Reviews (7)

Perfect downplay of Italian Renaissance art.
As a coffee table book- it is OK- big and colorful pictures.... Too colorful!For example, a large-scale view of a painting has a black and yellow palette, but the detail is blue and red.As a professional reference- it is as bad as bad could be. No professional artist would ever have their work photographed with flash!!! But in this book there are plenty of those. Paintings have flash spots - unbelievable!
Amazing Detail often refered to set
This is a stunning two volume set.The amount of detail in both the written word and stunning photographs brings Florentine art to life.The text covers not only the technical aspects of the art and architecture but also the socio-political environment in which the art was created.These discourses can be a little dry but they are enlightening.The photography will certainly recapture ones interest when the text gets a little dull.

A Rare and Treasured Treat
Talk about magnificently beautiful! THE ART OF FLORENCE does full justice to its subject -- and it's a lot cheaper than plane fare to Italy.Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. European    4. History - General    5. History - Renaissance    6. History Of Art / Art & Design Styles    7. Italy    8. Sale Books   

Editorial Review

Filippo Brunelleschi's design for the dome of the cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence remains one of the most towering achievements of Renaissance architecture. Completed in 1436, the dome remains a remarkable feat of design and engineering. Its span of more than 140 feet exceeds St Paul's in London and St Peter's in Rome, and even outdoes the Capitol in Washington, D.C., making it the largest dome ever constructed using bricks and mortar. The story of its creation and its brilliant but "hot-tempered" creator is told in Ross King's delightful Read more

Reviews (85)

A slice of Rennaisance life
The subject may be the legendary dome, and the man who built it, but thebest part of the book is its characterization of everyday life during that era.The author knows a lot about Rennaisance Europe, and his writing is enjoyable as well. He is no engineer, so it's never clear why this is such an engineering marvel. For that, see Why Buildings Stand Up, although the readibility of that book pales alongside this one.

Easy-to-read, great intro to the subject; but, never attempts to explain its own title
In this book, author Ross King provides an easy-to-read narrative not only of Brunelleschi's procedure in building the dome of the Florence cathedral, but also of the political context, particularly within the Opera del Duomo, the office of works in charge of the cathedral.It's a nice intro for a general audience, but lacks historical analysis and fails to satisfactorily address the statement made in its own subtitle.
The Dome, Yes, but also much, much, more.
Santa Maria del Fiore may just be the one perfect piece of architecture.I dare you to go to Florence, see it, and not be moved.Read this book, and then go climb il Duomo's stairs, passing the frescoes inside the dome to enter the passage between the two domes.Feel the changes in the sharpness of the stairs' angles.Climb out at the base of the Lanterna with the city's red roofs stretching beneath you at every angle.The experience would be exhilerating of itself, but with Ross King's description of the building process echoing through your head, you might find yourself full of wonder and moved to tears like I was.
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Subjects:  1. 1377-1446    2. Architecture    3. Brunelleschi, Filippo,    4. Buildings    5. Design and construction    6. Domes    7. Europe - Italy    8. Florence    9. Florence (Italy)    10. History - Specific Styles    11. Individual Architect    12. Italy    13. Religious Buildings    14. Renaissance    15. Santa Maria del Fiore (Cathedr    16. Santa Maria del Fiore (Cathedral : Florence, Italy)    17. Architecture / History    18. Brunelleschi, Filippo   

Reviews (15)

Written for a 12 Year-Old
What a disappointment!It is only lacking cartoon illustrations to make it seem competely childish.But more disturbingly it is deceptively simplistic.Told through rose-colored glasses, leaving out what is convenient to ensure a "happy" ending.
Absorbing history that reads like a soap opera
As a lifelong and very active Catholic I was shocked to learn just how little I knew about the history of St. Peters in Rome.
A Mixed Bag
I've been waiting for a popular history dealing with the Renaissance, Reformation, Catholic Reformation, etc. And at first glance this book is it. It's an easy and absorbing read, and endlessly fascinating.
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Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano    4. Buildings, structures, etc    5. Christianity - History - Catholic    6. History    7. History - General    8. History - General History    9. Religious Buildings    10. Religious Buildings Architecture    11. Renaissance    12. Vatican City    13. History / Europe / General    14. Italy   

Reviews (2)

well-written
I have read numerous art history books, and most suffer from being dry and too heavy on dates. This book is well-written with a style that flows from topic to topic. All the important information (yes, those dates!) a student will need is here, but the presentation puts it above the rest, making it an enjoyable book to read again and again. What I found especially valuable is how Adams places the works within the political and social environment of the times. Knowing the history adds a lot to art history! She provides sidebars with anecdotes about the artists or significant events in the era that have influenced the work. Stylistic and technical information is also excellent.Photographic quality is superb.

