Art of Humanism
“Ruskin said: ‘Great nations write their autobiographies in three manuscripts, the book of their deeds, the book of their words and the book of their art. - Kenneth Clark
Kenneth Clark's 1983 book The Art of Humanism is a succinct examination of the Italian Renaissance of the fifteenth century from a humanistic perspective. Clark, who is most known for his seminal series Civilization, explores how the visual arts were transformed by a renewed sense of human greatness and potential. The book focuses on five major masters of the era: Andrea Mantegna: Classical antiquity and the heroic figure; Paolo Uccello: The compulsive, scientific study of perspective; Donatello: Human emotion and drama in sculpture; and Leon Battista Alberti: Architecture and the mathematical foundation of beauty.
Sandro Botticelli: Humanism's poetic and spiritual side.
"Belief in the greatness of man and the supremacy of human values" is how Clark characterizes humanism. He contends that these artists were philosophers who gave these new ideals shape in addition to being expert craftsmen. Clark's "patrician self-confidence" and "great man" approach to art history, which emphasizes individual brilliance over larger social movements, are frequently highlighted in reviews of his larger body of work. In keeping with that model, this book offers a close-knit, knowledgeable tour of particular masterpieces.
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