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Princes of the Renaissance
A vivid history of the lives and times of the aristocratic elite whose patronage created the art and architecture of the Italian Renaissance.
The fifteenth and sixteenth centuries was an era of dramatic political, religious, and cultural change in the Italian peninsula, witnessing major innovations in the visual arts, literature, music, and science.
The Princes of the Renaissance charts these developments in a sequence of eleven chapters, each of which is devoted to two or three princely characters with a cast of minor ones—from Federigo da Montefeltro, Duke of Urbino, to Cosimo I de' Medici, Duke of Florence, and from Isabella d'Este of Mantua to Lucrezia Borgia. Many of these princes were related by blood or marriage, creating a web of alliances that held Renaissance society together—but whose tensions could spark feuds that threatened to tear it apart.
A vivid depiction of the lives and times of the aristocratic elite whose patronage created the art and architecture of the Renaissance, The Princes of the Renaissance is a narrative that is as rigorous and definitively researched as it is accessible and entertaining. Perhaps most importantly, Mary Hollingsworth sets the aesthetic achievements of these aristocratic patrons in the context of the volatile, ever-shifting politics of an age of change and innovation.
The fifteenth and sixteenth centuries was an era of dramatic political, religious, and cultural change in the Italian peninsula, witnessing major innovations in the visual arts, literature, music, and science.
The Princes of the Renaissance charts these developments in a sequence of eleven chapters, each of which is devoted to two or three princely characters with a cast of minor ones—from Federigo da Montefeltro, Duke of Urbino, to Cosimo I de' Medici, Duke of Florence, and from Isabella d'Este of Mantua to Lucrezia Borgia. Many of these princes were related by blood or marriage, creating a web of alliances that held Renaissance society together—but whose tensions could spark feuds that threatened to tear it apart.
A vivid depiction of the lives and times of the aristocratic elite whose patronage created the art and architecture of the Renaissance, The Princes of the Renaissance is a narrative that is as rigorous and definitively researched as it is accessible and entertaining. Perhaps most importantly, Mary Hollingsworth sets the aesthetic achievements of these aristocratic patrons in the context of the volatile, ever-shifting politics of an age of change and innovation.
605 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2021
190 people are currently reading
713 people want to read
About the author
Mary Hollingsworth
12 books61 followersMary Hollingsworth is a scholar of the Italian Renaissance, and author of The Cardinal's Hat, The Borgias: History's Most Notorious Dynasty and Patronage in Renaissance Italy: From 1400 to the Early Sixteenth Century.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
February 28, 2021
Beautiful book.
March 24, 2021
A very interesting book for readers wanting to learn about the history of lesser known Italian dynasties (Sforza, Este, Gonzaga, Della Rovere, etc) through the twist and turns of the highly complex political landscape of the Reinassance period.
The earliest chapters with its many fascinating historical figures and family drama, were the most satisfying IMO, while later on the author goes to great lengths to describe the patronage of the arts by the many noble families, in particular the architectural styles, rather than their political dynamics. Unfortunately, I found the chapter on the Venice republic very disappointing.
Despite a few slip-ups and the occasional misspelling of people and places names (e.g. Cerosa (sic) di Pavia), I enjoyed this read.
Regarding the audio version, generally speaking, the narrator does a good job with the pronunciation of Italian and Latin words and names, still, the few mispronunciations are annoying.
3.5 stars rounded up
The earliest chapters with its many fascinating historical figures and family drama, were the most satisfying IMO, while later on the author goes to great lengths to describe the patronage of the arts by the many noble families, in particular the architectural styles, rather than their political dynamics. Unfortunately, I found the chapter on the Venice republic very disappointing.
Despite a few slip-ups and the occasional misspelling of people and places names (e.g. Cerosa (sic) di Pavia), I enjoyed this read.
Regarding the audio version, generally speaking, the narrator does a good job with the pronunciation of Italian and Latin words and names, still, the few mispronunciations are annoying.
3.5 stars rounded up
April 13, 2025
An expert on Renaissance Italy, Hollingsworth vividly portrays a some of the era's most interesting and influential aristocratic figures, crafting a fascinating tapestry of historical lives and events.
