During the early modern period sculptors experimented with forms, typologies, and materials of their art in unprecedented ways. Sculpture was at the center of theoretical debates concerning the relative merits of the different arts, the differences between ancient and modern art, and the relationship between art and nature. Rome was a major center for these theoretical debates, as well as a locus for patronage and collecting. Sculptors from all over Europe came to Rome to study the remains of the antique past and to practice their art. Critical Perspectives on Roman Baroque Sculpture stakes out a new frontier of research on seventeenth-century sculpture in Rome-a frontier that looks well beyond attributional and technical questions, instead focusing on questions of historical context and criticism including the interaction of sculptural theory and practice; the creative roles of sculptors and their patrons; the relationship of sculpture to its antique models and to contemporary painting; and problems of contextual meaning and reception.

Aside from the editors, the contributors are Michael Cole, Julia K. Dabbs, Maarten Delbeke, Damian Dombrowski, Maria Cristina Fortunati, Estelle Lingo, Peter M. Lukehart, Aline Magnien, and Christina Strunck.

About the Author

Anthony Colantuono is Professor of Art History at the University of Maryland.

Steven F. Ostrow is Professor and Chair of Art History at the University of Minnesota.

Reviews

"The reader is sure to be disappointed that there is not another volume on hand to continue the story through the eighteenth century. Of course, the challenge of this sequel would be to find a similar group of authors who could approach their topics with the highest imagination and argue their points as persuasively-and there would also need to be editors like Colantuono and Ostrow, ones intent on uncovering the nitty-gritty of the era's sculptural practice."

-C. D. Dickerson III CAA.Reviews

"This collection by Anthony Colantuono and Steven Ostrow is the most important contribution to general sculpture studies of the period since Jennifer Montagu's Roman Baroque Sculpture, to which it is the ideal complement. And, frankly, I can think of no higher praise for a book with such breadth of scope, clarity, and substance. The introduction is a 'must-read' for all students of the topic. In all, this is an impressive contribution to our literature."

-Tod Marder,Rutgers University

"This important collection of essays challenges, corrects, and changes common views on seventeenth-century sculptural practice and theory in Rome. It debunks academic fairy tales such as Mochi's enervated late style or Bernini's disinterest in relief sculpture. Through a multitude of methodological approaches, this volume elucidates the central role of early modern Roman sculpture for European visual culture and thought at large-and it will have repercussions far beyond its own focus."

-Eike D. Schmidt,Minneapolis Institute of Arts

"This book is certain to be an essential point of reference for any scholar broaching the subject of sculpture in early modern Rome. It is important for the diversity of its perspectives, the attention paid to particular works and genres, and the sophisticated analyses that breathe intellectual life back into the cold stone, all of which are prefaced by a much needed and comprehensive review of the historiography of the field."

-Fabio Barry,Stanford University

Book Information
ISBN 9780271061733
Author Anthony Colantuono
Format Paperback
Page Count 288
Imprint Pennsylvania State University Press
Publisher Pennsylvania State University Press
Weight(grams) 1157g
Dimensions(mm) 254mm * 229mm * 20mm