A fresh look at the early Renaissance; considering Florentine and Netherlandish art as a single phenomenon; at once deeply spiritual and entirely new.Adam and Eve are driven from the Garden of Eden into a rocky landscape; their naked bodies lit by a cold sun; their gestures and expressions a study in shame and anguish.A serious man; well attired; kneels in prayer before the Virgin and Child; close enough to touch them almost; his furrowed brow setting off the saintly perfection of their features. In fifteenth-century Florence and Flanders; painters were using an arsenal of new techniquesmdash;including perspective; anatomy; and the accurate treatment of light and shademdash;to present traditional religious subjects with an unprecedented immediacy and emotional power. Their art was the product of a shared Christian culture; and their patrons included not only nobles and churchmen but also the middle classes of these thriving commercial centers. Shirley Neilsen Blum offers a new synthesis of this remarkable period in Western artmdash;between the refinements of the Gothic and the classicism of the High Renaissancemdash;when the mystical was made to seem real. In the first part of her text; Blum traces the emergence of a new naturalism in the sculpture of Claus Sluter and Donatello; and then in the painting of Van Eyck and Masaccio. In the second part; she compares scenes from the Infancy and Passion of Christ as rendered by artists from North and South. Exploring both the images themselves and the theological concepts that lie behind them; she re-creates; as far as possible; the experience of the contemporary fifteenth-century viewer. Abundantly illustrated with color plates of masterworks by Fra Angelico; Botticelli; Rogier van der Weyden; and others; this thought-provoking volume will appeal equally to general readers and students of art history.
#3299986 in eBooks 2013-07-25 2013-07-25File Name: B00PRHFYC0
Review
20 of 21 people found the following review helpful. Recommending Biophilic DesignBy Cheryl CharlesI finished reading Biophilic Design--having read every chapter--on a recent trip. I think it is one of the most important design books ever written; not just in the decade. Readers should know that this book is not just for architects; builders; designers or city planners. Its rich array of chapters brings the message; with clear and compelling examples; to life for any of us who care about creating spaces and places where nature and culture are in a vibrant; beautiful; and healthy balance. Everyone benefits--from individuals to families to whole communities.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Back to nature in the built environment.By CustomerQuintessential reading for todays architectural considerations.5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. thorough description of ideasBy W BoudvilleThe book is upfront about admitting that the scientific validity of this biophilic approach is scanty. It is hard to strictly test the efficacy in a plausible scenario involving controls.But given this caveat; the explanation of biophilic design is thorough. Roughly speaking; it describes how to integrate more of nature into a building or group of buildings. The extensive set of colour plates (which is surely needed in any book on architecture) gives good accompaniment by illustrating the ideas. Depicted are two of Frank Lloyd Wrights buildings from around 50 years ago. But the rest are mostly recent vintage.The ideas include having as much natural sunlight entering the building as possible. To reduce lighting costs. Plus vegetation is brought close to the building; or indeed placed in it; like on the roof. The shade helps reduce cooling costs in summer.
