The Northern Renaissance (Art & Ideas)

This is a book that is the course material for a university continuing education course that I am considering. As it is a book on art history the illustrations are of utmost importance. The quality of this print version is a disgrace to the printing industry. The illustrations are no more than a brownish blur in many cases. The text is a clear type printed in bold throughout. This is likely to be a valuable book because of the text but it will be necessary to look at illustrations from another source to get the most out of the text. The cost of the book is totally unwarranted. Phaidon need to be ashamed of their production.

How can Phaidon allow this to happen? The reproduction of the illustrations is terrible. This seems to have gone to Print On Demand supply. They are charging an awful lot for a substandard product which is just not good enough for an art book which is also a set book for a number of courses.

A very poorly printed reprint at a ridiculous cost (necessary for a course). The pictures which are key to the book are unusable. Text is readable and informative but descriptions of paintings are pointless as they are too dark to be seen.

very nicely presented book with good reproductions

This book delivers what it says it will and does it in a very readable manner

Very good and readable book. PHAIDON books I always loved them because they have all Hi-res and colored pictures and very well organized in the book. Also, they way of writing is simple, readable for the lay reader. This book gives a sort of overview of the Early Netherlandish art by considering different aspects of that culture such as the devotional art and the churches architecture. Finally, the dimensions of the book makes it suitable for a tourism guidebook ideal to visit marvelous places like Ghent or Brussels or Bruges.So, 5/5.

A must have book.....it would seem this book is to be a useful aid to me in my forthcoming OU studies

This book is the set text for an online course run by Oxford University. It is excellent. The simplicity of the cover belies the beautifully illustrated text within.All types of artistic production are covered – jewellery boxes, dowry chests, globes, tapestries as well as painting and sculpture. All the principal talents are covered, particular attention is given to Durer and the emergence of the self-conscious artist and to the effect of the Reformation, both constructive and destructive. He discusses the emergence of landscape, portrait and genre. Closing pages analyse how later generations conceived of this seminal time in European civilization.Colour illustrations of a very high standard are plentiful. Smith’s approach is to look at particular objects in depth, drawing from them more general points. If you want to appreciate “visual analysis” this book is exemplary.I found it particularly valuable for the course. I assume it is recommended by many university programmes. I think it could be helpful to the interested general reader, especially if they have decided to make northern Europe their destination for an artistic holiday.Quite wonderful.