"The Royal City Of Turin": Princes, Artists, And Works Of Art In The Ancient Capital Of A European Dukedom
Condition: SECONDHAND
This is a secondhand book. The jacket image is a photograph of the exact copy we have in stock. This image shows the condition of this book. Further condition remarks are below.
Condition remarks:
Book: Good
Jacket: Worn/faded, no tears
Pages: Good
Turin — the ancient seat of the House of Savoy and one of Italy's most underappreciated cultural capitals — is brought to magnificent life in this lavishly illustrated volume, which chronicles the city's extraordinary artistic and architectural heritage through the lens of its ruling dynasties and the master artists they patronised. Gianni Carlo Sciolla presents a richly layered narrative that traces the transformation of Turin from a modest Roman encampment into a baroque jewel of European sovereignty, illuminating the princes, painters, architects, and sculptors whose ambitions shaped its grand palaces, piazzas, and churches. Complemented by the distinguished photography of Edward Ruiter, the text reconstructs a world of courtly magnificence, where artistic patronage was inseparable from political power. Sciolla writes with the authority of a seasoned art historian, situating Turin within the broader context of European court culture while drawing out the singular character of Piedmontese taste — rigorous, refined, and deeply influenced by French classicism and Italian baroque traditions. The volume stands as both a scholarly testament to a city long overshadowed by Rome, Florence, and Venice, and an evocative celebration of its regal identity. For anyone captivated by the intersection of power, beauty, and dynastic ambition, this portrait of a forgotten European capital raises a compelling question: what other wonders does Turin still conceal?
Author: Gianni Carlo Sciolla
Format: Hardback
Published: 1982, Istituto Bancario San Paolo di Torino
Genre: History of arts
Condition remarks:
Book: Good
Jacket: Worn/faded, no tears
Pages: Good
Turin — the ancient seat of the House of Savoy and one of Italy's most underappreciated cultural capitals — is brought to magnificent life in this lavishly illustrated volume, which chronicles the city's extraordinary artistic and architectural heritage through the lens of its ruling dynasties and the master artists they patronised. Gianni Carlo Sciolla presents a richly layered narrative that traces the transformation of Turin from a modest Roman encampment into a baroque jewel of European sovereignty, illuminating the princes, painters, architects, and sculptors whose ambitions shaped its grand palaces, piazzas, and churches. Complemented by the distinguished photography of Edward Ruiter, the text reconstructs a world of courtly magnificence, where artistic patronage was inseparable from political power. Sciolla writes with the authority of a seasoned art historian, situating Turin within the broader context of European court culture while drawing out the singular character of Piedmontese taste — rigorous, refined, and deeply influenced by French classicism and Italian baroque traditions. The volume stands as both a scholarly testament to a city long overshadowed by Rome, Florence, and Venice, and an evocative celebration of its regal identity. For anyone captivated by the intersection of power, beauty, and dynastic ambition, this portrait of a forgotten European capital raises a compelling question: what other wonders does Turin still conceal?