Italian Renaissance Art
Italian Renaisance art by Laurie Schneider Adams is a wonderful introductory text on Renaisance art.It is very clearly written with a helpful glossary for those who are not familiar with art terms.It not only explains both style and iconography of the Renaisance period but gives a great backround of the culture of the period.The illustrations in the text are wonderfuly detailed and most are in color.This is a great text for intro. classes to Ren. art and people who wish to learn on their own. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Art, Italian    4. Art, Renaissance    5. European    6. History - Renaissance    7. Italy    8. Renaissance art   

Reviews (3)

Fantastic
This book is worth the money if only for the reproductions.Lots of large plates with a lot of close ups as well. If you only want one book on Botticelli this would be a good one.

A beautiful book!
This is fascinating book about the life of Botticelli and techniques he used.The reproductions are wonderful, including some close-ups of characters from selected paintings. I recently returned from Italy, and having viewed many of these paintings at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence makes the reading and the beautiful color plates throughout the book all the more enjoyable.I would highly recommend this book to fans of Renaissance art.

Another life for Botticelli
In the life of Sandro Botticelli, Lightbown does not remark the big season of secret science that linked several artists in and around Florence.Read more

Subjects:  1. 1444 or 5-1510    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Biography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Botticelli, Sandro,    6. General    7. History - Renaissance    8. Individual Artist    9. Individual Painters And Their Work    10. Italy    11. Painters    12. Painters, Italian    13. Biography: general    14. Botticelli, Sandro    15. Individual artists    16. Painting & paintings    17. Renaissance art   

Reviews (2)

poor quality
not worth it. very low quality paper, low quality reproductions, bad ink.... publisher has put his profit over any quailty for the reader.

High water mark of renaissance painting
This remarkable show (and catalogue) is a summary of Venetian painting from 1500 to 1530, allowing a side by side comparison of the work of Bellini, Giorgione, and Titian in what was one of Venice's astonishing high water marks of artistic creativity.
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Subjects:  1. 16th century    2. Art    3. Art & Art Instruction    4. Exhibitions    5. History - General    6. History - Renaissance    7. Italy    8. Painting, Italian    9. Painting, Renaissance    10. Venice    11. Art / General    12. High Renaissance (c 1500-1530)    13. Painting & paintings   

Reviews (16)

Works and lives of great masters by their contemporary
"Do you admire a beautiful tower resounding with sacred sound?
Mainly a Scholar's Tool
Vasari's classic text is well written (translated, I guess I should say) but extremely tiresome.For nearly every artist he simply lists their works, and rarely with more analysis than by describing them as "life-like" or "beautiful."For example, here is what he says about Titian's Assumption of the Virgin in Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, Venice, one of his most famous and celebrated paintings: "He did a panel for the main altar containing Our Lady ascending into heaven, with the twelve apostles standing below her and watching her ascent, but since this work was painted on canvas and perhaps poorly cared for, little of it can be seen."That's it.The only exception to his utter factual tediousness is Michelangelo's Life, where, although he goes into almost no description of the works themselves besides his characteristic fulsomeness, he does provide some interesting anecdotes.If you are looking to understand and analyze Renaissance art than this book will not help you.If you are looking to engage in scholarly debate over the origins and documentations of the discussed works then you should probably read the original, unedited version in Italian anyway.

