History of Italian Renaissance art: Painting, sculpture, architecture

by Frederick Hartt

For over twenty years, Frederick Hartt's History of Italian Renaissance Art has been considered the best book ever written on this important period in Western art. Comprehensive, well-illustrated, and entertaining, it is also a model of clarity and scholarly precision. Now, the fourth edition of this unrivaled classic is provided for another generation of readers. This newly designed edition includes an extended presentation of the Quattrocento and Cinquecento in Florence, Rome, and Venice, as well as additional pictured works by north Italian artists and by Florentine artists of the Maniera. The revising author, David Wilkins, has remained sympathetic and sensitive to Hartt's vision and approach while drawing upon the latest research to bring the text up to date. There are many new colorplates, including fourteen details of Michelangelo's freshly cleaned, resplendent Sistine Ceiling frescoes. A portfolio of full-page color room views has been added as well, showing major works of art in situ. Many paintings and sculptures have been rephotographed specially for this edition since they were cleaned and restored, and many more are now illustrated in larger size. Because context is so important to the understanding of Renaissance art, information has been added to the captions indicating when a work is still in its original location. And, when known, the name of the patron who commissioned a work has been added.

Frederick Hartt writes with authority and eloquence on the sculpture, architecture, and painting of more than four centuries, and David Wilkins has respected and maintained his high standards. The Renaissance was an extraordinarily fertile era, when, in a burst of staggering creativity, humanist painters rediscovered and gave new meaning to portraiture and landscape painting; sculptors fashioned life-sized freestanding figures with remarkable virtuosity and revived the classical ideal of the nude; and architects planned and built edifices of rare grace and invention. Beautiful illustrations, fine writing, and authoritative scholarship bring into focus all the elements of this multifaceted period. Fully indexed, and including an extensive glossary and an updated bibliography, the fourth edition of History of Italian Renaissance Art offers a fresh and inviting design, displaying the extraordinary visual and textual material to full advantage.

Genres: Art, Art History, History, Nonfiction, Italy, Renaissance, Reference

636 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1969

Reviews

[Anima · Rating 3 out of 5]

An excellent book that gives us impressive details about the work of art which defines the Renaissance period. Placing himself in multiple angles to take a look at the artists'personal lives within the context of specific societal patterns, Hartt offers us more than enchanting images. He lets us see that the 'humanism' that marked the aesthetic structural elements of the paintings , architectural design and sculptures at that time is a secret ingredient to make a work of art keep its value over centuries. This is a book to be kept on the shelf labeled " magic that never dies".
Here are some excerpts form Titian who is well known for the nude of "Venus of Urbino":
" This unprecedented interpretation of the female nude must surely have been shocking to some when it was painted, especially in this period when a woman's behavior was controlled by strict social mores, if it represented not Venus but a particular woman or even an ideal example of female beauty."
" The young man was also a shrewd businessman who invested his earnings, and by
1531 he was able to buy a palatial residence in Venice, looking out across the lagoons and, on clear days, to the slopes of the Dolomites where he had been born. In 1533, already wealthy and famous, Titian was summoned to Bologna to meet the Holy Roman Emperor Charles Y who made him a count and his children hereditary nobles. In 1545 and 7546 he was in Rome, where he was awarded
Roman citizenship on the Capitoline Hill. "

[Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read for my class: Leonardo, Raphael, and their Contemporaries

A very good survey. It's difficult to find a good survey, but my professor is literally 90+ years old, so he's had time to look around. This one is very good because it includes more than just the recognized masters, but also their teachers and their influences and predecessors. Additionally, Hartt spends a great deal of time explaining the processes of creating the various types of painting (tempera, oil, on different media) or fresco (buon, secco, etc.) or sculpture, which taught me a great deal. Finally, the glossary in the back has proven very helpful with Italian and Greek terminology for iconographical symbols or parts of altarpieces and other little tidbits. The only downside to this book is the masterworks he chose. I wish there were more variety, but that may have to do with museums and copywrite and nothing to do with Hartt.

[Illiterate · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent presentation of the art I have most enjoyed going to see. Some personal favorites:
Relief - Ghiberti, Gates of Paradise
Fresco - Fra Angelico, San Marco
Statue - Donatello, Penitent Magdalene
Painting - Botticelli, Spring and Venus
Altarpiece - Bellini, San Zaccaria
Architecture - Sansovino, Biblioteca Marciana

[Beth Mayfield-House · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saw an article in the New York Times about Italian Renaissance Art. I thought, Man, I used to know all this in college. Turns out I was inspired to read through my Italian Renaissance Book. Man this book is full of good stuff. My only complaint is that it's huge and difficult to carry. I wish something like this came in a Kindle or Nook. Then again, the wonderful color plates wouldn't be available. The photos are great. The art history is even better.

