Renessansi olulisust kunstis aga ka inimkonna ajaloos on raske alahinnata. Raamat "Renessansi salakeel" tutvustab seda viljakat ja ühiskondlikke stampe murdvat ajajärku ning selles sündinud loomingut sügavalt ning põnevalt. Fotod loovad ka visuaalse ülevaate erakordsusest ja ilust, mida see ajastu endas kätkes. Lisaks loomulikult ka ajastu kuulsamate autorite ning nende tööde tutvustus.
Analüüsib varjatud tähenduskihte rohkem kui sajas suurte Itaalia meistrite kunstiteoses. Avab sümbolite keele, mida kasutasid Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Donatello, Mantegna, Masaccio, Uccello ja paljud teised. Seletab salasõnumeid ja pühasi sümboleid värvikasutuses, perspektiivis, kujundeis ja mujal. Annab tänapäeva vaatajale illustreeritud võtme maalikunsti, skulptuuri ja arhitektuuri saladuste avamiseks ning vaatab uuest lähtenurgast renessansiaja mõtteteadust humanismist müstitsismi ja usureformatsioonini.
An excellent supplement to my beloved The Square Halo, covering artistic techniques as well as the themes and symbols used in Renaissance art in a more thorough and less anecdotal way. Terrific preparation for Florence.
What a beautiful book! Such a collection of artwork, presented in vibrant color! If I have one complaint about the physical design of the book it would be the decision to present some of the most beautiful artwork in full adjacent two-page spreads often ended up obscuring the key component of the work, the focus of the vanishing point, within the seam of the book, rendering it impossible to appreciate. Thankfully, the next page, where aspects of the work were described in numbered clarity, contained a smaller picture of the master work which did not obfuscate its central feature.
As for the text, the first two-thirds of the book were intriguing and elucidating, showing various works of art, explaining the meaning and/or allusions of multiple objects portrayed therein; the art was driving the explication. However, the third part of the book flipped that narrative, choosing a theme or social entity to drive the art, and the appeal dipped for me, to the point of becoming stifling.
Finally, though, the beauty of the art and the depths plumbed by the text, made this book a treasured read.
“Masaccio uses the contrasting physical reactions of Adam and Eve to pinpoint a psychological difference between them. Whereas Eve covers her body, in imitation of a classical Venus pudica, Adam covers his face. It is as if Adam is ashamed of his mind and of his own identity, whereas Eve is ashamed of her body, her face distorted in an almost expressionistic display of grief.”
Exactly what I was looking for. Not completely comprehensive, but a nice introduction with a good selection of paintings. The font is a bit small and some of the pictures could have been a bit larger perhaps.
If you have a guilty pleasure of reading Dan Brown or enjoy codes, architecture, art and religious history this is a fascinating overview of the intellectual history of Renaissance art. Many of the ideas were provoking, and some of his insights very succinct.
Looks like it primarily covers art and art history...which would come as no surprise, but also some politics and religion thrown in for good measure. Hopefully I'll get to it by Christmas.
I enjoyed learning this focused art history lesson. I like the way a single painting or sculpture is dissected so I can better understand the subtle messages the artist created.