Italian Renaissance Art

From Booklist
Adams has produced a near-perfect introduction to the people, places, and events of the Italian Renaissance. Beginning with late-Byzantine-era iconography, the text follows Italian art as it transforms from a highly religious activity into a very human one, and culminates with a focus on the multitalented genius of da Vinci, Raphael, and Michelangelo. Unlike many overview books on the Italian Renaissance, which focus mainly on the well-known artists and centers of production, this book also includes discussion of influential yet lesser-known artists and cities of the period. Understandably, Adams places most of her attention on painting. Yet she gives a fair and thorough treatment of architecture and sculpture. The side boxes are helpful and provide further information about the religious figures, ideas, and historical events that directly influenced the era, such as Dante and the black death. Adams takes great care in explaining the architectural context of certain paintings. This, along with numerous superb photographs, adds incalculable value to the understanding of the Italian Renaissance. Jeff Snowbarger
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Book Description
The most up-to-date and complete text on Italian Renaissance art and its artists yet published, with over 400 illustrations, 215 in color. This introductory text on Italian Renaissance art and the artists who made it by the author of "A History of Western Art" and "Art Across Time" focuses on the most important and innovative artists and their principal works. The emphasis is on selectivity and understanding, and minor artists will be considered only briefly when relevant to the major artistic developments. The text also focuses on style and iconography, and on art and artists incorporating different methodological approaches to create a wider understanding and appreciation of art. Italian Renaissance Art contains over 400 illustrations, of which 215 are in full color integrated with the text and large enough to be properly viewed. There are also maps, plans and diagrams where appropriate. Painting, sculpture, and architecture are covered. The book contains a glossary, historical chronology, selected bibliography and index as well. This introductory text on Italian Renaissance art and the artists who made it by the author of A History of Western Art and Art Across Time focuses on the most important and innovative artists and their principal works. The emphasis is on selectivity and understanding, and minor artists will be considered only briefly when relevant to the major artistic developments. The text also focuses on style and iconography, and on art and artists incorporating different methodological approaches to create a wider understanding and appreciation of the art. The book contains over 400 illustrations, of which 215 are in full color integrated with the text and large enough to be properly viewed. There are also maps, plans and diagrams when appropriate. Painting, sculpture, and architecture are covered. The text begins with the late Byzantine work of Cimabue and continues into the Renaissance precursors of the fourteenth century: Giotto, Duccio, Simone Martini, the Lorenzetti. The context of early humanism and the role of Petrarch is also discussed. The artistic backlash after the plague of 1348 follows and the work of Orcagna and Andrea da Firenze. The Quattrocento, with Masaccio, Donatello, and Brunelleschi in Florence, is a particularly rich century and in-depth consideration of major artists and their works is only possible if well organized and focused. The text concludes with the High Renaissance and the transition to Mannerism with Michelangelo, Bramante, and Raphael in Rome,Leonardo in Milan and Titian in Venice..Throughout the text boxed asides contain descriptions of artistic media and techniques as well as discussions of background information necessary to the study of Renaissance art. Aside from the major artistic centers of Florence, Rome and Venice the text covers artistic developments in Siena, Rimini, Pienza,Umbria, the Marches, Naples, Verona, Ferrara, Mantua and other locations. The book contains a glossary, historical chronology, selected bibliography and index. "A clearly written, straightforward account of the story of Italian Renaissance art from its origins to Mannerism. The bulk of the material centers around central Italian painting, as it should, but other important, smaller centers are also included. The discussion of the various art forms is nicely balanced.... I especially liked the sidebars which add necessary material--historical, literary, technical and so forth--to the text without encumbering it.... This is a very good book which should furnish us with the new anduseable text we have been waiting for. I would certainly use it in my classroom." -Bruce Cole, Distinguished Professor, Chairman, department of the history of art, Indiana University


About the Author
Laurie Schneider Adamsteaches undergraduate and graduate students at CUNY. She has previously taught at Sarah Lawrence College, University of Florida, Columbia University, and Mount Holyoke College. She is the author of Art Across Time, The Methodologies of Art, A History of Western Art, Art and Psychoanalysis, Art on Trial, and editor of Giotto in Perspective. She is the editor or the quarterly journal Source: Notes in the History of Art


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Adams (art history, John Jay College, City U. of New York) has produced an undergraduate textbook which contains a manageable history of the Italian Renaissance; it's about half the size of the well known text by Frederick Hartt. Adams begins with the early precursors Cimabue and Nicola Pisano before turning to Duccio and Giotto, who are covered in depth. The book concludes with the beginning of Mannerism, which is not covered. Numerous inset boxes provide short political histories, biographies of important thinkers and writers, and describe painting techniques. The frequent, good quality illustrations are mostly in color. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)


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