March 25, 2021
This is a beautiful book, the way the images are interspersed with the text makes it a joy to read and helps you to understand and appreciate how important art and image were to the Italian princes. I found the book to be well structured so that each chapter had clear protagonists and the chronology was easy to follow. There was a nice mix of specific, character building detail about each Prince and state balanced with an overarching narrative of what was happening across the peninsula.
However, at some points it felt a bit light, events and their consequences were brushed over or hurried to a conclusion which could be frustrating. This was especially evident in the final chapter, it was more of a brief look at the impact of the Renaissance outside Italy rather than an actual conclusion to the book. It felt like it came to a very abrupt end.
(My particular copy also contained a large number of typos and, in one case, a sentence that was never finished, which was a disappointing.)
However, at some points it felt a bit light, events and their consequences were brushed over or hurried to a conclusion which could be frustrating. This was especially evident in the final chapter, it was more of a brief look at the impact of the Renaissance outside Italy rather than an actual conclusion to the book. It felt like it came to a very abrupt end.
(My particular copy also contained a large number of typos and, in one case, a sentence that was never finished, which was a disappointing.)
August 20, 2024
Fantastic. Thorough scholarship, but compellingly written and accessible to a layman, this would make a good intro text to the period but also has depth and breadth for someone who's studied the period before. It spans a period of not quite two centuries, from Alfonso the Magnanimous' conquering of Naples to the death of Charles V. Each chapter is arranged thematically and chronologically, combining families together and pitting rivals against each other. Weaving together art, history, politics, and religion, I cannot recommend this text enough, especially to those who want to learn more about the monarchies of Italy that have been traditionally understudied in English-language scholarship compared to the republics. Particularly insightful treatment of Naples and Milan, as well as Ferrara and Mantua---though of course Florence and Venice and the Papal States and more are covered as well.
January 15, 2024
En allsidig och spännande samling biografier som tar uppgiften att förankra läsaren i renässansen på allvar. Djupdykningar som i Alessandro Farnese relationer till släkt och franska kronan är värdefulla, framförallt när de kontextualiseras av politiken i påvestolen, och hur Farneses kombination av intressen och vurmar placerade honom i den sekulära falangen, i motsats till inkvisitionsfalangen.
March 16, 2021
I imagined reading this as someone with little to no knowledge of the persons/time and honestly would have been lost should that have been the case. For a book that is a general overview I think more time should have been spent giving more background, even if it was through the use of footnotes.
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August 14, 2023I love the Renaissance (contrary to a roommate I had during the minor in Italy that was mostly focussed on the Renaissance...) Anyway! However my knowledge is quite limited to 16th century Florence and in particular the reigns of Cosimo I and Ferdinando I, so this book about the princes from all over Italy in the 15th and 16th century was a great introduction/addition. To keep it short:
- I loved the chapter on Venice, so interesting.
- I feel like I understand the succession of different popes better now.
- Paul III (Alessandro Farnese) was discussed but she didn't talk about the decoration of the Castel Sant'Angelo or Sala Regia??? Weird.
- They always say to not provide new information in the conclusion... this conclusion was a chapter of its own on Charles V and Francis I and should have been either: put in the front as a historical context or intergrated within the other chapters. And then add an actual conclusion where you wrap up the book because I really missed that.
- Talking about lack of structure: I think a good clear research question for the whole book would have helped. Sometimes I did not understand where the chapter was going and what point she wanted to make. It felt like a enummeration of historical facts (and not even in chronological order... (within the chapter, the book as a whole was sort of chronologically).
- The one single paragraph on the decoration of the Sala dei Cinquecento commissioned by Cosimo I was too short and too one-sided. I woudl say Cosimo I in general was not really done justice but anyway.
- Wish there was more on Leonello d'Este/ the influence of the humanists.
- Also.. lot of talk on the reformation/Catharina de' Medici/protestants etc, but no mention of the Night of Bartholomew?
- As an art historian, I want a picture is your refer to a piece of art. And intergrated in the text. But when that is not possible and you only have the pictures bundled in the middle, at least assign numbers to them and refer to them in the text. Please.
- The info on Francesco Maria delle Rovere!!! Super interesting, would definitely read more about him.
Ok, that's from the top of my head. I know it seems like I have a lot of criticism but I swear I enjoyed it
- I loved the chapter on Venice, so interesting.
- I feel like I understand the succession of different popes better now.
- Paul III (Alessandro Farnese) was discussed but she didn't talk about the decoration of the Castel Sant'Angelo or Sala Regia??? Weird.
