Paintings in Venice [Hardcover]

Philip Rylands (Author), Augusto Gentili (Author), Giovanna Nepi Sciré (Author), Giandomenico Romanelli (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0821228137 | ISBN-13: 978-0821228135 | Publication Date: December 2002 | Edition: 1st Eng.

A great museum is often the focal point of an artistic metropolis. While Paris is home to the Louvre, London the National Gallery and New York the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the paintings in Venice - some of the most important and magnificent found anywhere on the globe - are not housed under a single roof. Instead, the city as a whole is known as the greatest "storehouse" of paintings in the world. The work of great masters, past and modern alike, like Giovanni Bellini, Titian, Tintoretto, Picasso, Klimt, Chagall and Kandinsky can be viewed in Venice from a variety of vantage points, all quite prestigious. This volume traces a path of Venice masterpieces from the grand halls of the Gallerie dell'Accademia and Palazzo Ducale to numerous sacred churches, public meeting spaces, private collections and schools.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Augusto Gentili is Professor of Modern Art at the University of Venice, specializing in Venetian painting from the 1400s to the 1500s. He has written extensively on Carpaccio, Titian, Tintoretto and Lotto.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 608 pages
• Publisher: Bulfinch; 1st Eng. edition (December 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0821228137
• ISBN-13: 978-0821228135
• Product Dimensions: 12.5 x 10.6 x 3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,079,558 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars As Comprehensive a View of the Paintings in Venice as Possible, November 17, 2005

By 

Grady Harp (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Paintings in Venice (Hardcover)

PAINTINGS IN VENICE is a weighty volume (nearly 10 pounds!) in size and scope. Venice as the setting where these masterpiece paintings dwell is very much a part of this fine volume and the design and concept of the book make it an invaluable aid to scholars and art lovers and travelers alike.

Divided into four sections, each of four fine writers takes a period of time and includes Venetian as well as art history into account. Giovanna Nepi Sicre provides a fine overview of the subject and then discusses and shares Venetian painting of the 14th and 15th centuries with special emphasis on the works of Giovanni Bellini. Augusto Gentili continues the illustrations of Bellini's altarpieces to introduce the works of Carpaccio, Giorgione, and other artists who bridged the 15th and 16th centuries. It is in this division that the wondrous works of Titian and Tintoretto and the style of Mannerism is discussed and elaborately shown.

Giandomenico Romanelli takes us through the rather rapidly changing periods of Baroque and Rococo as he discusses paintings and scuplture of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. The sections devoted to Tiepolo are particularly lyrical and in addition to the masterworks of Giambattista Tiepolo he also shows the later, harlequin obsessed Giandomenico Tiepolo! Philip Rylands completes this survey with 20th century painting in the public collections such as the Guggenheim.

As with all in depth scholarly oriented books, the authors provide extensive biographies of the artists as well as bibliographies and easily accessed indices of artists and works. In every way this is a first class art book that is well worth the rather steep price! Recommended, Grady Harp, November 05

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gorgeous book, unequaled!, January 6, 2004

By 

Tracy Marks (Arlington, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Paintings in Venice (Hardcover)

This immense book showcases hundreds of high quality paintings from Venice - from the 15th century to 20th century, from the most traditional to modern. Religious, mythical, portraits, landscapes (and yes the canals), mostly full page and all in deep saturated color. Each painting is accompanied with a full-page in depth article on the artist/painting. This may be a large and pricey book, but it is a must-have for any appreciator of Italian art, and European art in general - as paintings from other European countries such as France and Spain currently housed in Venice are included here as well.

3 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Book, August 7, 2006

By 

L. V. Hudson (Raleigh, NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Paintings in Venice (Hardcover)

This is a gorgeous coffee table book, and that's just where it sits for us. I loved Venice, and am more of a traveller than an art lover. This brought back many of the images I saw on our recent trip to Italy, and was well worth the price.