The remarkable story of how an artist and a scientist in seventeenth-century Holland transformed the way we see the world.On a summer day in 1674; in the small Dutch city of Delft; Antoni van Leeuwenhoekmdash;a cloth salesman; local bureaucrat; and self-taught natural philosophermdash;gazed through a tiny lens set into a brass holder and discovered a never-before imagined world of microscopic life. At the same time; in a nearby attic; the painter Johannes Vermeer was using another optical device; a camera obscura; to experiment with light and create the most luminous pictures ever beheld.ldquo;See for yourself!rdquo; was the clarion call of the 1600s. Scientists peered at nature through microscopes and telescopes; making the discoveries in astronomy; physics; chemistry; and anatomy that ignited the Scientific Revolution. Artists investigated nature with lenses; mirrors; and camera obscuras; creating extraordinarily detailed paintings of flowers and insects; and scenes filled with realistic effects of light; shadow; and color. By extending the reach of sight the new optical instruments prompted the realization that there is more than meets the eye. But they also raised questions about how we see and what it means to see. In answering these questions; scientists and artists in Delft changed how we perceive the world.In Eye of the Beholder; Laura J. Snyder transports us to the streets; inns; and guildhalls of seventeenth-century Holland; where artists and scientists gathered; and to their studios and laboratories; where they mixed paints and prepared canvases; ground and polished lenses; examined and dissected insects and other animals; and invented the modern notion of seeing. With charm and narrative flair Snyder brings Vermeer and Van Leeuwenhoekmdash;and the men and women around themmdash;vividly to life. The story of these two geniuses and the transformation they engendered shows us why we see the worldmdash;and our place within itmdash;as we do today.Eye of the Beholder was named "A Best Art Book of the Year" by Christies and "A Best Read of the Year" by New Scientist in 2015.
#1042642 in eBooks 2014-07-04 2014-07-04File Name: B00L1ESV0U
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. A meticulously researched book; and not just for Coppellians!By PFTAn in-depth; well researched history of Coppell that will appeal to "old timers" who lived through the evolution of the town; as well as to newer residents who want to understand the surprisingly rich history of Coppell. This book is not just for Coppellians--the historic information; which dates back to Native Americans and Sam Houstons peace talks; sheds light on a crucial era in Texas history. The many photos add to the sense of place and time.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Who Knows Coppell; Texas? I Do; Now.By Long Time ShopperA lot of the information in this book; I had not read about before. Thanks goes out to the author; it helps Coppell stand out among the sea of tiny towns between Dallas and Fort Worth.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Very good read!By Patty ReekersVery well researched and written! Very interesting history of this small city near DFW. I had lived in Coppelll for many years before moving to another part of Texas.
