Veronese (National Gallery London)

One of the great Venetian artists of the Renaissance - Paolo Veronese (1528--1588) - was admired for the rich colors of his work as well as for the mastery of theatrical narrative. His paintings were produced for an aristocratic international audience and ranged from decorative fresco schemes and portraits to allegorical, biblical, and historical subjects. This book is a definitive reappraisal of the artist also provides an insightful account of painting and patronage in 16th-century Venice. Xavier F. Salomon traces Veronese's career from its beginnings in Verona, where he developed an art shaped by the rediscovery of antiquity, to Venice, where he established a successful workshop. Salomon's discussion of Veronese's entire output, including his monumental banquet scenes, illuminates the original function of every work, many of them designed for specific locations. This splendid book makes a significant contribution to scholarship in the field of 16th-century Venetian painting. There are many generous illustrations that reveal the distinctive tactile qualities of Veronese's technique and the beauty of his palette, whether rendering rich textiles, precious metals or female complexions.