Book
Art in the Making: Italian Painting before 1400

In Italy between 1270 and 1370 the whole tradition of European painting underwent a radical and enduring change of direction. Through their study of The National Gallery's rich holdings of works from the early Renaissance, the authors examine the materials and techniques of painting which effected this transformation. They survey the primarily religious function of the works commissioned, the system of patronage, the operation of painters' guilds and contracts of employment and the organization of workshops. This is followed by a comprehensive and very readable account of panel-painting techniques. The substantial sections on pigments and color represent original research done at the gallery. The book discusses great masterpieces of this period, with full-page color reproductions, cross-sections showing layers of paint and gilding and their composition, X-rays, infra-red photographs and reflectograms.

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