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The Secret Language of the Renaissance: Decoding the Hidden Symbolism of Italian Art Paperback – July 24, 2018

by Richard Stemp (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 100 ratings
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An illustrated key to unlocking the mysteries of paintings, sculpture and architecture by the great Italian masters, this book also provides fresh insight into the currents of Renaissance thought, from humanism to myticism to religious reform.

We may never know what the Mona Lisa is really smiling about, but we do know that there's much more to the masterpieces of Renaissance art than the beauty that meets the eye. There are layers of significance hidden below the surface of the works of Leonardo da Vinci, Fra Angelico, Donatello, Michelangelo and many others. This magnificently illustrated guide by expert art historian, Richard Stemp, gives you the key to unlock those secrets for yourself. 

Split into three parts, Part One is a vivid immersion into the culture of this remarkable period, tracing the profusion of innovations in literature, painting, sculpture and the decorative arts that date to this time.  Part Two offers a wide-ranging guide to the essential elements of symbolic language in Renaissance art, including colour, geometry, light and shade, proportion, perspective and body language. In Part Three, the heart of the book, Richard Stemp analyzes more than 40 works grouped around a dozen themes, including mythology, war and peace, and death and eternity.  Each work is shown in full colour and each is then deconstructed to reveal the symbols it contains and the enigmatic meanings behind them.
Previous page
  1. Print length
    224 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Watkins Publishing
  4. Publication date
    July 24, 2018
  5. Dimensions
    7 x 0.81 x 9.22 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1844839370
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1844839377
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Richard Stemp studied Natural Sciences and History of Art a the University of Cambridge and has a Ph.D in Italian Renaissance sculpture.  After a year at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts, he now divides his time between art history and acting.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Watkins Publishing; New edition (July 24, 2018)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 224 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1844839370
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1844839377
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.5 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7 x 0.81 x 9.22 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 100 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
100 global ratings
Not detailed enough
3 Stars
Not detailed enough
This book touches on all the subjects regarding symbolism of high renaissance art - painting, literature, architecture, geometry, form, light & shade, society, angels, prespective. However I feel that it just touches on these subjects. It doesn't really dive into it like I was hoping.
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Top reviews from the United States

loyal customer Bill
5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding reference for "reading" Renaissance art
Reviewed in the United States on August 13, 2022
Verified Purchase
Best book I have seen on how to "read" Italian Renaissance art. I am a former docent from the National Gallery of Art and describing the content of this category of art to museum guests was always a challenge because of the complexity of the symbolism relating to the Renaissance, especially the rich religious references, but also the history of those times and even the formal painting elements used by some of the finest artists in all art history. This book, only 224 pages, has rich illustrations addressed by a great variety of relevant topics. My only criticism is one I have for far too many books these days: the print is relatively small, and not high contrast black-black--my old eyes read this best with a magnifier.
9 people found this helpful
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art detective
5.0 out of 5 stars good for survey
Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2013
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Really good illustrations..lots of key language and images for the period. This is a good source book to read before taking a college course in Renaissance Art History. This provides an overall scheme and background for more detailed study. i have had many courses in Renaissance Art History, yet felt the details, the"trees," was getting in the way of my "forest"...this is the forest.
10 people found this helpful
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Pen Name
4.0 out of 5 stars Missing link.
Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2019
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Nothing on symbolism for Sistine Chapel.
Michaelangelo was ignored ????
2 people found this helpful
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Karin Boston
5.0 out of 5 stars Nice beautiful
Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2021
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Beautiful
One person found this helpful
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Mark Gibbs
3.0 out of 5 stars Great pictures, Anodyne text
Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2008
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If you want a coffee table book with high quality reproduction of Renaissance masterpieces...buy this book. If you want to know "the secret language" of the "hidden symbolism of Italian Art", then you don't need it. Simply ask the nearest Catholic priest or go to the Catholic Encyclopedia website. The author gives precisely the same information...so how "secret" can it be?

Essentially this is an appreciation of art from the perspective of a dyed in-the-wool Vaticanite. It is fine if you accept the notion that Leonardo, Boticelli, Raphael, Crivelli, etc were pious Catholics who rigorously adhered to traditional Church doctrine. But it seems to me that they were free-thinkers. Doubters were classed as heretics and were not free to openly express their views. That explains why there are so many symbols in these works of art..not because they affirm Church dogma but they deny it.

To give an example, the author mentions that a swallow was a common feature in religious paintings. Swallows migrate every year, nobody knew where they went, and then they suddenly returned. Therefore, the swallow makes an excellent symbol of the resurrection, because Jesus disappeared after his crucifixion, before miraculously re-appearing. It's insulting, isn't it? How about the meaning, widely understood, behind Aesop's fable, "one swallow does not a summer make"? Beware of false assumptions! Things are not what they seem. The inclusion of a solitary swallow into a piece of religious art suggests the artist's true intent is to cast aspersions on common creeds not to fortify them.
23 people found this helpful
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ChicoReader
3.0 out of 5 stars Not detailed enough
Reviewed in the United States on July 30, 2017
Verified Purchase
This book touches on all the subjects regarding symbolism of high renaissance art - painting, literature, architecture, geometry, form, light & shade, society, angels, prespective. However I feel that it just touches on these subjects. It doesn't really dive into it like I was hoping.
Customer image
ChicoReader
3.0 out of 5 stars Not detailed enough
Reviewed in the United States on July 30, 2017
This book touches on all the subjects regarding symbolism of high renaissance art - painting, literature, architecture, geometry, form, light & shade, society, angels, prespective. However I feel that it just touches on these subjects. It doesn't really dive into it like I was hoping.
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8 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful illiterates book
Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2015
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Beautiful illiterates book, which contains a good starting point for those who wish to seek the symbols and meaning in Renaissance art.
2 people found this helpful
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Reviewer
1.0 out of 5 stars Pricing
Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2009
I have not actually had a chance to review this book, but I just had a family member tell me that they saw the same exact book at Barnes and Noble for around $10.00 which means it is priced too high here.
5 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Saintbaggie
5.0 out of 5 stars Good
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 10, 2024
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Good service
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Roger
4.0 out of 5 stars Wide ranging and informative book.
Reviewed in Canada on September 24, 2020
Verified Purchase
Well organized book with an informative and interesting text. Sadly the paperback version has very small type, if the hard cover version is larger it might be a better purchase.
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M. John Hughes
4.0 out of 5 stars Lire la peinture et la sculpture
Reviewed in France on March 1, 2013
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Des oeuvres clé de la renaissance italienne placées dans leur contexte (historique, culturelle, littéraire ...) et analysés.
Ensuite, une visite à Florence s'impose !
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Emma camm
3.0 out of 5 stars Great book but small
Reviewed in Canada on July 25, 2020
Verified Purchase
I wish some of the paintings were bigger like full page also if the entire book was just a little bigger it’s easier to look at art when the book is larger than this. Check the dimensions because I didn’t and regret it. Other than that fantastic book !!
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Annabell
5.0 out of 5 stars Useful book for lovers of Renaissance art
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 24, 2018
Verified Purchase
What a great book!! Loads of pictures and explanations of the various works of art and their hidden meanings - making it easier to 'read' a picture and appreciate it for its content rather than aesthetics
2 people found this helpful
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