- They always say to not provide new information in the conclusion... this conclusion was a chapter of its own on Charles V and Francis I and should have been either: put in the front as a historical context or intergrated within the other chapters. And then add an actual conclusion where you wrap up the book because I really missed that.
- Talking about lack of structure: I think a good clear research question for the whole book would have helped. Sometimes I did not understand where the chapter was going and what point she wanted to make. It felt like a enummeration of historical facts (and not even in chronological order... (within the chapter, the book as a whole was sort of chronologically).
- The one single paragraph on the decoration of the Sala dei Cinquecento commissioned by Cosimo I was too short and too one-sided. I woudl say Cosimo I in general was not really done justice but anyway.
- Wish there was more on Leonello d'Este/ the influence of the humanists.
- Also.. lot of talk on the reformation/Catharina de' Medici/protestants etc, but no mention of the Night of Bartholomew?
- As an art historian, I want a picture is your refer to a piece of art. And intergrated in the text. But when that is not possible and you only have the pictures bundled in the middle, at least assign numbers to them and refer to them in the text. Please.
- The info on Francesco Maria delle Rovere!!! Super interesting, would definitely read more about him.
Ok, that's from the top of my head. I know it seems like I have a lot of criticism but I swear I enjoyed it
September 3, 2024
This book helped me get a lot of things straight in my mind: Locations, personnel, and issues which most often led to war. In fact, this time seems to have been one of constant war. The focus by the author on the contributions to art was enlightening. The buildings constructed during this time were most impressive considering the limitations in place at the time. No cranes such as currently used, etc. A worthwhile read for anyone interested in the Renaissance in Italy.
March 28, 2025
For a book where people are continually going to war with other city states, literally nobody dies in battle, everyone dies of syphillis. It’s rife. A very good book about renaissance families that don’t get as much coverage
August 2, 2022
Wonderfully detailed and cross referenced.
September 20, 2022
It adds a lot of context to the famous artwork that survived the centuries and added to my convictions that for every historical figure, there's the legend, the myth, and the humanity of the same figure, with all the limitations and bounds.
January 29, 2022
Aesthetically a beautiful book, and clearly very well researched. I applaud Hollingsworth's purpose to pull what might be considered peripheral characters from the High Italian Renaissance into the conversation, and to draw some limelight away from the privileged Medici and Borgia families.
So why the conservative three stars?
Because the end result is a complicated, dense and sluggish book. The narrative gets bogged down in convoluted and complex contingencies of affairs as they unfolded between the nobles and courts in question. Perhaps a more accessable way of presenting the information would have been to divide the subject matter by polity rather than by pairings of potentates, i.e.: Naples/Ferrara/Milan/Urbino etc...rather than Ludovico Sforza & Giangaleazzo Sforza, and Francesco Maria della Rovere & Federigo Gonzaga etc...
Of course the strength of presenting the information as Hollingsworth does is that you get a sense of the dazzling complexity of the political scene and it's surges of crisis as they unfold. The downside is that it makes for impenetrable and sometimes downright difficult reading remembering who is related to who at any specific time, and this can be frustrating. It is in any case, necessarily, a slow read, not to be undertaken casually.
I put it down certain that it would repay a reread at some point.
At which point I may well revise my rating of it!
So why the conservative three stars?
Because the end result is a complicated, dense and sluggish book. The narrative gets bogged down in convoluted and complex contingencies of affairs as they unfolded between the nobles and courts in question. Perhaps a more accessable way of presenting the information would have been to divide the subject matter by polity rather than by pairings of potentates, i.e.: Naples/Ferrara/Milan/Urbino etc...rather than Ludovico Sforza & Giangaleazzo Sforza, and Francesco Maria della Rovere & Federigo Gonzaga etc...
Of course the strength of presenting the information as Hollingsworth does is that you get a sense of the dazzling complexity of the political scene and it's surges of crisis as they unfold. The downside is that it makes for impenetrable and sometimes downright difficult reading remembering who is related to who at any specific time, and this can be frustrating. It is in any case, necessarily, a slow read, not to be undertaken casually.
I put it down certain that it would repay a reread at some point.
At which point I may well revise my rating of it!