[Theresa Leone Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A dense, informative book that would appear to include everything you could want to know about the topic. The pictures are gorgeous, and the stories behind them fun to read. The book is not just about the masters, either, like da Vinci and Michelangelo, but about lesser known geniuses, like Paolo Uccello, Piero della Francesca and Antonello da Messina. Terrific compilation that I would highly recommend.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a book for those who study or seriously interested in art and it isn't cheap. It covers Italian Art from the late Middle Ages to the Late 16th century in various region of Italy.Very detailed with fabulous illustrations.

[Adrian Colesberry · Rating 4 out of 5]

How I taught myself about art.

[Evan]

Apparently a real classic of the genre. Hefty and full of pix. I rescued this from the trash of a certain book purveyor. Along with a book covering the two world wars, this is the biggest tome I've ever pulled out of the oblivion hole. Hope to review this soon...

[Jennell McHugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Visual feast with complementary knowledge. Viva il Cinquecento.

[Merry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great Art History lecture with Dr. Diane Goode!

[Trisha Logsden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read it as part of a survey class.....kept it and have read again over the years and each time, I learn something new. Opened my eyes to a whole new world and a continuing educational path

[Ang · Rating 3 out of 5]

Contents:
-Prelude: Italy and Italian Art
-Duecento Art in Tuscany and Rome
-Florentine Art of the Early Trecento
-Sienese Art of the Early Trecento
-Later Gothic Art in Tuscany and Northern Italy
-The Renaissance Begins: Architecture
-Transitions in Tuscan Sculpture
-Transitions in Florentine Painting
-The Heritage of Masaccio: Fra Angelico and Fra Filippo Lippi
-Florentine Architecture and Sculpture, c. 1430-1455
-Florentine Painting at Mid-Century
-Art in Florence under the Medici I
-Art in Florence under the Medici II
-The Renaissance in Central Italy
-Gothic and Renaissance in Venice and Northern Italy
-The Origins of the High Renaissance
-The High Renaissance in Rome
-New Developments c. 1520-1550
-High and Late Renaissance in Venice and on the Mainland
-The Late Sixteenth Century

[Carla Ferris · Rating 3 out of 5]

The History of Italian Renaissance Art has nice illustrations. Enjoyable to read the history. This book reminded me of my Art history text book.

[Jayme Horne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This text is so big you could use it as a weapon. Or you can spend 3 days reading it and taking in far too much information. Most of it is not super relevant to your essay on naked Jesus.

[Andre Smiljic]

None

[Shhhh... Books]

I got about a quarter way through this and will return at a later date, particularly if I'm about to travel to Italy...

[Caleb Pettit · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it in school 🇮🇹

[微的痕迹 · Rating 5 out of 5]

14年去欧洲前看的。All time favorite. 这就是一本随时让我翻起来感到开心的书。

[Bryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing for a book, much less a textbook. I originally checked it out from the library, but that edition had mostly black and white photos, so I rented the latest edition from Barnes and Noble for around thirty dollars - not cheap, but well worth it. For some reason, I really enjoy looking at artwork while reading a critical analysis of it. I didn't read it deep enough to actually critique the artwork myself, or even tell good artwork from bad artwork, but I can identify different Renaissance artists and paintings now. It is a long book, but again, well worth the effort. I really gained a deep appreciation for the effort and effect that goes into making good artwork.

[Melissa McKinney Rizzuto · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is comprehensive study of art, architecture, style and history. A required reading for a college fine arts class, this book became the catalyst for my love of all things Renaissance. I wish to thank my college professor (can’t remember his name) for assigning this book. It has shaped my viewpoint of so many different things and has continued to nourish an interest in art and architecture that I may never had developed if not for that class, which was only taken because it was said to be an easy elective!
I still use this book from time to time as a reference.
Funny how life works, huh?

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

As part of my "Monuments Men" fixation, I found this book by one of them.

Frederick Hartt does a wonderful job at explaining Italian Renaissance art, as we would expect.

The jarring thing about the book, from my spoiled 2014 sensibility, is that so many of the pictures are in black and white, which makes sense considering the publication date of the book. I found myself turning to Google images frequently, in order to see the works in color.

[Ly Nguyen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This publication is comprehensive for its provision of the entire history of the Italian Renaissance Art. It included the major artists of the time, lives and works. In my opinion, this is quite comprehensive regarding the matter of art, architecture and sculpture of a brilliant era in human's history. Frederick Hartt undeniably made effort in compiling this publication and I did find quite a lot of interesting discussions of an essential aspect of humanity.

[Artlab]

The ArtLab has multiple copies of this book

[Heather Foy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have the Third Edition

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very useful book. For Art 381.

[Meredith]

A beautiful (albeit heavy) book.

[Greg Tatum · Rating 3 out of 5]

Typical school survey book. Still full of good stuff.

[Probibliophile · Rating 3 out of 5]

college text

[Brenda Benton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ❤❤Frederick Hartt

[Richard S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Viewed generally as the greatest book on Italian renaissance art this book is particularly noted for its exceptionally clear writing. The survey is comprehensive.