Creighton E. Gilbert captures the spirit of the early Renaissance in this remarkable collection of primary texts by and about artists of the fifteenth century. Italian Art makes a valuable contribution not only to the field of art history, but also to social and intellectual history. Almost all aspects of the life of the period--war, fashion, travel, communication--are documented. Revealing significant aspects of the practice of art, the process of patronage, and the way of life and social position of early Renaissance artists, Italian Art brings this fascinating period to life for students and scholars.

Considered one of the most distinguished scholars of Renaissance art history, Creighton E. Gilbert is professor of the History of Art at Yale University. He is the author of Change in Piero Della Francesca and Poets Seeing Artists' Work: Instances in the Italian Renaissance, and translator of The Complete Poems and Selected Letters of Michelangelo