The Mirror of the Artist: Art of Northern Renaissance, Perspectives Series

Renaissance art from Northern Europe is probably my favourite period in visual arts. While the Italian Renaissance is usually considered to be of more importance, this book should go a long way to convince anyone that the Burgundian Netherlands produced just as enjoyable (and historically important) innovations as the Italians did. The angle the book takes is one of creating a historical framework in which the artists lived and worked. This is immensely successful. For example, Harbison clearly illuminates the artistic reasons the artistic goals that made North European artists reject the scientific system of perspective so often touted as the evidence of Italian supremacy. The book roughly covers the period 1450-1575, a period in which contains enormous changes in artistic æsthetics, and these changes are clearly illustrated in the book. If one flaw is to be found, it is that the focus is that the period up until the early 1500s recieves the greatest deal of attention, but this is probably due to the fact that relatively little have been written about it compared to the late period of the books scope, which I suggest is mostly added to create overlapping continuity with other books; inarguably a most noble goal. I believe the book is intended as an introduction to the period for undergraduate art history students, but it should be easilly readable for the dilettante (unlike my field, musicology, art history at this level only contains a rather small specialized vocabulary). In general, I think that any interested reader should find this an overcomeable read; keep a dictionary close if in doubt. Highly recommended!

The paperback edition of this book arrived in excellent condition. THe price was affordable and the delivery prompt.

Overall, this is a good introduction to Northern Renaissance art and the cultural mindset that produced it. Like many works of revisionist history, this book is a bit heavy-handed at times in its effort to prove that Northern art is as worthy of study as Italian Renaissance art. But overall, the contrast between the two different artistic traditions is effective.

I've loved the art of this period for years, but had little academic grounding in it. This book lets me return to old favorites with new eyes.This, in common with other volumes in the "Perspectives" series, offers high quality (though small) reproductions of important works, up-to-date analysis and discussion of the art and the contexts in which it was created. Harbison's tone is informative, if ocasionally a little too sententious. But it's a very small price to pay, given the overall excellence of his work in this volume. It's obvious that Harbison loves this period, and he transmits his excitement for these works to the reader in concise language that is accessible to a lay audience.Of particular interest is the discussion of how the Northern Rennaisance related to and differed from what was going on in Italy at the time. The only major weakness: not enough of a focus on Durer. But it's hard to get sufficient focus on any artist in a book this condensed.An excellent book for those familiar with the period, or those wanting to get acquainted with a school of art often unjustly overshadowed by its southern contemporary.