Customer Reviews

Gothic: Architecture, Sculpture, Painting

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I ordered this book for 20 pounds and what I received was much beyond my expections: a huge book (27x32x5 cm) with many high gorgious pictures on high quality paper, and many articles written by specialists (mostly Germans). It focuses mainly on architecture, but has also some sections on sculpture, painting, miniatures, stained glass, jewelry, etc. This may be a good book for making a present to someone, of having them fall in love with the gothic style?

I found the book superb. As a lover of Gothic arquitecture, I buyed it recently and I found lots of great color photographs, really interesting texts as they have been written by german experts, and more surprising, with an excellent price/quality ratio. After buying this book, I have completed the series buying the books dedicated to Romanesque, Baroque and Renaissance. All of them are really fantastic.

I have been looking for this book for ages! I have had all of the other books for a while and thought that "Gothic" was beyond me. Now I'm glad that I kept looking. I know that there are other books out there on the Gothic period, but none of them are as well-done as this one. Usually you would spend twice as much to get a book of this caliber in your library. The photographs and text perfectly compliment one another. This book delivers far more than I ever expected.

This is the most spectacular book for you if you like lots of HUGE clear photos of TONS of gothic cathedrals. There are MANY pages of history and other information about the making and restoring of the cathedrals. A MUST HAVE for any gothic-history lover.

I first discovered this book in the library and I checked it out several times because I just loved looking at it so much. The pictures are so breathtaking, it increased my resolved to go to Europe and visit all these incredible places first hand. It's a great thourough book for anyone who is new to Gothic art forms as well as a visual reference for people who are already familiar with the style.

Hard to carry around, but very easy to read!

"Gothic" is the second book in a series that covers Western European art and architecture from the 11th to the 19th century. "Gothic" actually deals with two periods: the Gothic period proper, and the Early Renaissance, mostly it's Northern (Dutch) version. The editor believes that the distinction between Late Gothic and the Renaissance is problematic and somewhat artificial. Thus, the book takes us from the 12th century well into the 15th century.

A large part of the book deals with Gothic architecture: cathedrals, churches, city halls and (to a much lesser extent) castles. There are also chapters on Gothic sculpture, painting and goldwork. The chapter on painting also includes Giotto, Fra Angelico and the Northern Renaissance (especially the latter). The text is very comprehensive, and probably mostly appeals to serious students of European art and architecture. What makes the book of interest to the non-specialist are the lavish illustrations. There are photos on almost every page, most of them in color, and all of it for a bargain price!

Personally, I must admit that the "pure" Gothic cathedrals don't really appeal to me. I find them boring. And yes, almost half the book shows Gothic cathedral interiors or facades, most of them strikingly similar to each other... The second half of the book is more aesthetically pleasing, showing how the original Gothic style changed as it spread to Germany, the Netherlands and Bohemia, and how painting developed during the Early Renaissance. The section on goldworks shows many interesting objects.

I like the "Baroque" volume of this series more, but if you have an interest in the Middle Ages, or "Old" Europe art and architecture in general, this book is nevertheless recommended.

Having borrowed this book over and over from the library, I really had a hard time parting with it when I last returned it. The photographs are splendid, a joy to look at. Since it also qualifies as a reference book, I looked it up ..... to but [buy] a copy but was certain price would be ... more than in was. Now I'm about to by my third copy --it is an amazing bargain.

I agree that this series of Toman-edited books is quite impressive. The analysis tends to stick closely to the architectural and aesthetic subjects and the pictures are excellent. The print is too small though and is even smaller in the little vignettes inserted between chapters. The section on the German Gothic offers the most impressive photos. For bigger print and great b&w photos, get Jean Bony's book on French Gothic. Also, Grodecki's book has uncanny photos that will make you dizzy - they are more in focus too so you can actually see the details and feel like you are literally in the cathedral. Otto von Simpson's book on Gothic Architecture is more of a history of Abbot Suger and St. Denis and the book wanders off into an interesting, though puzzling, digression on this subject. James Snyder's book on Medieval Art is also impeccable. I got the earlier edition before he passed on from Amazon at a fraction of the cost of the posthumous edition.

Honestly, I'm thinking of buying another two copies of this book (I have one now) so that I can cut out and frame some of the pictures - (I want two copies because some of the images are back to back). The images are stunning, and there are clear examples that show the influence of Islamic and Moorish art on Christian cathedrals, especially in Spain. Truly a beautiful and scholarly introduction to this lovely part of the heritage of the whole human race.

Tolman's book on Gothic art and architecture is rare for two reasons. First, because it is somewhat difficult outside of Europe to locate large-sized, offset print books of medieval architectural and artwork, and second, because when you do, these works are typically hideously expensive to purchase. I am delighted to say that, if you are interested in getting some beautiful, large format photos of medieval art and architecture, this should be your first stop, because you'll not only be extremely pleased with the book, but you'll be able to get it at a discount that shocks the sensibilities, once you look the book over. This book could easily sell for upwards of $100, and people would still purchase it. Now you can get the work for under $20. Its so beautiful and so inexpensive that many people are purchasing second and third copies to give as gifts.

The book is physically massive. It is heavy due to its size, but also because it is printed on high quality gloss paper. The book covers a wide range of primary Gothic sites in Europe (Ste Chappele de Paris, Notre Dame de Paris, the cathedrals at Laon, Soissons, Chartres, and on and on), as well as gothic sculpture, gold work, illuminated manuscripts, and carvings). The associated text helps describe and explain the photos, very helpful if you've not before seen each item (and is particularly helpful on the artwork section at the end of the book). The photos themselves are of excellent quality: you won't feel like you are looking at some cheap "knock off" book as you browse. The photographic camera equipment used on these shoots must almost certainly have been medium-format backs with lenses that I don't even want to guess at their cost.

The book is of late 2011 still in the retail channel, and prices on the volume have remained steady, or slightly decreased, over the past four or five years. That means the book is being reproduced at greatly reduced costs by the publisher, and has entered a mass-market format, unusual for books on Gothic art and architecture. But that should not make you hesitate on the purchase. Pick one up, and you'll likely not regret it. It looks like it cost five times what it did. And you'll have your own little insight into the world of Gothic architecture and art! Five BIG stars on this.

Supplement this with:
Romanesque: Architecture, Sculpture, Painting (another great bargain by the same person, but covering the Romanesque period)