This volume presents the proceedings of an international symposium organized by the Getty Conservation Institute and the J. Paul Getty Museum. The first conference of its kind in twenty years, the symposium assembled an international group of conservators of painted panels, and gave them the opportunity to discuss their philosophies and share their work methods. Illustrated in color throughout, this volume presents thirty-one papers grouped into four topic areas: Wood Science and Technology, History of Panel-Manufacturing Techniques, History of the Structural Conservation of Panel Paintings, and Current Approaches to the Structural Conservation of Panel Paintings.

The eleven papers in this volume present a series of case studies of major works of art either produced in Sien, Florence or Padua or executed by artists associated with the three cities. Contributors include: T Benton (The three cities compared: Urbanism) ; C Cunningham (The design of town halls) ; D Norman (Duccio's `Maestà') ; C Harrison (The Arena Chapel: Patronage and authorship) ; C King (Effigies: Human and Divine) ; T Benton (The design of Siena and Florence Duomos) ; D Norman (The paintings of the Sala dei Nove in the Palazzo Pubblico, Siena) ; D Norman (Change and continuity in Marian altarpieces) ; C King (Women as patrons: Nuns, widows and rulers) . These two volumes together form the basis of an Open University undergraduate course in art history.

'Art in Renaissance Italy' sets the art of that time in its context, exploring why it was created and in particular looking at who commissioned the palaces and cathedrals, the paintings and the sculptures.

This volume offers unparalleled coverage of all aspects of art and architecture from medieval Western Europe, from the 6th century to the early 16th century. Drawing upon the expansive scholarship in the celebrated 'Grove Dictionary of Art' and adding hundreds of new entries, it offers students, researchers and the general public a reliable, up-to-date, and convenient resource covering this field of major importance in the development of Western history and international art and architecture.

Da Vinci Code meets Mission Impossible in this exciting international murder mystery and historical suspense thriller. Successful non-fiction author MARK VINET presents his debut novel "The Maesta Panels", an intelligently crafted page-turner about family, greed and intrigue. Embark on an incredible journey from NYC's Empire State Building to Northern Italy in the search for religious art treasures that have been lost for centuries... the Maesta Panels. American investigator David Wade and his global team of fascinating experts, Denary, criss-cross the Italian jewel cities of Milan, Siena, Bologna, Padua and Florence (Tuscany) on a dangerous mission to solve an early renaissance enigma amidst violence, betrayal and witchcraft. Beautiful fashion designer Julia Cartier is also caught up in the action and determined to help solve the puzzle of the missing masterpieces. This fast-paced adventure turns back the clock to the year 1302--a world on the brink of rebirth--a Renaissance in ideas, art and architecture led by the Masters Duccio and Giotto in the lands of Michelangelo, Raphael, Leonardo, Botticelli, Brunelleschi, Medici, Galileo, Dante, Borgia, and Machiavelli.

Michael Steinberg's 1996 volume The Symphony: A Reader's Guide received glowing reviews across America. It was hailed as "wonderfully clear...recommended warmly to music lovers on all levels" (Washington Post), "informed and thoughtful" (Chicago Tribune), and "composed by a master stylist" (San Francisco Chronicle). Seiji Ozawa wrote that "his beautiful and effortless prose speaks from the heart." Michael Tilson Thomas called The Symphony "an essential book for any concertgoer." Now comes the companion volume--The Concerto: A Listener's Guide. In this marvelous book, Steinberg discusses over 120 works, ranging from Johann Sebastian Bach in the 1720s to John Adams in 1994. Readers will find here the heart of the standard repertory, among them Bach's Brandenburg Concertos, eighteen of Mozart's piano concertos, all the concertos of Beethoven and Brahms, and major works by Mendelssohn, Schumann, Liszt, Bruch, Dvora'k, Tchaikovsky, Grieg, Elgar, Sibelius, Strauss, and Rachmaninoff. The book also provides luminous introductions to the achievement of twentieth-century masters such as Arnold Schoenberg, Be'la Barto'k, Igor Stravinsky, Alban Berg, Paul Hindemith, Sergei Prokofiev, Aaron Copland, and Elliott Carter. Steinberg examines the work of these musical giants with unflagging enthusiasm and bright style. He is a master of capturing the expressive, dramatic, and emotional values of the music and of conveying the historical and personal context in which these wondrous works were composed. His writing blends impeccable scholarship, deeply felt love of music, and entertaining whimsy. Here then is a superb journey through one of music's richest and most diverse forms, with Michael Steinberg along as host, guide, and the best of companions.

For two centuries, the city-republic of Siena was home to a brilliant succession of painters who created some of the greatest masterpieces of all time; an imagery unmatched in colouristic intensity and spatial experimentation. This overview, now revised and updated, is an essential introduction to this extraordinary artistic tradition. Taking a broadly chronological approach, it moves from the 14th-century Siena of Duccio, Simone Martini and the Lorenzetti brothers, to the 15th-century city of Sassetta and Giovanni di Paolo. Perceptive visual analysis of the distinctive styles and conventions of Sienese painting is combined with clear explanations of traditional techniques such as fresco and tempera. The works are also placed in their social and religious context through discussion of Sienas system of government, its civic consciousness, the importance of the Franciscan movement and the cults of local saints. An accomplished writer as well as a practising artist, Timothy Hyman brings breadth of knowledge and experience to this extensively illustrated book, brilliantly conveying his personal enthusiasm for Sienese art.