art of David Webb

Jewelry and Culture

Author Ruth Peltason
Photographs by Ilan Rubin
Look inside
Hardcover
$85.00 US
Rizzoli
10.49"W x 12.83"H x 1.29"D   | 83 oz | 6 per carton
On sale Sep 05, 2023 | 256 Pages | 9780847873333
Add to cart Add to list Exam Copies
The Art of David Webb celebrates the designer’s dedication to artistry over more than seven decades.

When David Webb came to New York at the age of 17, he was captivated by the museums, architecture, and fashions of the day. By the time he opened shop in 1948, the city had become his muse. In his only published article, “Why Not Hang Gems?,” of 1963, he wrote that jewelry deserved to be regarded as art and collected by museums.

That conviction fuels The Art of David Webb. Here is jewelry shown as art in more than 120 images—all specially photographed for this book—that speak to the variety of artistic and cultural periods that inspired David Webb and the company he founded. Examples include David Webb's enameled and diamond Mondrian Bracelet, an homage to Piet Mondrian’s Broadway Boogie Woogie and Yves Saint Laurent’s 1960s sheath dress with its famed color blocking; a gemstone-rich dragon brooch taken from a Scythian animal pommel; and a scored rock crystal and diamond bracelet that updates art deco classics. Throughout, work by painters, sculptors, photographers, architects, and couturiers form a visual dialogue with the sumptuous David Webb jewelry. The imaginative pairings, in-depth descriptive captions, and elegantly designed publication are resounding proof that jewelry is both art and culture.
"This coffee table book celebrates luxury fine jewelry designer David Webb and his achievements throughout his career. The book exhibits a collection of 120 images inspired by various fashion designers, works of art, and cultural moments, making it a staple coffee table book for jewelry and art lovers alike."  — L'OFFICIEL

"“Why Not Hang Gems?” the American jeweler David Webb asked in a 1963 essay. He believed in jewels as cultural artifacts, as integral to history and decorative arts as painting or sculpture, and also deeply connected to both mediums. In The Art of David Webb: Jewelry and Culture, writer Ruth Peltason uses illuminating and often unexpected juxtapositions to outline his point and to celebrate the impact this belief system had on his work. Webb’s jewelry is never timid, and Peltason reveals his equally bold inspirations: a carved coral chrysanthemum brooch paired with Hokusai’s 19th-century print of a chrysanthemum; a coiled dragon brooch fueled by a Scythian gold animal pommel (6th century BCE); the hammered gold and gemstone Tree of Life necklace evoking the Gustav Klimt masterpiece of that name; a banded gold cuff reminiscent of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Guggenheim Museum. Jewelry is often dismissed as mere adornment; Webb insisted it should never be. This book makes his case" — TOWN AND COUNTRY TRAVEL & LIVING15 Coffee Table Books to Add to Your Holiday Wish List L'OFFICIEL's got you covered with all of the latest and greatest must-have coffee table books for the holiday season. 

12.17.2023 by Hannah Mains

Photo from Dior by Raf Simons.





Fashion and art coffee table books effortlessly blend aesthetic inspiration with intellectual allure, making them not just literary treasures but also stylish decor elements. Decorating your space with books adds a touch of sophistication to any living environment, as their vibrant covers and glossy pages serve as both conversation starters and visual focal points. Whether arranged neatly on a coffee table or strategically placed on bookshelves, these tomes turn your home into a gallery of creativity.
As the holiday season approaches, consider adding a few of these books to your wish list; they make thoughtful gifts for the art and fashion enthusiasts in your life. From iconic photography collections to in-depth explorations of design movements, these books offer a feast for the eyes and a source of endless inspiration, making them the perfect addition to any festive wishlist.



