Customer Reviews

Titian And Venetian Painting, 1450-1590 (Icon Editions)

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Bruce Cole, the respected historian of Renaissance Italian art, has brought forth yet another highly compelling book, this time illuminating the achievements of the great Venetian painter, Titian. Cole, author of more than 10 books and a connoisseur of the highest order, offers clear and interesting commentary on the style of one of the masters of the Italian Renaissance. By placing Titian in the general context of Western art and the specific context of the golden age of Venetian painting, Cole makes Titian's achievements shine through his discussions of Titian's portraits, religious paintings and nudes. He shows how Venetian style differs from that in other parts of Italy, especially Florence, and how it grew and developed in its distinctive way. Cole explores Titian's contributions to portraiture, his sophisticated use of mythology, the question of drawing in Venetian painting, Titian's use of color, and the artists he influenced.

This book is an elegant and engaging introduction to Titian; it is full of fascinating information and observations not only about Titian but about his times. Cole's explanations of Titian's great works are lucid, sensible, and accessible to general readers and scholars alike. Definitely worth a close look. It is beautifully printed with luscious reproductions. Those in color are reproduced with great fidelity.

I second all the praise that "A Customer" gives to this book, notwithstanding what I am about to say about its pictures. According to the book, it has 119 black and white reproductions and 8 color plates. In fact, in the paperback edition I have, published by Westview Press, the 8 so-called color plates are in black and white too. This doesn't really matter because, even if they were in color, the other 119 are not. Thus, when reading this book, you should have on hand a book of color prints of Titian's work (and, to a lesser extent, of Bellini's, Giorgione's, and a few other artists), or be near the computer to google images. It can be frustrating to read Bruce Cole's descriptions of the colors of a painting and have only a black and white reproduction in front of you.