Illuminating the Renaissance: The Triumph of Flemish Manuscript Painting in Europe [Hardcover]

Thomas Kren (Editor), Scot McKendrick (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 28, 2003 | ISBN-10: 0892367032 | ISBN-13: 978-0892367030

This comprehensive and richly illustrated catalogue focuses on the finest illustrated manuscripts produced in Europe during the great epoch in Flemish illumination. During this aesthetically fertile period - beginning in 1467 with the reign of the Burgundian duke Charles the Bold and ending in 1561 with the death of the artist Simon Bening - the art of book painting was raised to a new level of sophistication. Sharing inspiration with the celebrated panel painters of the time, illuminators achieved astonishing innovations in the handling of colour, light, texture, and space, creating a naturalistic style that would dominate tastes throughout Europe for nearly a century. Focusing on the notable artists of the period - Simon Marmion, the Vienna Master of Mary of Burgundy, Gerard David, Gerard Horenbout, Bening, and others - the catalogue examines both devotional and secular manuscript illumination within a broad context: the place of illuminators within the visual arts, including artistic exchange between book painters and panel painters; the role of court patronage and the emergence of personal libraries; and the international appeal of the new Flemish illumination style.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 592 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (August 28, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0892367032
• ISBN-13: 978-0892367030
• Product Dimensions: 13 x 8.6 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,564,273 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars one of the very best books about illuminated manuscripts, November 1, 2009

By 

Ivor E. Zetler (Sydney Australia) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Illuminating the Renaissance: The Triumph of Flemish Manuscript Painting in Europe (Hardcover)

This book is a catalogue of an exhibition held at the Getty Museum in 2003. It covers Flemish manuscript painting from 1740 and 1560.To quote from the introductory essay, "During this period manuscript illuminators radically transformed the appearance of the illustrated page. First they introduced into their miniatures the mastery of light, texture and space that Jan van Eyck and Rogier van der Weyden had achieved. Second, the decorated border of the page grew comparable in its richness to the miniature that it framed".

There are a dazzling array of examples of illuminated manuscripts of exceptional quality and beauty presented in this catalogue. Additionally there are a number of related paintings and drawings to be seen. The works of some of the the greatest illumination masters of the era, including Simon Marmion, the Vienna Master of Mary of Burgundy, Gerard David and Simon Bening, are showcased.

This is a hefty and expensive book. The quality of the color reproductions and printing are absolutely exceptional. I must admit to a long period of struggle before taking the plunge and blowing my budget on this volume. As the saying goes, you get what you pay for. This investment has provided me with an enormous amount of ongoing pleasure and I urge enthusiasts of this era of art to consider purchasing this wonderful book.