December 31, 2021
The 15th and 16th centuries were full of dynamic political and religious reforms, but they were also known for cultural changes throughout Europe. The medieval foundations started to crumble, and the early modern age emerged. One of the centers of change was Italy, a series of states with their rulers vying for power and prestige. These rulers would help finance masterpieces in art, literature, and architecture, but it was their rivals that threatened to tear the Renaissance society apart. In “Princes of the Renaissance: The Hidden Power Behind an Artistic Revolution,” Mary Hollingsworth explores the lives of the men and women who helped shape the Renaissance.
I want to thank Pegasus Books for sending me a copy of this book. This title was intriguing to me, and I wanted to learn more about Italian history. The Italian Renaissance has been an area in history that I have been interested in studying more, but I was unsure where to begin.
Hollingsworth takes the tales of some of the most famous families in Italy to tell the story of the Renaissance. Each chapter focuses on two or three dynamic figures that shaped the era. Men like Cosimo de' Medici, Alfonso of Aragon, Francesco Sforza, Leonello d’Este, Ferrante I of Naples, and Doge Andrea Gritti knew how to change the political landscape of Italy while acting as patrons for the artists that would define this era. The artists that they would employ were masters like Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Titian. We also saw powerful women like Lucrezia Borgia and Isabella d’Este, who impacted the Renaissance.
Although Hollingsworth mentions the works that the princes helped fund and did include stunning images of the masterpieces of art and architecture, the bulk of this book is looking at the drama behind the art. We see a complex political landscape of lords fighting each other, family members, and even papal authority for land and prestige. Things were bound to be complicated with famous families like the Estes, the Medicis, the Sforzas, and the Borgias. Still, it created a beautiful mosaic of different influences of colorful figures.
One thing that I wish Hollingsworth would have included would be family trees of the prominent families. As someone who is not that familiar with the significant Italian families and the individual states, I think it would have helped those who are not that familiar with Italian history.
Overall, I found this book an enjoyable and fascinating read. I think it provides gorgeous images of new aspects of the Renaissance with thrilling stories of love, jealously, and the desire for power. Suppose you want a great introduction to the Italian Renaissance and those who funded these masterpieces. In that case, you should check out “Princes of the Renaissance: The Hidden Power Behind an Artistic Revolution” by Mary Hollingsworth.
I want to thank Pegasus Books for sending me a copy of this book. This title was intriguing to me, and I wanted to learn more about Italian history. The Italian Renaissance has been an area in history that I have been interested in studying more, but I was unsure where to begin.
Hollingsworth takes the tales of some of the most famous families in Italy to tell the story of the Renaissance. Each chapter focuses on two or three dynamic figures that shaped the era. Men like Cosimo de' Medici, Alfonso of Aragon, Francesco Sforza, Leonello d’Este, Ferrante I of Naples, and Doge Andrea Gritti knew how to change the political landscape of Italy while acting as patrons for the artists that would define this era. The artists that they would employ were masters like Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Titian. We also saw powerful women like Lucrezia Borgia and Isabella d’Este, who impacted the Renaissance.
Although Hollingsworth mentions the works that the princes helped fund and did include stunning images of the masterpieces of art and architecture, the bulk of this book is looking at the drama behind the art. We see a complex political landscape of lords fighting each other, family members, and even papal authority for land and prestige. Things were bound to be complicated with famous families like the Estes, the Medicis, the Sforzas, and the Borgias. Still, it created a beautiful mosaic of different influences of colorful figures.
One thing that I wish Hollingsworth would have included would be family trees of the prominent families. As someone who is not that familiar with the significant Italian families and the individual states, I think it would have helped those who are not that familiar with Italian history.
Overall, I found this book an enjoyable and fascinating read. I think it provides gorgeous images of new aspects of the Renaissance with thrilling stories of love, jealously, and the desire for power. Suppose you want a great introduction to the Italian Renaissance and those who funded these masterpieces. In that case, you should check out “Princes of the Renaissance: The Hidden Power Behind an Artistic Revolution” by Mary Hollingsworth.
November 24, 2024
I absolutely loved Mary Hollingsworth's 'Princes of the Renaissance', which explores Italy's lesser-known dynasties—such as the Sforza, Este, Gonzaga, and Della Rovere—within the intricate political landscape of the Renaissance. The book’s structure is particularly engaging, arranging chapters thematically and chronologically to explain alliances, rivalries, and shifting power dynamics. Hollingsworth masterfully intertwines art, history, politics and religion, presenting to the readers a Renaissance Italy that feels both accessible and highly informative.
