Sabine Kienlin

The Spanish painter Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida (1863-1923) understood like no other of his time how to encompass the light of the South in color and to capture the fleeting moment in his own special way with light-dark contrasts as well as modern color compositions. He was a passionate artist and loving family man. He often painted outdoors until he was physically exhausted, in order to depict the full beauty of nature with all its light conditions. Joy and sorrow often lay close together. Nevertheless, the profession of an artist was the only real choice for him: orphaned at the age of two, he was to become a locksmith like his foster father—but when Sorolla's drawing talent came to light, he was allowed to attend the drawing class at the School of Arts and Crafts and later the Academy of Fine Arts in Valencia. Again and again he traveled through Europe, he studied in Rome and experienced the zeitgeist of the Parisian impressionist scene. Initially, he painted socially critical everyday scenes and historical themes in muted colors, but his color palette and content brightened over time. With sun-flooded paintings he left his mark on Spanish Impressionism and impressed contemporaries such as for example Claude Monet (1840-1926). From 1911 onwards, he put all his energy into the ambitious commission of the Hispanic Society of America, which envisaged presenting Spain in 14 large-format paintings. In doing so, he placed his own artistic development behind the service of his fatherland. He painted the Vision of Spain for eight years and suffered a stroke in 1919, shortly after completion. Sorolla was one of the most important and commercially successful artists of the turn of the century.

Scandinavia-a fascinating region that encompasses Europe's northern countries from Iceland, Norway and Denmark, to Sweden and Finland. In the short, green summers it hardly ever gets dark and in the long, white winters it rarely gets light. Dancing Northern Lights in the firmament are among the attractions of the north, as is the midsummer night, which with its uniquely enchanting light makes the breathtaking natural environment appear in all its beauty. The untouched landscapes of Scandinavia are considered the last wilderness on the continent. In order to maintain this extraordinary and species-rich diversity of Mother Nature, Sweden founded Europe's first national park in 1909. To date, Scandinavia counts around 125 of them: three in Iceland, five in Denmark, 30 in Sweden, 40 in Finland and 47 in Norway. Among them are names like SnfellsjOkull, Folgefonna, Hardangervidda, Spitsbergen, Riisitunturi, Oulanka, Jotunheimen, Sarek or Abisko. Whether it is extensive tundras, with reindeer herds passing by, dense pine, spruce or birch forests where moose hide, diverse moors and idyllic lakes, fjords reaching far into the country, mighty mountain ranges, thundering waterfalls, thick glacier tongues, polar bears on icy slopes or deep snow-covered, tree-lined or fjell landscapes-Scandinavia's varied and lonely Arctic nature is one of the most beautiful areas on earth. Once again, this illustrated book shows that these unique landscapes must be preserved.

New Zealand--the country chosen by God, "God's own country," as the locals affectionately call their island twins, evokes associations with uniquely untouched nature, green hills and crystal clear lakes, lonely white and black sandy beaches and emerald green bays--but also ice-cold glaciers reaching into the rainforest, wide fjord landscapes, thunderous waterfalls, and a geothermal wonderland with smoking volcanoes, numerous hot springs, and spouting geysers.