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Patterns in Art

A Closer Look at the Old Masters

Francesca Leoneschi

Description

Richly embroidered robes. Intricate lace collars. Elaborately laid floor tiles. Delicately carved and modeled cornices and capitals. These are among the details of decorative art that the Old Masters lovingly rendered in their paintings, to establish a setting, convey a portrait subject's social status or sometimes just enliven a scene. Together these details-so easy to overlook in the imposing harmony of draftsmanship, colour and composition that makes up a great painting-form a veritable history of ornament.

This inventive book plucks these decorative motifs from the background of paintings by masters like Rubens, Memling and Filippo Lippi, and transforms them into vibrant two-dimensional patterns. Seeing these patterns side-by-side with the original paintings deepens our appreciation of both.