What truly sets this book apart is its visual design. The interspersing of images with text enhances the reading experience, allowing readers to appreciate the centrality of art and image to Italian princes. The pictures complement Hollingsworth’s narrative, making it easier to grasp the cultural and political significance of the artistic legacy that defines this era. While I personally found the author’s discussion of political developments more compelling than her analysis of art, the artistic context still enriched my understanding of how these rulers used the power of art.
Overall, this book is a worthwhile read for anyone curious about Renaissance Italy. Hollingsworth’s meticulous research and thematic approach add depth to our appreciation of the Renaissance, offering valuable insights into both its beauties, tragedies and its complexities.
What truly sets this book apart is its visual design. The interspersing of images with text enhances the reading experience, allowing readers to appreciate the centrality of art and image to Italian princes. The pictures complement Hollingsworth’s narrative, making it easier to grasp the cultural and political significance of the artistic legacy that defines this era. While I personally found the author’s discussion of political developments more compelling than her analysis of art, the artistic context still enriched my understanding of how these rulers used the power of art.
Overall, this book is a worthwhile read for anyone curious about Renaissance Italy. Hollingsworth’s meticulous research and thematic approach add depth to our appreciation of the Renaissance, offering valuable insights into both its beauties, tragedies and its complexities.
August 8, 2025
Mary Hollingsworth untangles a complex maze-web of Italian houses of the High Renaissance fighting for supremacy, fame and genealogical as well as cultural survival - elevated via acts on the battlefield, through jousting and poetry as well as painting and architecture.
The latter fortifying the walls and reimplementing classical orders from retranslated Roman works on architecture (Alberti studying Vitruvius treatise in the library of Ludovico III Gonzaga) adjourned by frescoes and tapestries depicting vocational scenes while integrating donating families (Medici by Botticelli, Gonzaga by Mantegna, Montefeltro by Piero della Francesca), by invading armies (French and HRE) - themselves shown clad in armour or pompous attire by Titian
Probably this complexity - an intricate palette- leads to occasional mistakes (one - mentioning Doge Gritti attempt to cancel an annual ritual killing of a bull and 12 pigs on Giovedì Grasso (“è una festa che commemora la vittoria del Doge Vitale Michiel II contro il Patriarca di Aquileia nel 1162”) - is given as Shrove Tuesday vs Thursday). Several pages one can travel nearly drowning in names part of complex familial networks, dates mentioned without year attribution and years sometimes moving back as certain topics are covered.
The latter fortifying the walls and reimplementing classical orders from retranslated Roman works on architecture (Alberti studying Vitruvius treatise in the library of Ludovico III Gonzaga) adjourned by frescoes and tapestries depicting vocational scenes while integrating donating families (Medici by Botticelli, Gonzaga by Mantegna, Montefeltro by Piero della Francesca), by invading armies (French and HRE) - themselves shown clad in armour or pompous attire by Titian
Probably this complexity - an intricate palette- leads to occasional mistakes (one - mentioning Doge Gritti attempt to cancel an annual ritual killing of a bull and 12 pigs on Giovedì Grasso (“è una festa che commemora la vittoria del Doge Vitale Michiel II contro il Patriarca di Aquileia nel 1162”) - is given as Shrove Tuesday vs Thursday). Several pages one can travel nearly drowning in names part of complex familial networks, dates mentioned without year attribution and years sometimes moving back as certain topics are covered.
July 14, 2022
Mary Hollingsworth provides an overview of the history of Italy in the 15th and 16th centuries via the lives of various leaders during the period. I had only a rudimentary understanding of Italian history, and I found some of the chapters slightly difficult to follow due to the repeated use of similar names and my lack of knowledge of the period. However, there are helpful maps and charts in the index that helped me to understand.
This period was filled with interesting characters - not just the leaders - but the artists, spouses, and family members as well, and it makes for a great read. Hollingsworth has also structured the book in a way that allows you to see the interrelationships and conflicts between the families, and I found this was a good way of explaining the period and also made the book a bit of a page turner as I got sucked into the drama. The book is laid out beautifully with illustrations and photos throughout, and I wish this was the standard for history books. Seeing the images represented throughout alongside the descriptions really brought the period to life in a way that most history books do not.
