The Book of Art for Young People Inside Look

The Book of Art for Young People
by Agnes E. & Sir Martin Conway

"The Book of Art for Young People" is Agnes and Sir Martin Conway's Classic Textbook of Art Appreciation and History. Using illustrations from such Masters as H. van Eyck, Botticelli, Raphael, Rembrandt, Turner and more, they have created their own Masterpiece in words to aid the beginning Art Student or long-time aficionado with information covering artistic styles from the 13th through the 19th Centuries. Sharing a love and understanding of Art that is easily understood by all, this volume will enhance the understanding and appreciation of the Classical Art Form for everyone.

A Greenwoods Village Classic Edition
109 pages with 16 color Illustrations - PDF - Instant Download - $1.99

Table of Contents - Chapters

Introduction
The Thirteenth Century in Europe
Richard II
The Van Eycks
The Renaissance
Raphael
The Renaissance in Venice
The Renaissance in the North
Rembrandt
Peter de Hoogh and Cuyp
Van Dyck
Velasquez
Reynolds and the Eighteenth Century
Turner
The Nineteenth Century
Index

List of Illustrations

Red Ridinghood -- G. F. Watts
Richard II. before the Virgin and Child
The Three Maries -- H. Van Eyck
St. Jerome in his study -- Antonello da Messina
The Nativity -- Sandro Botticelli
The Knight's Dream -- Raphael
The Golden Age -- Giorgione
St. George destroying the Dragon -- Tintoret
Edward, Prince of Wales -- Holbein
A Man in Armour -- Rembrandt
An Interior -- P. de Hoogh
Landscape with Cattle -- Cuyp
William II. of Orange -- Van Dyck
Don Balthazar Carlos -- Velasquez
The Duke of Gloucester -- Sir J. Reynolds
The Fighting Temeraire -- Turner

Excerpts from "The Book of Art"

In the great double church of Assisi, built by the Franciscans over the grave of St. Francis within a few years of his death, Giotto has illustrated the whole story of his life. An isolated reproduction of one scene would give you no idea of their power. In many respects he was an innovator, and by the end of his life had broken away completely from the Byzantine school of painting.

He composed each one of the scenes from the life of St. Francis in an original and dramatic manner, and so vividly that a person unacquainted with the story would know what was going on. Standing in the nave of the Upper Church, you are able to contrast these speaking scenes of the lives of people upon earth, with the faded glories of great-winged angels and noble Madonnas with Greek faces, that were painted in the Byzantine style when the church was at its newest, before Giotto was born. These look down upon us still from the east end of the church.

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The way in which Botticelli treated this subject of the Nativity of Christ, is, as you see, very different from the way in which Hubert van Eyck painted the Three Maries at the Sepulchre. We saw how the latter pictured the event as actually taking place outside Jerusalem.

To Botticelli the Nativity of Christ was emblematic of a new and happier life for people in Florence, with the Church regenerated and purified, as Christ would have wished it to be. To him the Nativity was a symbol of purity, so he painted the picture as a commentary on the event, not as an illustration of the Biblical text.

The angels rejoice in heaven as the shepherds upon earth, the devils flee away discomfited, and Savonarola and his companions obtain peace after the tribulations of life. Such was the message of Botticelli in the picture here reproduced.