{"product_id":"2026200012786-secondhand-encyclopaedia-of-old-masters","title":"Encyclopædia Of Old Masters","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition remarks:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBook: Good\u003cbr\u003eJacket: Worn\/faded, no tears\u003cbr\u003ePages: Good\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA landmark reference work in the study of Western art history, the Encyclopædia of Old Masters by Joachim Fernau stands as an authoritative compendium chronicling the lives, techniques, and enduring legacies of the great painters who defined European art from the medieval period through the eighteenth century. Fernau presents a sweeping survey of the canonical figures of Western painting — from the Flemish primitives and Italian Renaissance giants to the Baroque and Dutch Golden Age masters — illuminating the biographical details and artistic innovations that shaped civilisation's visual culture. Each entry details the painter's historical context, distinctive style, and most celebrated works, making it an indispensable guide for collectors, students, and devoted admirers of classical painting alike.\n\nPublished by the prestigious Thames and Hudson imprint in London, this encyclopaedia reflects the mid-twentieth century's scholarly ambition to systematise and democratise art historical knowledge for a broad readership. Fernau's writing balances academic rigour with an accessible, engaging prose style that transforms what could be dry cataloguing into vivid artistic portraiture. The work argues implicitly for the timeless relevance of the Old Masters, inviting readers to reconsider these canonical figures not as museum relics but as vital, living presences — a persuasion that leaves one wondering which master, encountered here for the first time, might permanently alter your understanding of beauty itself.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Secondhand Stock","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49131000594651,"sku":"2026200012786-SECONDHAND","price":15.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0523\/7646\/9701\/files\/e7a64a37-039e-415a-aa72-15202bf543c2.png?v=1786594232","url":"https:\/\/bookgrocer.com\/products\/2026200012786-secondhand-encyclopaedia-of-old-masters","provider":"Book Grocer","version":"1.0","type":"link"}