Magnanimous Homage to Giants of Italian Art!
Vasari's LIVES has lived for over 450 years, and it's easy to see why! From Cimabue to Titian, he covers (in this edition)over 40 artists during about a 250 year period! A great artist himself, Vasari spares no superlatives in describing the work and lives of these individuals.They are just about all "most excellent", and produced titanic painting, sculpture, and architecture. He claims (erroneouly, according to the editors) that one murdered his rival, and definitely was not a nice guy. But the rest are generally given the royal treatment. Oddly,Botticelli seems a tad slighted. The Big Three, Leonardo,Raphael, and Michaelangelo are practically bathed in the light of the devine!.Many anecdotes are mentioned, which give real life and sometimes fun to these Olympians. Plus, discussions of the progress and styles/ techniques which come full flower with these Big Three. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 15th-16th Century Art    2. Art    3. Artists    4. Artists, Architects, Photographers    5. Biography    6. Biography & Autobiography    7. Biography / Autobiography    8. History - General    9. Individual Artist    10. Italy    11. Reference    12. Art & Architecture    13. Art / History / General    14. Other prose: 16th to 18th centuries    15. Renaissance art   

Reviews (2)

Art in Renaissance Italy, Second Edition
I needed this book for my college Ren. Art class and our bookstore wasn't getting it in on time. PLUS they were ONLY selling it for $80.00!! I have always had wonderful results with amazon and trust their speedy delivery.
A must for any artist!
This book is far and above what I had expected.Emphasis was placed on being user friendly, which is paramount with such a heavy topic.Side bars on the inner political, religious, and general public life help to clarifywhat influenced the artist in making choices of subject, style, andcomposition.I now have a clearer understanding of why I paint how I do,and why we as a culture critique art the way we do. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Art, Italian    4. Art, Renaissance    5. European    6. History - General    7. Italy    8. Art / General    9. Europe    10. Renaissance art    11. The Arts: General Issues   

Reviews (4)

Florence Comes Alive
This is a must read for anyone planning a vacation to Florence, or for those wanting to experience the place and time without the expense, as Martines reaches far beyond the story of a single man and into Renassiance Florence. Readers will find this gripping and complex historical drama impossible to put down. "April Blood" (the Pazzi conspiracy against the Medici) sets the stage for this great book, and Martines combines expert scholarship with dramatic narrative skill in both works.

Very Strange
I was interested in learning more about Savonarola because "The Palace" by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro is set in Renaissance Florence at the time of Savonarola, who plays a part in the novel. Now I love history and read a lot of history books, unfortunately, this book was a big dissapointment. Contrary to the blurb on the back cover this book is hardly riveting nor is it much of a thriller. It only covers the last few years of Savonarola's life but it is more about the political history of Florence than on Savonarola himself. Actually the book does not really seem to have a direction or a point and I could not figure out why the author wrote this.
A burning in Florence
This is an excellent, well-written book about Savonarola and the Medici era in Florence. It presents the Friar in a different light from the perception of him that I was taught in parochial school. Here we have a deeply religious reformer, who tried to change the government type of a city that had been under the thumb of the Medici family for many years. His sermons attracted huge crowds, but he also acquired many enemies, not only in Florence, but more importantly, in the Roman Curia. Eventually his enemies won out and he and two of his fellow monks were hanged and burned. This is definitely a sympathetic look at a man who, in some ways, foreshadowed Luther and his attempts at Church reform. It's a book well worth reading by everyone. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1421-1737    2. Biography    3. Dominicans    4. Europe - Italy    5. Florence    6. Florence (Italy)    7. Historical - General    8. History    9. History - General History    10. History: World    11. Italy    12. Politics and government    13. Reformers    14. Renaissance    15. History / Renaissance    16. History, World | European | Italy   

Subjects:  1. 1268-1559    2. Civilization    3. General    4. History    5. History - General History    6. History: World    7. Italy    8. Renaissance    9. Sources    10. European history: c 500 to c 1500   

Subjects:  1. 16th century    2. Art    3. Art & Art Instruction    4. Art, Italian    5. Counter-Reformation in art    6. European    7. History - Renaissance    8. Italy    9. Jesuit art    10. Medieval    11. Renaissance    12. Rome    13. Subjects & Themes - Religious    14. Art / History / European    15. Painting & paintings    16. Religious subjects depicted in art    17. Renaissance art   

Reviews (2)