Dior by Raf Simmons Fashion editor Tim Blanks takes an innovative approach to publishing with luxury couture house, Dior, through this elegant, elusive coffee table book that is a must-have for all fashion and art enthusiasts looking to add the finishing touch to their coffee table book collection. 
Dior by Raf Simmons by Tim Blanks, $195, Assouline

BUY NOW




Barbie In case you haven't gotten your fill of Barbie yet this year, Barbie fanatics everywhere can now get their hands on this book that takes you on a deep dive into Barbie history back to the 1950s. This book is an outstanding, eye-catching addition to add to your coffee table book collection this season. 
Barbie by Susan Shapiro, $105, Assouline

BUY NOW




Cecil Beaton: The Royal Portraits For anyone still craving a taste of the royals after watching the series finale of The Crown, get an inside look at intimate, contemporary photos and portraits of the British monarchs taken by royal photographer Cecil Beaton over 40 years as well as the lifestyle they lived and public image they created for the House of Windsor. 
Cecil Beaton: The Royal Portraits by Cecil Beaton and Claudia Acott Williams, $50, Thames & Hudson

BUY NOW





The Winona Book Ex-Vice President of Public Relations at Marc Jacobs, Robert Rich, gives readers an inside look at his decades-long friendship with '90s icon Winona Ryder in an exclusive book fit for every coffee table book collection. These intimate photographs and Polaroids taken throughout their friendship that will leave you feeling like a third wheel in the best way.
The Winona Book by Robert Rich, $50, IDEA

BUY NOW




The Art of David Webb This coffee table book celebrates luxury fine jewelry designer David Webb and his achievements throughout his career. The book exhibits a collection of 120 images inspired by various fashion designers, works of art, and cultural moments, making it a staple coffee table book for jewelry and art lovers alike.
Ruth Peltason is an author, editor, jewelry historian, and lecturer. Her books include Elizabeth Taylor: My Love Affair with Jewelry, which made the New York Times Bestseller List; Living Jewels; and David Webb: The Quintessential American Jeweler, named the best gift book of the year in 2013 by the Los Angeles Times. David Webb has long been the leading American jeweler of bold, modern works, best known for hand-hammered gold, colorful enamel, exquisite rock crystal pieces, and signature animal motifs. All of the jewelry is made by master craftsmen and women in the company’s workshop in New York.
Ruth Peltason View titles by Ruth Peltason

About

The Art of David Webb celebrates the designer’s dedication to artistry over more than seven decades.

When David Webb came to New York at the age of 17, he was captivated by the museums, architecture, and fashions of the day. By the time he opened shop in 1948, the city had become his muse. In his only published article, “Why Not Hang Gems?,” of 1963, he wrote that jewelry deserved to be regarded as art and collected by museums.

That conviction fuels The Art of David Webb. Here is jewelry shown as art in more than 120 images—all specially photographed for this book—that speak to the variety of artistic and cultural periods that inspired David Webb and the company he founded. Examples include David Webb's enameled and diamond Mondrian Bracelet, an homage to Piet Mondrian’s Broadway Boogie Woogie and Yves Saint Laurent’s 1960s sheath dress with its famed color blocking; a gemstone-rich dragon brooch taken from a Scythian animal pommel; and a scored rock crystal and diamond bracelet that updates art deco classics. Throughout, work by painters, sculptors, photographers, architects, and couturiers form a visual dialogue with the sumptuous David Webb jewelry. The imaginative pairings, in-depth descriptive captions, and elegantly designed publication are resounding proof that jewelry is both art and culture.

Praise

"This coffee table book celebrates luxury fine jewelry designer David Webb and his achievements throughout his career. The book exhibits a collection of 120 images inspired by various fashion designers, works of art, and cultural moments, making it a staple coffee table book for jewelry and art lovers alike."  — L'OFFICIEL

