Renaissance

Explores the artistic achievements of the European Renaissance (roughly 1400–1600), challenging the oversimplified view of it as merely a "rebirth" of Roman culture. Masters argues that the period’s paintings and sculptures absorbed influences from diverse cultures, including Classical Europe, Byzantium, and the Islamic world, reflecting increased trade and contact. The book features around 40 masterpieces by major artists like Botticelli, Bosch, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Titian, organized thematically into subjects such as "love," "war," "home," and "birds and beasts" rather than chronologically or regionally. This approach highlights the variety of themes—religious, secular, scientific, and classical—while showcasing the evolution of artistic styles across painting, with less focus on sculpture and architecture (e.g., Brunelleschi’s dome or St. Peter’s Basilica are minimally covered).

At 256 pages with numerous color illustrations, the book serves as a visually stunning coffee-table volume, appealing to armchair readers, museum visitors, and art students. Masters’ annotations offer interpretations linking artworks to cultural contexts like humanism, domestic life, and foreign influences, extending the Renaissance’s echo into 19th-century art by Manet and Ingres. A gazetteer section lists major public art collections worldwide, enhancing its practical use. However, critics note that this thematic organization obscures the developmental arc of the Renaissance, making it harder to trace artistic influences or regional differences (e.g., Florence vs. Venice), and its skimpy coverage of architecture and sculpture limits its scope.