Carved Splendor: Late Gothic Altarpieces in Southern Germany, Austria, and South Tirol.
Los Angeles: Getty Publications [ The J. Paul Getty Museum ], 2006. First US Edition. Hardcover. Folio (13 x 11 inches) in matching slipcase. 480pp. Bound in fine brown cloth with gilt titling to spine, colour illustrated endpapers. Heavy card slipcase. Concludes with an Afterword, Glossary, Bibliography & Index. Magnificently illustrated in full colour - many full page colour plates. First published in Germany in 2005, this is the first English language edition. Author, Rainer Kahsnitz is Director of the German Association of Art History in Berlin and has numerous publications on medieval sculpture, manuscript illumination, goldwork, and painting. This volume described by the publisher: "Monumental carved, winged altarpieces are the most ambitious artworks from the Middle Ages, incorporating the skills of painters, sculptors, and cabinetmakers. Those that are most notable for their artistic originality and masterly execution were produced in the southern German-speaking regions, including Austria and South Tirol, in the last decades of the Late Gothic period (roughly 1460 to 1525). By that time altarpieces had evolved from low, fixed panels to large wooden structures with rich architectural ornamentation. Paintings of the saints often adorned the movable wings, while carved reliefs or freestanding sculptures of scenes from the Gospels occupied the gilded, center shrine. Kahsnitz offers a close examination of twenty-two of the most important surviving altarpieces, discussing the historical context in which they were made and analyzing how their pictorial programs reflect changing notions of piety. The stunning details of these pieces--riotous locks of hair, swirling fabric, and thickets of twisted vines--vividly demonstrate the consummate skill of the master artisans who created them. " Book has just a hint of shelfwear, else tight, clean and unmarked near Fine copy in near-Fine dust jacket. Both dust jacket and slipcase have the merest hint of shelf-rubbing.). Please note: this is a very large heavy volume, so additional shipping charges to the amount automatically indicated at the checkout will be required. The final sum is dependent upon the buyer's location and will be quoted to the prospective purchaser before their order is processed. Item #71432
ISBN: 9780892368532
Price: $185.00