A tribute to the excellence of Italian frescoes in a large-format volume, featuring the paintings in extraordinary detail--a prestigious volume for the art lover's library.

Between the fourteenth and the eighteenth centuries, the art of fresco painting was to be found across all regions of Italy. This volume aims to illustrate the most significant periods still visible today in churches, convents, and in the palaces of the Italian courts, as well as in the villas of the enlightened aristocracy. Starting with Giotto, the great pictorial cycles from across the centuries--the fourteenth century, the golden centuries of the Renaissance, the Baroque, and the Venetian eighteenth century--are all presented in stunning reproductions. The highquality images are displayed full-page, along with several close-ups that allow the reader to observe details of the artwork in a way that, in reality, would be close to impossible, as many frescoes are painted on inaccessible walls, vaults, and domes.

An introduction written by a well-known historian of Italian art narrates how the art of fresco painting originated and developed in Italy. Each period is also briefly introduced by a historical-artistic fact sheet.

About The Author

Arnold Nesselrath is a German art historian. Since 1995 he has been Director of Byzantine, Medieval and Modern Art at the Vatican Museum. He is Professor of Art History at the Berlin University. Since 1981 he has served as Director of the "Census of Antique Works of Art and Architecture" (Warburg Institute, London; Bibliotheca Hertziana, Rome).