By Stephen Farthing, Rizzoli, $40.00, 14 pages
Wow! is the first reaction to this beautiful 11” x 11” hard-cover book. Every page is a stunning treasure with pop-ups of great art and architecture. Each turn of the page is a new surprise that leaves the viewer in awe, not only of the art, but of the way it is presented. For example, you will find a two-page presentation of the Sistine Chapel, shown in 3-D pop-up from the building’s outside, but with roof-tops that lift up to view Michelangelo’s famous frescoes inside. Open the first page and view the pop-up of The Arnolfini Portrait by Jan van Eyck and other famous and brilliant works of art. Move on to tour Brunelleschi’s majestic Duomo in Florence or peer through a working camera obscura. Paintings by artists such as Botticelli, Caravaggio, Giotto and Titian grace these pages.
Pop-ups and explanations of Leonardo da Vinci’s famous flying machine are displayed. Included is a fold-out time line of the Renaissance. Careful study of this book is like an education in the history and art of the Renaissance. The fine reproductions of many works of timeless art and brilliant pop-up paper engineering will dazzle all who explore these wondrous pages. A perfect gift for any lover of history and fine art, and a beautiful coffee table book to impress all who gaze within.
Reviewed by Fran Byram