Giotto to Dürer Early Renaissance painting in the National Gallery

Innovative and ambitious, this is basically a new catalog of Renaissance paintings in the National Gallery in London. Few museums could survey so thoroughly this rich period in European history, and no museum has attempted such an exciting educational mission. The National Gallery has used its paintings, along with examples from other collections, to discuss the role of the artist, and the function and craft of painting, during the Renaissance. These sections are followed by a complete catalog of the paintings with commentary on each and excellent color plates. There is also a good glossary, bibliography, and index. This is an exemplary book and, considering today's prices, a real bargain. The text is lucid, up to date, and informative. Much of the information in the section, "The Making of Paintings," is hard to find anywhere else. The several earlier catalogs of the National Gallery collection will be consulted by advanced scholars for additional information on individual works, but the new catalog will be useful for anyone at any level of study.-J. Howett, Emory University