Durer to Veronese. Sixteenth-Century Painting in the National Gallery.

Jill Dunkerton, Susan Foister, D. Gordon, and Nicholas Penny, Durer to Veronese. Sixteenth-Century Painting in the National Gallery

New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2000. 408 pp. incl. 100 b/w + 300 color illus. $65. ISBN: 0-300-07220-1.

This survey of London's National Gallery's marvelous collection of sixteenth-century painting at first seems jarring and discordant, as the material is not organized by region, school, theme, or subject. Nor in every instance can the chapter headings be regarded as topics; they function as catchalls. Categorization according to style, or the familiar, reliable concepts of High Renaissance and Mannerism, we are told at the outset, have no place in this tome. The reader must maintain an open mindedness regarding the abandonment of certain aspects of traditional methodology. This rejection of accepted concepts of style sometimes seems willful in its denial of the usefulness provided by such terms and understandings, but, on the other hand, might be regarded as a loosening of strictures or as an alternative approach. It can, in certain instances, lead to difficulties, such as the need to suggest an elaborate explanation of the pose and placement of John the Baptist in Parmigianino's Virgin and Child with Saint Jo hn the Baptist and Jerome, when an understanding of the Mannerist penchant for drawing odd, complicated postures within compressed planes might explain the artist's intentions.

For whom is the book written? The scholar will crave footnotes, the undergraduate might feel gleefully unencumbered by their absence, and, on quick perusal, the browsing general reader might decide this is a book with which he or she can feel comfortable. Unnumbered, often inadequate endnotes are provided, but they do not address all issues that beg further clarification. Yet, the authors' attempt to appeal to all camps, for the most part, succeeds. Initially, the academic will feel frustrated and annoyed by the format, yet perseverance is rewarded. Now and again, startling abrupt jumps from one issue to another require momentary mental adjustment, but this is really no impediment. When considered in the light of the unwieldy scope of the book -- a diverse collection of paintings -- the reader appreciates the difficulty of maintaining narrative flow. The very disparity of the images, coupled with a free-form approach to textual exposition, allows for the presentation of a rich and varied feast of information , analogous to an upscale restaurant's tasting menu. Among the savories offered are discussions of the pictorial embellishment of the Venetian portego, the innovations promulgated by Sebastian del Piombo in Rome, how the brushwork of Correggio creates and follows form, the problem of the study of the female nude, and the legacy of Durer's Adam and Eve. An informed discussion of portraiture makes us aware of how much work needs to be done in this area. In short, something noteworthy is said about each of the many paintings surveyed. Occasionally one might quibble with a point, such as the notion that the figure designated as Oblivion at the upper left of Bronzino's Allegory has no back to her head. Without any visual aid, while standing in the gallery, one can discern foliage blocking our view of her head. Such lapses in judgment are balanced by the little delights and curiosities strewn throughout the text. For the student, the book is highly useful as a supplement to a standard text and might whet the appeti te for further exploration. It offers the teacher colorful anecdotes and informative observations with which to enliven lectures.

The chapters on materials and methods are most valuable as they address matters barely touched upon, or more often, entirely neglected in standard art history courses. A discussion concerning panel and canvas supports explains regional preferences for different woods and canvas textures, and how the chosen support effects the finished product.

The reader gains a thorough understanding of the different working methods employed in the application of tempera and oil paints. Michelangelo's method of applying oil paint is contrasted with the Netherlandish and Venetian approach. The procedure which allowed Leonardo to achieve transitions of tone of unprecedented subtlety is explained in fascinating detail.

The reader is offered a synthesis of information that one would normally have to consult a variety of texts to acquire. The most exquisite color plates, many of which are details, add to the book's charm and value as a study aid.