ANOTHER HIT OUT OF THE BALLPARK!!!!!!!!! IN ANYONES UNIVERSE!!!
These people can do nothing wrong so far, what is really interesting about this book, is we start to see how the evolving influence of the acceptance of oil painting in Italy is starting to influence Fresco.
Another in the incredible series
It's said that more cultural history can be found in Italy than the rest of the world combined. Nowhere is that better demonstrated than in the masterpieces on the walls of Italian churches and palazzos, still vibrant and alive after 400+ years -a truly amazing medium that reached it's peak in a 200 year period from 1400 - 1600. From the Alps to Sicily, some of the greatest of all frescoes are shown beautifully in this volume. You will not see better photography of these extraordinary frescoe cycles anywhere, and, although the author is new to this series(Kliemann)there is no drop off of historical and artistic insight and explanation in the editorial portion of the book. The other two volumes in this series (Early Renaissance and High Renaissance) are masterworks worthy of a museum. In exploring the later cycles, this book equals or exceeds the previous two. If you have seen any of these frescoes, you will find this book fascinating. If you long to visit Italia to see them but can't, this is as good a look as you could ever hope to have. Rich, dense, and beautiful beyond words, this is the kind of book you can spend a long long time with and treasure forever. Worth every penny and more. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 16th century    2. Art    3. Art & Art Instruction    4. European    5. History - General    6. Italy    7. Mannerism (Art)    8. Mural painting and decoration,    9. Mural painting and decoration, Italian    10. Mural painting and decoration, Renaissance    11. Techniques - General    12. High Renaissance (c 1500-1530)    13. Painting & paintings    14. c 1500 to c 1600   

Reviews (3)

Hartt as a college text
A well written easily readable text with enough depth to satisfy all but graduate students in the field. References and bibliography are extensive. It stands out among several competitive books.

Recommendation
This is a wonderful book which can be referred to over and over again. Anyone who is interested in history cannot fail to thoroughly enjoy it and also use it as a reference book.
A perfect book for a library and coffee table.
Fredrick Hartt is a man whose love of his subject is only equal to his willingness to expalin it in terms of the layman. He does not limit the purview of the book to merely the depiction of Italian life and piety, but brings in narrative and anecdotes to enliven the tome. He introduces us to the vocabulary of the arts, not consigning them to an inconvenient niche in the appendix, neither condescending incessantly or immersed in jagon. The resplendent illustrations, true eye candy, fill the book, making it a true bargain.Hartt truly deserves the copious awards given to him by the patrons of the arts. My only regret is that the usuerers of my school book store had not charged such a bloated price ($72) for this book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 15th-16th Century Art    2. Art    3. Art & Art Instruction    4. Art, Italian    5. Art, Renaissance    6. European    7. History - General    8. History - Renaissance    9. Italy    10. Art / General    11. Renaissance art    12. The Arts: General Issues   

Reviews (13)

Informative book that also makes for a good read
Parks' book encompasses the lives of the five heads of the Medici family, and simultaneously through the history of the city of Florence.Through the eyes of the city of Florence, we see Italy, and through slightly foggier lenses, all of Europe.
Brilliant History of the Rise and Decline of the Medici
This is mainlya history of the Medici banking enterprise, and it is fascinating to learn justhow the bank declined. The problem was the passing ofgenerations of bankers who loved banking.Their successors, unfortunately, were more interested in the social aspects of belonging to the Medici banking family.This lead to their spending more time being friends with royalty and other high potentates than on the bank itself.Consequently, the Medici banking house went into decline that ultimately proved terminal.
All In The Family
I read this book the same week I watched the fifth season of the Sopranos. The combination was serendipitous. Cosimo Medici has more style and class than Tony Soprano, but in many other ways they are remarkably alike. They're such family guys!
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Subjects:  1. Art, Italian    2. Art, Renaissance    3. Banks & Banking    4. Banks And Banking    5. Business & Economics    6. Business / Economics / Finance    7. Business/Economics    8. Economic History    9. Europe - Italy    10. Florence    11. General    12. History    13. Italy    14. Italy - History    15. Medici, House of    16. Money & Monetary Policy    17. European history: c 500 to c 1500    18. c 1000 CE to c 1500   

Editorial Review

Everyone knows that Galileo Galilei dropped cannonballs off the leaning tower of Pisa, developed the first reliable telescope, and was convicted by the Inquisition for holding a heretical belief--that the earth revolved around the sun. But did you know he had a daughter?In Read more

