Customer Reviews

Seventeenth Century Art and Architecture (2nd Edition)

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

 

 

I am currently enrolled in a Baroque and Rococo art history class at my university. I was told to get this book, and I excitedly did. After reading it for a bit, I noticed a few aspects that bothered me. The text is informative and explores the artworks wonderfully. Unfortunately, in the description, the authors describe the colors of the piece and how critical they are in the piece, which would be wonderful, except for the fact that half of the images in the text are in black and white! I would have to wait until class or find the images online in order to see what they were talking about.

So, if you are looking to buy this book, just be aware that the writing and historical knowledge are wonderful, but the images are dull and mainly colorless.

Where can the interested reader find so much in one book about the great seventeenth century masters of art such as Caravaggio, The Carracci, Bernini, Rubens, Rembrandt, van Dyck, Velazquez, Hals, Vermeer, Poussin and Claude? The answer is in the recently published text "Seventeenth Century Art and Architecture" by Professor Ann Sutherland Harris.

In this wonderfully written and very well illustrated book - there are 411 illustrations of which 176 are in excellent color - Professor Harris glides through the seventeenth century with the grace and ease of a ballerina, covering the Baroque period from its inception in Catholic Italy to its final days in the Golden Age of the Dutch Republic. Major artists and a number of less well know artists are covered succinctly, lucidly, and without pedantry or reference to obscure scholarly works. The author is so well-versed in the subject matter that she is able to convey it clearly to the general reader with almost every painting described and discussed in detail.

Orginally conceived as a college text, this book is a must read for anyone interested in the art, lives of the artists, politics, and history of the most important century in European art and culture. Although the title gives equal weight to art and architecture, much more of the art of the period is discussed than architecture, yet the reader is given a full taste of the architecture of the period as well.

This is a book that one will want to read and re-read time and time again.

This wonderful book contains just about everything anyone could possibly want to know about the art and artists of the period, what they painted and why they painted the way they did, including background material on the political and economic environment in which the artists worked. Included are 410 illustrations with approximately half in color. This book will be treasured by students of art as well as those of us who are "merely" art appreciators. The writing is scholarly, but not stuffy and very accessible to any art lover. It is a book to be picked up over and over again. A real treasure that every museum-goer should own.

Quick delivery and in the condition that was promised. Very satisfied. The book focuses on Western Baroque painting with some architecture and sculpture history. A great book, with lots of beautiful images.

I had to have this book for an art history course. It is definitely an easy read compared to other art history books I have read in the past. I like the background information on the politics of the time, along with the stories of the artists and their works. The information you get in this book allows you to associate stories and events with the artwork you study, which makes the artists and the works discussed more interesting and memorable.

I have read this book, not for enjoyment, but for a course in Baroque art. Therefore I cannot say it was enjoyable. It is a good book if you are looking to see many works. The pictures are fairly good, although I HATE a book that depicts color art work in black & white photography. About 2/3 of the photos are in black and white. Also, this edition is FALLING APART & I don't think it was used, or at least not used much by whoever owned it previously. The pages are coming apart from the back of the book.

The book looked alright it did not have any folded edges just the front cover had a crease in it. It arrived faster than I thought it would come. All in all not bad. The book looked good even with the crease.