Storytelling in Christian Art from Giotto to Donatello [Hardcover]

Jules Lubbock (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2006 | ISBN-10: 0300117272 | ISBN-13: 978-0300117271

Recounting the biblical stories through visual images was the most prestigious form of commission for a Renaissance artist. In this book, Jules Lubbock examines some of the most famous of these pictorial narratives by artists of the caliber of Giovanni Pisano, Duccio, Giotto, Ghiberti, Brunelleschi, Donatello and Masaccio. He explains how these artists portrayed the major biblical events, such as: the Sacrifice of Isaac, the Annunciation, the Feast of Herod and the Trial and Passion of Jesus, so as to be easily recognizable and, at the same time, to capture our attention and imagination for long enough to enable us to search for deeper meanings. He provides evidence showing that the Church favoured the production of images that lent themselves to being read and interpreted in this way, and he describes the works themselves to demonstrate how the pleasurable activity of deciphering these meanings can work in practice. This fascinating book is richly illustrated, and many of it's photographs have been specially taken to show how the paintings and relief sculptures appear in the settings, for which they were originally designed. Seen from these viewpoints, they become more readily intelligible. Likewise, the starting point and the originality of Lubbock's interpretations lies in his accepting that these works of art were primarily designed to help people to reflect upon the ethical and religious significance of the biblical stories. The early Renaissance artists developed their highly innovative techniques to further these objectives, not as ends in themselves. Thus, the book aims to appeal to students, scholars and the general public, who are interested in Renaissance art and to those with a religious interest in biblical imagery.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jules Lubbock is Professor of Art History at the University of Essex. His previous books include The Tyranny of Taste: the Politics of Architecture and Design in Britain, 1550-1960 and, with Mark Crinson, Architecture an Art or a Profession: Three Hundred Years of Architectural Education.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 353 pages
• Publisher: Yale University Press (September 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0300117272
• ISBN-13: 978-0300117271
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 7.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,141,634 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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