The Italian Renaissance was a pivotal period in the history of Western
culture during which artists such as Masaccio, Donatello, Fra Angelico,
and Leonardo created some of the world's most influential and exciting
works in a variety of artistic fields. Here, Evelyn Welch presents a
fresh picture of the Italian Renaissance by challenging traditional
scholarship and placing emphasis on recreating the experience of
contemporary Italians: the patrons who commissioned the works, the
members of the public who viewed them, and the artists who produced
them. Art in Renaissance Italy 1350-1500 dramatically revises the
traditional story of the Renaissance and takes into account new issues
that have greatly enriched our understanding of the period. From
paintings and coins to sculptures and tapestries, Welch examines the
issues of materials, workshop practices, and artist-patron
relationships, and explores the ways in which visual imagery related to
contemporary sexual, social, and
political behavior.