Brescia Books

Great gift for Christmas if you have a friend expert in firearms.

This fine and convincing book is about the interpretation of the religious carvings on a small ivory casket dated to 390 a.d. Tkacz used typology -- the study of "Old Testment people and events as prefiguring the Messiah" to present a comprehensive theory as to the casket's fifty-nine carvings. What makes this book so valuable for the mainstream is that all its many scholarly quotations are presented in English, and the writing is patient and clear. Anyone fascinated by the early centuries of Christianity, by the questions as to what the early Christians believed and how they expressed themselves pictorially will be impressed by this book, if not perhaps enthralled. The book provides an experience during which one learns about Scriptural interpretation as one learns about the complexity of this precious relic. A rewarding read.

While, perhaps, this book won't end up with the suggested tags, I still find it odd that a suggestion for describing Daniel Martin Diaz is 'lowbrow'. He is, in fact, far from low brow. I don't know whether Diaz would ever be shown alongside the big name artists adored by snobs (I discovered Diaz in an issue of Juxtapoz); however, his work is definitely deserving of serious attention. He manages to infuse what is clearly very personal art with the intensely abstract and dehumanised yet human concepts vital to theological and esoteric thought. Diaz's work strikes me as more religious, more infused with faith (if that word is taken in a Kierkegaardian sense) than anything hung in a church. The fact that his work is littered with untranslated Latin inscriptions and more traditional icons makes the balance between personal, spiritual yearning and esoteric, even occult, knowledge all the more compelling. While Mexico undoubtedly has many literary expressions of the kind of profound spirituality in Diaz's art, if I were to compare it to anything I am familiar with I think Diaz's paintings, if they were a novel, would be Kazantzakis' "Last Temptation of Christ".

As for the book itself, I am grateful for the wealth of Diaz's art on offer here. The book includes many paintings as well as sketches which are reproduced beautifully. The essays, particularly Brescia's on religious sensibility in Mexican art (being such a deeply religious culture), are well worth the effort. This book is also beautifully and well constructed and definitely worth the investment. If you're looking at this page I recommend buying this book.

Created by Nicholas Penny for the National Gallery in London (distributed by Yale University Press) The Sixteenth Century Italian Paintings, Vol. 1 is an essential tool that will aid fine art scholars, curators, art restorers, and serious connoisseurs of Italian art. The cover states "The National Gallery Catalogues, the first of which appeared in 1945, have been justly regarded as among the foundation stones of scholarship in art history. This series is now being completely revised and extended. Within each School of painting, every picture is the subject of a full scholarly entry with discussion of technical matter, subject, authorship, provenance and art historical significance, and each volume is fully illustrated. The artists include Lorenzo Lotto, Moretto, and Moroni, along with less familiar ones such as Bartolomeo Veneto and Callisto Piazza. Distinguished scholar and curator Nicholas Penny provides detailed information about each artist's painting technique and materials, conservation and condition, and subject and iconography. What is important is the inclusion of the painting's original patronage followed by a discussion of changing tastes, interpretation, and how the picture was esteemed (or neglected) over the centuries."

The Sixteenth Century Italian Paintings, Vol. 1 has been highly anticipated in the art world as an important catalogue encompassing Italian artists active in cities often characterized by artistic interaction between artist and city, and the overall influence Venice had on both, cities including: Bergamo, Brescia, and Cremona. One third of the paintings catalogued are portraits. Entries include fascinating sections on contemporary dress, furnishings, and accessories. The volume also includes an appendix providing an illuminating account of some of the great collectors, and collections of the past. The volume also contains biographies of the artists providing valuable information for the researcher and collector alike as little is known of some of those included. These biographical sketches of the artist's character and career are a useful source to a comprehensive understanding of the artist's entire oeuvre.

An interesting and important educational aspect included in this work is the detailed descriptions of frames and framing which reflects the growing interest in the field of antique frames among both curators, and private collectors. This comes at an important time when select dealers have emerged to market so-called rare 'antique' frames (once a reasonable addition to compliment a fine painting, today honest (as well questionable) antique picture frames are being offered (and sometimes reported sold) at extraordinary prices - at times surprisingly exceeding the value of the work being framed.) The information included in this particular work on frames and framing provides a solid base for both curators and private collectors to expand their knowledge, and distinguish to a degree on their own merit which frames reflect true rarity and quality, craftsmanship; an ultimate base for having the power or quality of deciding real value.

This Western Civilization book is full of information and is very easy to read, unlike some other books of the same subject. It presents information that you need to know and that you would've never known without this book. The coolest part is that you can take the quizzes and tests online instead of actually having to go to school!

If you are in college and like to read technical documents, hey, it's probably the book for you! If you're like me, a high schooler, and you really like and remember documentaries from the History Channel but have a hard time reading extensive historical info, don't get this book! You'll end up spacing out from boredom because it gets too complex and you have to reread each paragraph 3 or 4 times just to remember it for the next 10 minutes.

This book is so boring that I often find myself staring blankly at the page for long periods of time wondering why I even signed up for Dual Enrollment Western Civilization (we use this book, unfortunately). The text, which bombards you with facts, dates, names, and geographical locations one after the other unceasingly, is enough to scare anyone away from a history major. It has numerous maps (one every couple pages), but geez, the book is the cure for insomnia for crying out loud! Two words into the text and I'm out like a light! It is far too technical. It also talks of things as if you already knew what they were talking about, like it's supposed to be a refresher for us.

As an 11th grader on block schedule, I have already taken World History (1 year ago), and I have to say, I remember more from THAT textbook right now (which wasn't fun either) than from that which I read last night from this textbook. Lists of dates and names don't cut it. It doesn't give interesting info, and some areas are surprisingly summarized into only a few sentences while others are unmercifully long winded; and should not begun to be read past 6 PM! God forbid a battle come up, it's like a list of geographical locations: so and so fought at the [insert place], whereafter they fought at [name] and so forth until I can't even clearly distinguish from the text WHY the battle even started in the first place. The Persian War and Peloponnesian War are what we've covered on the war fronts, and they listed what the militaries did and where they fought. It was like a manual. I'm sure that's great reading for a historian, but for the average Joe, it's equivalent to staring at a blank wall for 10 hours- you don't accomplish or remember anything.

That's a high schooler's take on the book. For a high schooler, this book equals doom! For older people, it might be a pleasant read....(*yeah, sure...)

The book looked brand new. It arrived in about a week. I would recommend to anyone!

This is a well balanced study guide with a variety of questions and answers. There are no tips or model answers for the considerations of specific documents, it would help to also have an orientation. Just as there are answers to multiple choice, true false, and completion it would help to have answers on further consideration of the documents section. The Map exercises should also have there answers in order to benefit from such exercises especially when your working with distances between cities, locations. Take the case of Chapter 14, how long would it take to reach the Moon on a mountain bike, with a car, on a jet, or a cruise ship, it all depends on the speed that you may assign to the vehicle. This is like playing TRIVIA, pag. 143. Suggestions for further consideration should have a model answer unless you require just an opinion.