An illustrated book on the religious altarpieces of the Italian Renaissance. Written in 1898, these essays reveal how the altarpieces were not only beautiful creations but were also the product of developments in painting.

The altarpiece is one of the most distinctive and remarkable art forms of the Renaissance period. It is difficult to imagine an artist of the time--whether painter or sculptor, major or minor--who did not produce at least one. Though many have been displaced or dismembered, a substantial proportion of these works still survive. Despite the volume of material available, no serious attempt has ever been made to examine the whole subject in depth until now. The Italian Renaissance Altarpiece is the first comprehensive study of the genre to examine its content and subject matter in real detail, from the origins of the altarpiece in the 13th century to the time of Caravaggio in the early 1600s. It discusses major developments in the history of these objects throughout Italy, covers the three key categories of Renaissance altarpiece--"immagini" (icons), "historie" (narratives), and "misteri" (mysteries)--and is illustrated with 250 beautiful reproductions of the artworks.

Frame Work explores how framing devices in the art of Renaissance Italy respond, and appeal, to viewers in their social, religious, and political context.

Sassetta, the subtle genius from Siena, revolutionized Italian painting with an altarpiece for the small Tuscan town of Borgo San Sepolcro in 1437-1444. To produce this volume, experts in art and general history have joined forces across the boundaries of eight different nations to explore Sassetta's work.

The painting and carving of altarpieces was one of the most important and characteristic tasks of Italian Renaissance artists.

Sansovino successively dismantled and reconstituted the categories of art-making. Hardly capable of sustaining a program of reform, the experimental art of this period was succeeded by a new era of cultural codification in the second half of the sixteenth century. --

Dana E. Katz reveals how Italian Renaissance painting became part of a policy of tolerance that deflected violence from the real world onto a symbolic world. While the rulers upheld toleration legislation governing Christian-Jewish relations, they simultaneously supported artistic commissions that perpetuated violence against Jews.

Zuffi reveals the world of the Renaissance masters in a new and rich light. Each spread uses an important painting as a way to explain a key concept. Includes brief biographies of the major artists, provided an accessible introduction to the art and culture of the Italian Renaissance.

Published on the occasion of an exhibition of works chiefly from the collection of the National Gallery, London, held there, July 6-Oct. 2, 2011.