The Cambridge Companion to Giovanni Bellini (Cambridge Companions to the History of Art) [Hardcover]

Peter Humfrey (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0521662966 | ISBN-13: 978-0521662963 | Publication Date: November 10, 2003

This Companion brings together commissioned essays focusing on important topics and themes of the career of Giovanni Bellini, the dominant painter of Early Renaissance Venice. The contributions consider Bellini's position in the social and professional life of early modern Venice, and reassess his artistic relationships with his brother-in-law Mantegna, Flemish painting, and the "modern style" that emerged in Italy around 1500. They also explore his original approaches to sculpture and architecture, and landscape and color.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...highly recommended..." Times Literary Supplement

"The scholarly approaches range from broad social history to detailed investigations of technique; it is impossible to treat them all in detail here, but they are of exceptional quality and interest...the book is also useful for its treatment of the historiography of the artist by tracing key issues in Bellini scholarship and his shifting critical fortunes. All the authors are sensitive to the book's dual audience of specialists and students." CAA Reviews, Maria Ruvoldt

Book Description

Giovanni Bellini was the dominate painter of Early Renaissance Venice. This volume brings together commissioned essays that focus on important topics and themes in Bellini's career. They include a consideration of Bellini's position in the social and professional life of early modern Venice; reassessments of his artistic relationships with his brother-in-law Mantegna, with Flemish painting, and with the "modern style" that emerged in Italy around 1500; and explorations of Bellini's approaches to sculpture and architecture, and to landscape and color, elements that have always been recognized as central to his pictorial genius.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (November 10, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521662966
• ISBN-13: 978-0521662963
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,424,032 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Serious Consideration of Bellini, February 29, 2008

By 

Nicola Linza "Sig. Nicola Giacomo Aluigi Gius... (Palm Beach, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Cambridge Companion to Giovanni Bellini (Cambridge Companions to the History of Art) (Hardcover)

This organized and well illustrated volume edited by Peter Humfrey is a scholarly comprehensive study of Giovanni Bellini's intriguing and sometimes problematic Italian masterworks of art. Today recognized as one of the greatest Renaissance artists to come from Italy, Giovanni Bellini was in his day one of the dominant painters of the Early Renaissance.

This collective publication includes serious consideration of Bellini's social and professional life which establishes him in early modern Venice. There is an interesting (and sure to be groundbreaking) reassessment of his artistic relationship with his brother-in-law Mantegna, as well as his relationship to Flemish painting.

A fascinating examination is also presented of his relationship with the new style of art that emerged in Italy around 1500. What sets this volume apart from previous scholarly studies of Bellini's work is the coming together of these unique and interesting social and professional factors.

Bellini's approach to sculpture and architecture is studied in-depth, and detailed, and the study of Bellini's breathtaking use of color and landscape, traditionally elements recognized as central to his renowned pictorial genius, (and central to his constantly evolving pictorial technique,) is nothing short of brilliant.

Including an impressive 384 pages and 114 half-tones this complete examination of Bellini concludes with chapters focusing directly on his not often examined drawings and collaborators. There have been many studies of Bellini over the years but in this highly enlightening publication important commissioned essays finally come together to focus on significant topics and themes central (and pivotal) to Bellini's career. This is the art volume of the season. A superb compliment to a fine art library collection which is sure to be a sought after collectable work in the very near future. Highly recommended.