Masters Of The Northern Renaissance

Northern Renaissance art phenomenon developed in the XV-XVI centuries in the European countries North of Italy - the Netherlands, Germany, France, Spain. Painting of the Northern Renaissance was born and developed on the background of the turbulent and dramatic events of the era. Religious wars, reformation (in Germany developed into a Peasant war), the revolution in the Netherlands, the Reconquista in Spain, the dramatic events of the hundred years war between France and England could not affect the nature of the art of these countries. At the same time, the growth of cities and the development of trade and crafts, as well as the rapid spread through the new invention of printing - humanistic ideas and knowledge about the world, contributed to the emergence and formation of a new type of man. This man, an enlightened humanist, is not only one of the main customers of art, but also the object of the image: in this period, the genre of the portrait is experiencing unprecedented growth. Trade contributed not only to the growth of capital (and consequently the appearance of large art collections), but also the dissemination of new artistic trends, exchange experience. At full speed there is a process of interpenetration of cultures; Dutch painting had a significant impact on the art of the Italian Renaissance. In turn, and Italian painting largely determined the appearance of the art of the Northern Renaissance: Venetian school of painting had an undeniable impact on the artistic manner of Albrecht dürer, and subsequently played a significant role in the formation of a unique pictorial language Spanish genius of El Greco.

The book presents the biography of 108 the masters of Northern Renaissance painting, written in a popular, accessible language and giving an idea about the peculiarities of the development of painting in the countries Cavernosography for two centuries. The reader will meet not only with the familiar names, but also lesser-known and almost-forgotten masters. The publication is richly illustrated and is provided with a detailed Preface.