Customer Reviews

Prado

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
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Every picture is in color and many have a few words about the painter and the work of art. Covers both the "Spanish Collection" and the "Foreign Collections". I was particularly interested in the works of Bosch in the "Early Netherlandish and Flemish Painting" collection. The reader learns about the the history of the times as well as the things to notice in the paintings. The book is too heavy to carry while traveling, but it's just right for preparing to visit the Prado which is what I'm doing. I have the edition from Scala Publications Limited, reprinted in 1998. Every page is European art lover's delight.

Although there are ample illustrations in this book and the reproductions are decent, this is not a museum guide in the usual sense of the term. Apart from the expected sycophantic genuflections to the generally imbicilic Spanish nobility who purchased these paintings, there is nothing on the larger historic, religious or artistic background of these works to help the museum-goer understand or appreciate them. Perhaps one in ten illustrations has a descriptive paragraph, usually unenlightening. Classical myths, biblical narratives, theological disputes, pertinent biographical detail are all missing. In-depth analyses of twenty or thirty characteristic works would have been preferable to this superficial romp through the galleries. Oddly, there is no plan of those galleriese, no map of the museum, indicating where the paintings can be found; this is perhaps because of the too frequent rehangings.

We got the book in great condition and very quickly. Would use this contact again.