Renaissance Art

by Geraldine A Johnson

Published 28 July 2005
Botticelli, Holbein, da Vinci, Durer, Michelangelo: these Renaissance masters are still revered today. But who were these artists, why did they produce such memorable works, and how were they viewed in their own time? Using vivid and engaging examples, Geraldine A. Johnson focuses on both canonical and lesser-known artists from the Northern and Southern Renaissance. Additionally, she provides a fascinating overview of the period and its culture, while highlighting the variety of approaches that can help us understand these magnificent artistic creations.

Botticelli, Holbein, Leonardo, Dürer, Michelangelo: the names are familiar, as are the works, such as the Last Supper fresco, or the monumental marble statue of David. But who were these artists, why did they produce such memorable images, and how would their original beholders have viewed these objects? Was the Renaissance only about great masters and masterpieces, or were "mistresses" also involved, such as women artists and patrons? And what about the 'minor'-pieces that Renaissance men and women would have encountered in homes, churches and civic spaces? This exciting and stimulating volume will answer such questions by considering both famous and lesser-known artists, patrons and works of art within the cultural and historical context of Renaissance Europe.

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