Grinling Gibbons and the Art of Carving

This is a brilliant book - and the story is brilliantly erudite and fascinating. I have looked at many National Trust Houses and Hampton Court Palace and never realised that during restoration things are not always put back as originally intended. It was fascinating to read that Grinling's carvings were always a pale light colour - and only got varnished and darkened down during the Victorian era. How many houses do we visit with the NT and see gorgeous Grinling Gibbons carvings and marvel at them and then assume that is how they looked!! Now thanks to this book, I know they should be beautiful and natural - showing off the original colour of the wood - see picture on the cover. Also a lovely carving of the authors' on the spine of the book - so it looks nice in the bookshelf too!! After reading this I couldn't help but be drawn to finding out more information and discovered that there was an exhibition at the V & A set up by the author and this book of this exhibition is well worth buying as it has beautiful carvings and lots of extra interesting detail. Interestingly David Esterly suggested hanging the carvings like pictures on hooks, which would make no difference to the viewer - but would allow them to be easily rescued in the event of a fire. Unfortunately these excellent suggestions were not headed and stupidly (in my view) the restored carvings have been nailed to the wall again!!!!! I urge you to buy this book and then follow with 'The Lost Carving'. You will not be disappointed - but you will enjoy both books and they are really readable.

This is a remarkable book about a craft that doesn't receive enough recognition. many ancient churches have examples of the art of woodcarving in there misericords, reredos, and pulpits but too often the focus is on the stained glass windows. The influence of Gibbons can be seen in the decorated plaster work of ceilings, over mantles, picture frames, chairs and other aspects of material culture in high status residences. While Gibbons worked with lime other craftsmen and women worked in Oak and other hard woods in which achieving the detail may be more difficult but the end product, polished through time and touching, survives for us to admire.

When a man who is almost certainly the finest Master Carver in the Grinling Gibbons style and method alive to-day (and probably the finest since the man himself) sets out to write about what he knows most it has to be good. This book does far more than that. Anyone with a gouge in his hand and the least asperation must read it.

This is the book on decorative carving to read for scholars, carvers, artists - or anyone with a sense of curiosity and an aesthetic bent. Not only does David Esterley explore Grinling Gibbons' life and work, he also gives a clear insight into the master's work - from the inside. He speaks as no other reasonably can about the art, craft and techniques of lime wood carving. As a fellow carver, albeit on a different plane, I heartily recommend it.

Has to be read in tandem with David Esterley's 'The Lost Carving', based on a journal he kept while restoring fire-damaged Gibbons' carvings at Hampton Court. He has an easy, articulate, engaging style which perfectly draws you intothe whole business of wood carving in the Grinling Gibbons style. You become an aficionado of wood carving overnight.

Excellent and fascinating text and superb illustrations.

A beautiful book with terrific illustrations. Makes one hungry to see more examples of Grinling Gibbons amazing work.

A very interesting history of Gibbons' carving. Well illustrated and written by someone who knows about carving.