The Secret Language of the Renaissance: Decoding the Hidden Symbolism of Italian Art

This book touches on all the subjects regarding symbolism of high renaissance art - painting, literature, architecture, geometry, form, light & shade, society, angels, prespective. However I feel that it just touches on these subjects. It doesn't really dive into it like I was hoping.

Beautiful

Nothing on symbolism for Sistine Chapel.Michaelangelo was ignored ????

Beautiful illiterates book, which contains a good starting point for those who wish to seek the symbols and meaning in Renaissance art.

Really good illustrations..lots of key language and images for the period. This is a good source book to read before taking a college course in Renaissance Art History. This provides an overall scheme and background for more detailed study. i have had many courses in Renaissance Art History, yet felt the details, the"trees," was getting in the way of my "forest"...this is the forest.

If you want a coffee table book with high quality reproduction of Renaissance masterpieces...buy this book. If you want to know "the secret language" of the "hidden symbolism of Italian Art", then you don't need it. Simply ask the nearest Catholic priest or go to the Catholic Encyclopedia website. The author gives precisely the same information...so how "secret" can it be?Essentially this is an appreciation of art from the perspective of a dyed in-the-wool Vaticanite. It is fine if you accept the notion that Leonardo, Boticelli, Raphael, Crivelli, etc were pious Catholics who rigorously adhered to traditional Church doctrine. But it seems to me that they were free-thinkers. Doubters were classed as heretics and were not free to openly express their views. That explains why there are so many symbols in these works of art..not because they affirm Church dogma but they deny it.To give an example, the author mentions that a swallow was a common feature in religious paintings. Swallows migrate every year, nobody knew where they went, and then they suddenly returned. Therefore, the swallow makes an excellent symbol of the resurrection, because Jesus disappeared after his crucifixion, before miraculously re-appearing. It's insulting, isn't it? How about the meaning, widely understood, behind Aesop's fable, "one swallow does not a summer make"? Beware of false assumptions! Things are not what they seem. The inclusion of a solitary swallow into a piece of religious art suggests the artist's true intent is to cast aspersions on common creeds not to fortify them.

Received it quickly however it has a dampish musty odor

Finally figured out what to say when walking into an italian church or museum and have to explain to friends what this or that is all about. Always wanted to know why christ is holding an apple or why there is a bird on the corner, or why this saint is holding this particular object. Could have given it 5 stars, but held back, since the names of art and literal references are all english-based, with little mention of the original names in italian or latin. The illustrations are of superb quality, and so is the paper and book binding.

What a great book!! Loads of pictures and explanations of the various works of art and their hidden meanings - making it easier to 'read' a picture and appreciate it for its content rather than aesthetics

I'm very interested in this art period. It was one a no other, plague with artists like no others. This book is just fantastic & gives explanations on the meaning behind paintings, sculptures, architecture.... such a wonderful find & bought for a song!

beautiful

Well packaged, excellent copy, very pleased

Excellent books, well explained and originally presented