This period was filled with interesting characters - not just the leaders - but the artists, spouses, and family members as well, and it makes for a great read. Hollingsworth has also structured the book in a way that allows you to see the interrelationships and conflicts between the families, and I found this was a good way of explaining the period and also made the book a bit of a page turner as I got sucked into the drama. The book is laid out beautifully with illustrations and photos throughout, and I wish this was the standard for history books. Seeing the images represented throughout alongside the descriptions really brought the period to life in a way that most history books do not.
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December 14, 2022Covers the ruling families of Italy during the 14th and 15th centuries. I did feel I learned a lot about a few of the prominent characters. Other families were more difficult to follow.
Over such a wide period, you would think there wasn't much room for detail, but much detail is actually included. It's a huge cast of characters, and I could have used more identifiers when Hollingsworth was discussing a particular character. Instead of briefly referring to "Duke Federigo" or "Cardinal Giovanni" or whoever, I would have appreciated reminders of family name and principality. The family trees in the back are very useful in the print version, I'm sure, but I was reading an electronic version. Going back and forth in a kindle version is a bit awkward; but the main problem is that the print in the family trees is too small to read and couldn't be expanded, in my browser or printer.
Over such a wide period, you would think there wasn't much room for detail, but much detail is actually included. It's a huge cast of characters, and I could have used more identifiers when Hollingsworth was discussing a particular character. Instead of briefly referring to "Duke Federigo" or "Cardinal Giovanni" or whoever, I would have appreciated reminders of family name and principality. The family trees in the back are very useful in the print version, I'm sure, but I was reading an electronic version. Going back and forth in a kindle version is a bit awkward; but the main problem is that the print in the family trees is too small to read and couldn't be expanded, in my browser or printer.
May 27, 2022
Mary Hollingsworth's latest book tells the history of the patrons of the art and architecture of the Italian Renaissance, during the tumultuous period of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. It is an excellent introduction for readers looking to learn about the famous Renaissance families of Italy whose names ring bells but details are sketchy, like Medici, Borgia, d’Este, Farnese, Visconti, Sforza, and Gritti.
Princes of the Renaissance is the kind of well-written “popular” history backed by substantive research that is a delight to read. It is also a beautiful book, filled with photographs and color prints of the of the places and art described.
Princes of the Renaissance is the kind of well-written “popular” history backed by substantive research that is a delight to read. It is also a beautiful book, filled with photographs and color prints of the of the places and art described.
December 9, 2025
This is a straightforward narrative and not particularly original retelling of the stories of the Italian and royal families who were the patrons of the later Renaissance in Italy, but which, certainly in its hardback version, is worth the cover price for the sumptuous colour illustrations throughout.
July 21, 2021
Lavishly illustrated with erudite narrative. It tails off 3/4 in and suffered from a lack of a concluding chapter but hits all the right spots and has an excellent bibliography. Hugely and highly recommended.
October 1, 2021
Easy to read and informative
A good narration of the history of Italy of fifteenth and sixteenth century. Missing from the narration is the hiring of Michelangelo to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.
A good narration of the history of Italy of fifteenth and sixteenth century. Missing from the narration is the hiring of Michelangelo to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.
October 20, 2021
Excellent book!
Excellent book, fruit of thorough research. The illustrations history are worth going through the book. I recommend highly this book to anyone interested in the Reinsurance, one of the most interesting time in human history.
Excellent book, fruit of thorough research. The illustrations history are worth going through the book. I recommend highly this book to anyone interested in the Reinsurance, one of the most interesting time in human history.
March 27, 2024
Notevole testo, ma semplicistico e pasticciato per quanto riguarda la descrizione dinastica. Bellissimo l’apparato iconografico e pittorico.
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September 23, 2024"However beautiful the art, Renaissance society was essentially violent."
September 14, 2025
Solid book, but maybe, just maybe, there's just too much people for this length. and I can't help to wonder if reader who knows nothing about these people beforehand is able to follow 'the story'?
November 9, 2025
I enjoyed this book. It was not a bad introduction to the vast drama that is the Italian Renaissance.
February 21, 2024
I love Renaissance art & architecture, I have visited many of the cities mentioned in the book so I found it extremely interesting. It's beautifully illustrated too.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews