Art and Society in Italy 1350-1500 (Oxford History of Art) [Paperback]

Evelyn Welch (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 8, 1997 | ISBN-10: 019284203X | ISBN-13: 978-0192842039

The Italian Renaissance was a pivotal period in the history of Western culture during which artists such as Masaccio, Donatello, Fra Angelico, and Leonardo created some of the world's most influential and exciting works in a variety of artistic fields. Here, Evelyn Welch presents a fresh picture of the Italian Renaissance by challenging traditional scholarship and placing emphasis on recreating the experience of contemporary Italians: the patrons who commissioned the works, the members of the public who viewed them, and the artists who produced them. Art and Society in Italy 1350-1500 dramatically revises the traditional story of the Renaissance and takes into account new issues that have greatly enriched our understanding of the period. From paintings and coins to sculptures and tapestries, Welch examines the issues of materials, workshop practices, and artist-patron relationships, and explores the ways in which visual imagery related to contemporary sexual, social, and political behavior.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Turner's (arts and humanities, New York Univ.) introduction to early Renaissance Florence neatly articulates the economic, political, and religious milieu of the city's artistic efflorescence. Within that context, he artfully limns an image of the expanding urban fabric of the 14th and 15th centuries. Besides evoking the problems of artistic function, patronage, and the training and professional life of the artist, the author articulates the intricate stylistic byways that mark the onset of the new Renaissance approach in sculpture, architecture, and painting, including a survey of the interior decoration of monasteries and homes and a contextual overview of some of the key monuments of the later 15th century. While unsurprising in its approach and conclusions, this carefully etched work is more than adequate as a primer to the study of the early Renaissance in Florence. Welch (Art and Authority in Renaissance Milan, Yale Univ., 1995) casts his investigative net over all Italy. Giving particular emphasis to the social ambiance in which art is produced and consumed, his discussion is marked by its scholarly breadth, clarity of argument, and willingness to include objects not within the canonic corpus. Readers should derive a deeper appreciation of the way contemporaries may have experienced works of art and the historical, religious, and intellectual environment from which they emerged. Along with keen analyses of the materials and the making of objects, workshop practices, and the relationship of artists and patrons, the context and function of sacred, public, and domestic works are vividly delineated here. While largely eschewing the formal analysis of traditional art history, Welch's deeply informed and wide-ranging synthesis is a significant and welcome addition to the literature.?Robert Cahn, Fashion Inst. of Technology, New York
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

`impressive ... compares well with other recent offerings on the same subject' The Bookseller

`Fully and often surprisingly illustrated, carefully annotated and captioned, each combines a historical overview with a nicely opinionated individual approach.' Independent on Sunday

`These two books in a new series, the Oxford History of Art, are welcome attempts to assimilate genuine and informed scholarship of the best sort to some, at least, of the ostensible aims of what refers to itself as the 'new' art history. If these volumes are anything to go by, the series will provide authoritative and reliable essays on key aspects of the history of art, in a convenient format and, given the high quality, quantity and range of the illustrations, at an astonishingly reasonable price. This is an extraordinarily wide-ranging book within its brief compass, full of insights and information of a kind not readily met with, and Dr Welch always reminds us of how art appeared and functioned within its context, both historical and topographical. The book is also notably well and clearly written.' Robin Simon, Apollo Magazine: May 1997

`thought-provoking ... Accessible and clearly written' Yorkshire Post (Leeds)

`a superb piece of publishing' Rupert Christiansen, Spectator

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (May 8, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 019284203X
• ISBN-13: 978-0192842039
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,422,045 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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34 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A unique and novel perspective on Renaissance Art and Life, May 25, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Art and Society in Italy 1350-1500 (Oxford History of Art) (Paperback)

An excellent examination of the role of art in Renaissance life, including the actual day to day workings of the artists, their roles in the society as a whole, and the role of art itself in the display of "Magnificence" of the respective ruling authorities of the various Italian states. I have run across no other book with this unique perspective. It also discusses the role of women and women artists, while recognizing the extreme limits set for women, both in the society and in the creation of art works. I regret not being able to contact the author directly to offer my respect and admiration for such a formidable and at the same time completely accessible work of scholarship.