This book is both an introduction to fifteenth-century Italian painting, and a primer in how to read social history out of the style of pictures. It examines the commercial practice of the early Renaissance picture, trade in contracts, letters, and accounts; and it explains how the visual skills and habits evolved in the daily life of any society enter into its painters' style. Renaissance painting is related for instance to experience of such activities as preaching, dancing, and gauging barrels. This second edition contains an appendix, the original Latin and Italian texts referred to throughout the book, giving the student access to all the relevant, authentic sources.
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About the Author
Michael Baxandall, Reader of Renaissance Studies at the Warburg Institute, University of London, is also the author of Giotto and the Orators.
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First Sentence
I. A FIFTEENTH-CENTURY painting is the deposit of a social relationship. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
I. A FIFTEENTH-CENTURY painting is the deposit of a social relationship. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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17 of 17 people found the following review helpful
By Rosalind
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
What a fabulous book! Small, compact & portable but with a wealth of information. Gives a comprehensive guide as to what to look for in the paintings and the background to them. Subjects covered include patronage, value of a master's skill, convention of biblical characters, body positions, importance of dance movement, public v private display and much more. The English is excellent and the style fluid and dynamic - you just have to read on. I know I will use this book for many years to come.
30 of 31 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
As well as being a splendid introduction to the paintings and the philosophy behind them, this book is particularly good on the relationship between the artists and their rich patrons, and between the artists and their materials. It's full of intriguing details. Why, for example, pure blue is so rare as well as so rich -- at this period, all the lapis lazuli that European painters could use was mined from one mine (somewhere in Afghanistan) and imported solely through Venice... So it's no surprise to see patrons putting clauses in their contracts with their artists: "use the best blue at 4 ducats the ounce; don't try palming me off with any 2-ducat rubbish!"
If this is the sort of thing that makes you go "yippee!" and grin, as the past comes alive for you, then this is definitely the book for you.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By Caterina
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback
This tiny book is immensely helpful and interesting. It focuses on the ways in which critics in the fifteenth century judged paintings, and provides tools which can be used in analysing paintings from pretty much any period. So many art books are pretentious or difficult: this one is really informative and enlightening. It is educational in the best sense of the word.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Painting and Experience in 15th century Italy
An excellent introduction to painting in 15th century Italy for those with no knowledge of the subject. Easy to carry round.
Published 3 months ago by Ms. Lorraine S. Webb
3.0 out of 5 stars
Th content was what I expected and hoped for
I would wholeheartedly recommend this book. However, I was disappointed by this particular copy as it was not as described. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Patricia Egan
4.0 out of 5 stars
Easy to read and informative
I was reading this for my History degree and needed a good book on Renaissance art. Baxandall's book is very easy to read and had specifics on patrons and artists, and the way art... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Amber_Caitlin
5.0 out of 5 stars
An exciting back-to-life history of Quattrocento everyday life
The book is fascinating in that it relates an artistic activity like painting to ordinary tasks of common people - when I say common people I mean people who were not artists. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Diana Giménez Doucet
5.0 out of 5 stars
restrictions on artistic expression!
A brilliant pocketsize book giving interesting insight into the formation of contracts between 'clients' and artist in 15th c Italy. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Juanita
5.0 out of 5 stars
Of value to all interested readers
Time may fly and the author may have long passed away, this book is still a relevant reading for everybody interested in Italian Renaissance art. Read more
Published on 22 Feb 2010 by Artsreadings
3.0 out of 5 stars
Splitting Attractive Hairs
This is the kind of book that History of Art departments throw at you early on in their courses to instil the right respect and awe for the whole academic ritual. Read more
Published on 8 July 2007 by Captain Cook
5.0 out of 5 stars
A wonderful read
This is one of those books you can read (after believing you have a good grip on the subject) to discover how much you have missed! Read more
Published on 3 Mar 2004 by Jules
3.0 out of 5 stars
An interesting perspective
I very much like this book. Although obviously an academic text, it's written in an easy-to-read style that's not overwhelming. Read more
Published on 25 Aug 2003 by daisyrock
2.0 out of 5 stars
Absence of colour plates mars a first rate book
While I endorse entirely the comments of the other two reviewers I found that having only two illustrations out of 80 in colour was a source of irritation. Read more
Published on 31 Oct 2002 by Mr. W. P. Simpson
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