"The Italian Renaissance Altarpiece" by David Ekserdjian

The Italian Renaissance Altarpiece Between Icon and Narrative David Ekserdjian

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Format:: Hardback
Publication date:: 08 Jun 2021
ISBN:: 9780300253641
Imprint:: Yale University Press
Dimensions:: 496 pages: 279 x 241mm
Illustrations:: 250 color + b-w illus.

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The altarpiece is one of the most distinctive and remarkable art forms of the Renaissance period. It is difficult to imagine an artist of the time—whether painter or sculptor, major or minor—who did not produce at least one. Though many have been displaced or dismembered, a substantial proportion of these works still survive. Despite the volume of material available, no serious attempt has ever been made to examine the whole subject in depth until now. The Italian Renaissance Altarpiece is the first comprehensive study of the genre to examine its content and subject matter in real detail, from the origins of the altarpiece in the 13th century to the time of Caravaggio in the early 1600s. It discusses major developments in the history of these objects throughout Italy, covers the three key categories of Renaissance altarpiece—“immagini” (icons), “historie” (narratives), and “misteri” (mysteries)—and is illustrated with 250 beautiful reproductions of the artworks.

David Ekserdjian is professor of history of art and film at the University of Leicester