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For more than 1,000 years the Byzantine emperors reigned over a fabulously wealthy, glittering world. Thomas F. Mathews surveys this great Medieval culture--the bridge between classical antiquity and the Renaissance. From the Caucasus to Constantinople, from pagan Roman portraits to Christian icons, Mathews uses the latest research to lead an unforgettable tour of a splendid empire. 122 illustrations, 106 in color. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A lovely introduction to Byzantine Art
This inexpensive yet lavishly illustrated volume is an ideal introduction to the history of Byzantine art.As the previous reviewer has noted, it is arranged thematically.However, the themes themselves are those that arise more or less chronologically, so one does get a sense of moving from the period of the Late Roman Empire to the fall of Constantinople to the Ottomans in 1453.The volume as a whole is everything one could hope for in an introductory text; it is concise, extremely accessible, covers all the major issues and ideas of the periods being considered, provides all the essential background, and explains the ongoing significance and influence of the period as a whole.As Mathews explains early in the book, Byzantine Art is the backbone of Medieval Art, and he does a marvelous job of explaining and detailing that claim.

One sense that any reader will come away with from reading this book is associating a specific color with Byzantine Art:gold.In photograph after photograph, one will be struck at the amount of gold used in jewelry, sculpture, architecture, iconography, and painting.One will also gain a solid overview of Byzantine Art, and will definitely have an interest in further study kindled.

A solid introduction to Byzantine art.
Mathews's book is quite solid, providing concise, to-the-point information on the art of the Byzantine Empire.Rather than organize his text chronologically, Mathews chooses to focus each chapter on a specific theme,such as icons, churches, and secular art.In this way, he tries to unifythe various branches of Byzantine art.It should be noted that the book isan introduction to the subject, and may not provide the depth ofinformation necessary for more advanced study.This is not to say thatwhat Mathews has provided is simplistic, or less than scholarly.On thecontrary, his text is most distinguished for its artful way of connectingthe art of Byzantium to both its classical roots and its Renaissancesuccessors.Mathews takes upon himself the role of advocate, remindingreaders that the Byzantine Empire kept western culture alive after the fallof Rome, and asserting the vital influence that Byzantine art had on theRenaissance.At times, his prose grows quite lofty as he reflects on thecontinuous tradition of western art.This thematic discussion complementshis detailed descriptions of specific works or art.Overall, this is anaccessible and useful text. ... Read more

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Since tooth fairies can't grow their own teeth, they depend on the baby teeth of strangers. Harry expects to get a tooth from Michael Madding any day, but when he goes to retriever it, it's not there. Michael wants to keep it! Full color. ... Read more

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This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishings Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the worlds literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more