"“Why Not Hang Gems?” the American jeweler David Webb asked in a 1963 essay. He believed in jewels as cultural artifacts, as integral to history and decorative arts as painting or sculpture, and also deeply connected to both mediums. In The Art of David Webb: Jewelry and Culture, writer Ruth Peltason uses illuminating and often unexpected juxtapositions to outline his point and to celebrate the impact this belief system had on his work. Webb’s jewelry is never timid, and Peltason reveals his equally bold inspirations: a carved coral chrysanthemum brooch paired with Hokusai’s 19th-century print of a chrysanthemum; a coiled dragon brooch fueled by a Scythian gold animal pommel (6th century BCE); the hammered gold and gemstone Tree of Life necklace evoking the Gustav Klimt masterpiece of that name; a banded gold cuff reminiscent of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Guggenheim Museum. Jewelry is often dismissed as mere adornment; Webb insisted it should never be. This book makes his case" — TOWN AND COUNTRY TRAVEL & LIVING15 Coffee Table Books to Add to Your Holiday Wish List L'OFFICIEL's got you covered with all of the latest and greatest must-have coffee table books for the holiday season. 

12.17.2023 by Hannah Mains

Photo from Dior by Raf Simons.





Fashion and art coffee table books effortlessly blend aesthetic inspiration with intellectual allure, making them not just literary treasures but also stylish decor elements. Decorating your space with books adds a touch of sophistication to any living environment, as their vibrant covers and glossy pages serve as both conversation starters and visual focal points. Whether arranged neatly on a coffee table or strategically placed on bookshelves, these tomes turn your home into a gallery of creativity.
As the holiday season approaches, consider adding a few of these books to your wish list; they make thoughtful gifts for the art and fashion enthusiasts in your life. From iconic photography collections to in-depth explorations of design movements, these books offer a feast for the eyes and a source of endless inspiration, making them the perfect addition to any festive wishlist.



Dior by Raf Simmons Fashion editor Tim Blanks takes an innovative approach to publishing with luxury couture house, Dior, through this elegant, elusive coffee table book that is a must-have for all fashion and art enthusiasts looking to add the finishing touch to their coffee table book collection. 
Dior by Raf Simmons by Tim Blanks, $195, Assouline

BUY NOW




Barbie In case you haven't gotten your fill of Barbie yet this year, Barbie fanatics everywhere can now get their hands on this book that takes you on a deep dive into Barbie history back to the 1950s. This book is an outstanding, eye-catching addition to add to your coffee table book collection this season. 
Barbie by Susan Shapiro, $105, Assouline

BUY NOW




Cecil Beaton: The Royal Portraits For anyone still craving a taste of the royals after watching the series finale of The Crown, get an inside look at intimate, contemporary photos and portraits of the British monarchs taken by royal photographer Cecil Beaton over 40 years as well as the lifestyle they lived and public image they created for the House of Windsor. 
Cecil Beaton: The Royal Portraits by Cecil Beaton and Claudia Acott Williams, $50, Thames & Hudson

BUY NOW





The Winona Book Ex-Vice President of Public Relations at Marc Jacobs, Robert Rich, gives readers an inside look at his decades-long friendship with '90s icon Winona Ryder in an exclusive book fit for every coffee table book collection. These intimate photographs and Polaroids taken throughout their friendship that will leave you feeling like a third wheel in the best way.
The Winona Book by Robert Rich, $50, IDEA

BUY NOW




The Art of David Webb This coffee table book celebrates luxury fine jewelry designer David Webb and his achievements throughout his career. The book exhibits a collection of 120 images inspired by various fashion designers, works of art, and cultural moments, making it a staple coffee table book for jewelry and art lovers alike.

Author

Ruth Peltason is an author, editor, jewelry historian, and lecturer. Her books include Elizabeth Taylor: My Love Affair with Jewelry, which made the New York Times Bestseller List; Living Jewels; and David Webb: The Quintessential American Jeweler, named the best gift book of the year in 2013 by the Los Angeles Times. David Webb has long been the leading American jeweler of bold, modern works, best known for hand-hammered gold, colorful enamel, exquisite rock crystal pieces, and signature animal motifs. All of the jewelry is made by master craftsmen and women in the company’s workshop in New York.
Ruth Peltason View titles by Ruth Peltason
Privacy Policy   |   Terms of Use

© 2024 Penguin Random House

Back to Top
0
    • 0
    Wish List (0)