This book focuses on works of art, their creators, and the circumstances affecting their creation. This revision is designed to provide readers with a more streamlined approach to understanding Italian Renaissance art without losing the enthusiasm and appreciation that Hartt demonstrated for this area and which earlier editions of this book conveyed so successfully. Italy and Italian Art; Duecento Art in Tuscany and Rome; Florentine Art of the Early Trecento; Sienese Art of the Early Trecento; Later Gothic Art in Tuscany and Northern Italy; The Beginnings of Renaissance Architecture; Gothic and Renaissance in Tuscan Sculpture; Gothic and Renaissance in Florentine Painting; The Heritage of Masaccio and the Second Renaissance Style; The Second Renaissance Style in Architecture and Sculpture; Absolute and Perfect The Second Renaissance Style; Crisis and Crosscurrents; Science, Poetry, and Prose; The Renaissance in Central Italy; Gothic and Renaissance in Venice and Northern Italy; The High Renaissance in Florence; The High Renaissance in Rome; High Renaissance and Mannerism; High and Late Renaissance in Venice and on the Mainland; Michelangelo and the Maniera.
An excellent book that gives us impressive details about the work of art which defines the Renaissance period. Placing himself in multiple angles to take a look at the artists'personal lives within the context of specific societal patterns, Hartt offers us more than enchanting images. He lets us see that the 'humanism' that marked the aesthetic structural elements of the paintings , architectural design and sculptures at that time is a secret ingredient to make a work of art keep its value over centuries. This is a book to be kept on the shelf labeled " magic that never dies". Here are some excerpts form Titian who is well known for the nude of "Venus of Urbino": " This unprecedented interpretation of the female nude must surely have been shocking to some when it was painted, especially in this period when a woman's behavior was controlled by strict social mores, if it represented not Venus but a particular woman or even an ideal example of female beauty." " The young man was also a shrewd businessman who invested his earnings, and by 1531 he was able to buy a palatial residence in Venice, looking out across the lagoons and, on clear days, to the slopes of the Dolomites where he had been born. In 1533, already wealthy and famous, Titian was summoned to Bologna to meet the Holy Roman Emperor Charles Y who made him a count and his children hereditary nobles. In 1545 and 7546 he was in Rome, where he was awarded Roman citizenship on the Capitoline Hill. "
Read for my class: Leonardo, Raphael, and their Contemporaries
A very good survey. It's difficult to find a good survey, but my professor is literally 90+ years old, so he's had time to look around. This one is very good because it includes more than just the recognized masters, but also their teachers and their influences and predecessors. Additionally, Hartt spends a great deal of time explaining the processes of creating the various types of painting (tempera, oil, on different media) or fresco (buon, secco, etc.) or sculpture, which taught me a great deal. Finally, the glossary in the back has proven very helpful with Italian and Greek terminology for iconographical symbols or parts of altarpieces and other little tidbits. The only downside to this book is the masterworks he chose. I wish there were more variety, but that may have to do with museums and copywrite and nothing to do with Hartt.
A dense, informative book that would appear to include everything you could want to know about the topic. The pictures are gorgeous, and the stories behind them fun to read. The book is not just about the masters, either, like da Vinci and Michelangelo, but about lesser known geniuses, like Paolo Uccello, Piero della Francesca and Antonello da Messina. Terrific compilation that I would highly recommend.
It is a book for those who study or seriously interested in art and it isn't cheap. It covers Italian Art from the late Middle Ages to the Late 16th century in various region of Italy.Very detailed with fabulous illustrations.
Saw an article in the New York Times about Italian Renaissance Art. I thought, Man, I used to know all this in college. Turns out I was inspired to read through my Italian Renaissance Book. Man this book is full of good stuff. My only complaint is that it's huge and difficult to carry. I wish something like this came in a Kindle or Nook. Then again, the wonderful color plates wouldn't be available. The photos are great. The art history is even better.
Apparently a real classic of the genre. Hefty and full of pix. I rescued this from the trash of a certain book purveyor. Along with a book covering the two world wars, this is the biggest tome I've ever pulled out of the oblivion hole. Hope to review this soon...
Read it as part of a survey class.....kept it and have read again over the years and each time, I learn something new. Opened my eyes to a whole new world and a continuing educational path
Contents: -Prelude: Italy and Italian Art -Duecento Art in Tuscany and Rome -Florentine Art of the Early Trecento -Sienese Art of the Early Trecento -Later Gothic Art in Tuscany and Northern Italy -The Renaissance Begins: Architecture -Transitions in Tuscan Sculpture -Transitions in Florentine Painting -The Heritage of Masaccio: Fra Angelico and Fra Filippo Lippi -Florentine Architecture and Sculpture, c. 1430-1455 -Florentine Painting at Mid-Century -Art in Florence under the Medici I -Art in Florence under the Medici II -The Renaissance in Central Italy -Gothic and Renaissance in Venice and Northern Italy -The Origins of the High Renaissance -The High Renaissance in Rome -New Developments c. 1520-1550 -High and Late Renaissance in Venice and on the Mainland -The Late Sixteenth Century
This book is amazing for a book, much less a textbook. I originally checked it out from the library, but that edition had mostly black and white photos, so I rented the latest edition from Barnes and Noble for around thirty dollars - not cheap, but well worth it. For some reason, I really enjoy looking at artwork while reading a critical analysis of it. I didn't read it deep enough to actually critique the artwork myself, or even tell good artwork from bad artwork, but I can identify different Renaissance artists and paintings now. It is a long book, but again, well worth the effort. I really gained a deep appreciation for the effort and effect that goes into making good artwork.
As part of my "Monuments Men" fixation, I found this book by one of them.
Frederick Hartt does a wonderful job at explaining Italian Renaissance art, as we would expect.
The jarring thing about the book, from my spoiled 2014 sensibility, is that so many of the pictures are in black and white, which makes sense considering the publication date of the book. I found myself turning to Google images frequently, in order to see the works in color.
This publication is comprehensive for its provision of the entire history of the Italian Renaissance Art. It included the major artists of the time, lives and works. In my opinion, this is quite comprehensive regarding the matter of art, architecture and sculpture of a brilliant era in human's history. Frederick Hartt undeniably made effort in compiling this publication and I did find quite a lot of interesting discussions of an essential aspect of humanity.
Viewed generally as the greatest book on Italian renaissance art this book is particularly noted for its exceptionally clear writing. The survey is comprehensive.
El mejor libro escrito sobre arte del Renacimiento en inglés. Algunas cosas hoy en día se han actualizado pero está muy bien escrito y proporciona una increíble cantidad de información. Para volver a él una y otra vez.