Reviews (221)

Charming read
Reading letters to Galileo from his daughter is something every scientist, historian, or interested reader can now enjoy. Dava Sobel tirelessly hunted across continents for the letters, and then learned Italian in order to translate them into English. The result is a splendid and insightful collection, revealing the Galileo that history forgot. Instead of the familiar and legendary iconoclastic Church-challenging rebel, we see a pious man who fathered two nuns and spent a great deal of time trying to reconcile his science with his God. This book will sweep you away to a time and place full of conflict and misunderstanding, a place that hasn't existed for four hundred years, but is undeniably very present today.

A Historical Memoir of Science, Faith, and Love
Galileo's Daughter waited in my accumulation of books for several years. The "Best Seller" tag on the cover always puts me off. Most 'best sellers' are abject wastes of time, whose sales have been propped up by the praises of critics too used to praising abject wastes of time. Well, now that I've offended many, I admit that there are exceptions. Here is one.
Not so compelling
After reading Longitude, I was disappointed by this book.It's arguably a more compelling and provocative topic, but somehow it didn't come to life the same way.It did provide a sense of the politics of science in the 16th century, but I was expecting more about Galileo's daughter (silly me).Anyway, I think this book is primarily of interest for someone already interested in the topic, which wasn't the case for Longitude. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1564-1642    2. 1600-1634    3. Astronomers    4. Biography    5. Biography & Autobiography    6. Biography / Autobiography    7. Biography/Autobiography    8. Correspondence    9. Galilei, Galileo    10. Galilei, Galileo,    11. Galilei, Maria Celeste,    12. Historical - General    13. History Of Astronomy    14. Italy    15. Nuns    16. Religious    17. Renaissance - History    18. Scientists - General    19. Biography & Autobiography / Historical   

Subjects:  1. 1421-1737    2. Banks And Banking    3. Business / Economics / Finance    4. Economic Conditions    5. Economic History    6. Florence    7. Florence (Italy)    8. History    9. History: World    10. Italy    11. Palaces    12. Renaissance    13. Social conditions    14. European history: c 1500 to c 1750   

Subjects:  1. 15th-16th Century Art    2. Art    3. Art & Art Instruction    4. Art, Renaissance    5. Artists    6. Dictionaries    7. Europe, Northern    8. History - Renaissance    9. Italy    10. Reference    11. Art / General    12. Northern Europe, Scandinavia    13. Reference works    14. Renaissance art   

Subjects:  1. 16th century    2. Art    3. Art & Art Instruction    4. Florence    5. History - Renaissance    6. Italy    7. Portrait painting, Italian    8. Portraits    9. Portraits, Italian    10. Women    11. Art / History / Renaissance    12. Portraits in art    13. Renaissance art   

Subjects:  1. Catholic Church    2. Church music    3. Church musicians    4. Congresses    5. History & Criticism - General    6. Italy    7. Music    8. Music Of The 15th And 16th Centuries    9. Music/Songbooks    10. Religious - Christian    11. Religious - General    12. Rome    13. Sacred Music    14. Cultural studies    15. Medieval & Renaissance music (c 1000 to c 1600)    16. Music / History & Criticism    17. Music | Music History, Western | Early Music, Medieval, & Renaissance    18. Roman Catholicism, Roman Catholic Church    19. Sacred & religious music    20. c 1000 CE to c 1500    21. c 1500 to c 1600   

Editorial Review

Just as the Italian peninsula itself was a patchwork of widely divergent city-states up until the 19th-century Read more

Reviews (1)

The utmost beauty.
In appreciation of beauty, perhaps the only difference between a layperson and an artist is that the latter can see and openly render that beauty. Unfortunately, sometimes "beauty is in the eye of the beholder." Beautiful paintings of women by this ingenius artist has been considered (by some) in the same class with eroticism, or even pornography.Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Criticism and interpretation    4. History - General    5. Individual Artist    6. Individual Painters - Renaissance    7. Techniques - Painting    8. Titian,    9. Women And Art    10. Women in art    11. ca. 1488-1576    12. Art / Individual Artist    13. Individual artists    14. Italy    15. Painting & paintings    16. Renaissance art    17. Titian