A review of Tom Nichols’ Renaissance Art (Oneworld Publications April 1, 2010)
Everyones path is different, some know straight away what they want to study and do in life, for others it might be a longer process. However, as long as there is a process it is not wasted time. Personally I knew what I wanted to study, but it was not an option at that time, so I graduated with a different degree. I then started a second degree in Law as, for a short while, I forgot my passion towards art history. Now that my second degree is nearly over I must admit to myself that I want to keep on studying and this time I should do what I wanted to do in the first place. The key is learn from the experiences and not to give up.
To refresh my knowledge in art's history I reached for Renaissance Art by Tom Nichols, a reader in History of Art at The University of Glasgow. Now that I want to apply for a Postgraduate degree I have to research and refresh my knowledge and as I have a love for the Renaissance, this seems as good a place as any to start.
This little book is utterly informative, not ignorant in its context but fascinating and interesting. It is divided into sub-chapters which are very short, that give a little breath between each chapter, a moment for contemplating the previous text. The language used is well explained so that the reader does not feel lost in the amount of the professional terminology. I believe that it is a read for anyone, artists, professionals, students, and even those who have no interest of pursuing art history other than a hobby.
The only minor fault I can find is that there are not enough illustrations and, unfortunately to understand some of the mentioned context one has to reach for other books or an internet search. However, for the wealth of information that Nichols provides, it is a very small quibble to have.
