Vertical Art, the Enduring Beauty of Antique Canes and Walking Sticks
Photography by Umberto Barone
Text by Roberta Maneker
Forward by Wendell Garret
Concept and Design by Pierangelo Marengo and Piero Luigi Carboni
(Hudson Hills Press, 2008)
400 pages
26 x 36 cm
ISBN 13: 1978-1-55595-294-5
ISBN: 1-55595-294-1
Review
This exceptional book on antique canes and walking sticks dazzles the eyes with a spectacular collection of superb photographs. Published by Hudson Hill Press, the 400-page volume presents a collection of nearly 400 canes belonging to a single private collector.
The canes come from all around the world; however, most were created in the 18th and 19th centuries in Europe. There are, for instance, Faberge canes with diamond inlays, Art Nouveau designs, ornate ivory carvings as well as more simple models with carved animal faces by folk craftsmen. Some even contain secret compartments. Whatever their origin, the canes are truly objects of art.
The photography and design of the book are magnificent, with each cane beautifully lit and generously displayed. Says photographer Umberto Barone: ”When I was young… I realized that I could see reality differently through my camera, and through pictures could communicate this different reality”. The book “Vertical Art “ illustrates this perfectly.
Bob Fresh
