Rome: The Golden Centuries

by Marco Bussagli

The Golden Centuries unfolds the magnificent panorama of the Eternal City, long recognized as the cultural capital of Europe, before the readers’ eyes. Even into the twentieth century, artists from every corner of the globe were magically drawn to Rome, which served as their model and inspiration. The great epochs of occidental art are introduced, with the myriad masterpieces that have been created here serving as illustrations. The city is home to an inexhaustible supply of treasures from every area of the fine arts. Readers can follow the development of Rome and its artworks throughout the centuries; indeed, the course of Western civilization is reflected in the history of this monumental city. For this book, editor Marco Bussagli gathered a group of renowned archaeologists and art historians to author various sections. Taken as a whole, their contributions allow the reader to take part in the complex changes in the realm of fine arts, architecture, and the development of this unique city.

352 pages, Hardcover

First published May 15, 2013

Reviews

[Lavinia Darlea · Rating 3 out of 5]

The antiquity part is very poorly handled. Some chapters felt to me like individual studies done for some conference or such that were just dumped in the book to fill some space. Then, starting with the 15th century, the read became a bit more fluid and felt less like a dictionary. But I was impatient to be done with it, which is never a good sign....

[reveurdart · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gorgeous coffee table book and an essential introduction to Rome.