Synopses & Reviews
In the course of writing , her 1961 classic, Jan Morris became fascinated by the historical presence of a sometimes-overlooked Venetian painter. Nowadays the name of Vittore Carpaccio (1460-1520) suggests raw beef, but to Morris it conveyed far more profound meanings. Thus began a lifelong infatuation, reaching across the centuries, between a renowned Welsh writer and a great and delightfully entertaining artist of the early Renaissance. Handsomely designed with more than seventy photographs throughout, is a happy caprice of affection. In illuminating the life of the artist and his paintings, Morris throws in digressions about Venetian animals, courtesans, babies, ships, architecture, and history, and caps it all with thoughtful analyses of Carpaccio's spiritual convictions. Part biography, part art interpretation, part personal odyssey, and all lots of fun, will no doubt help to rescue the name of a noble artist from its popular interpretation as an item of cuisine.
Review
"[H]er enthusiasm is unrivaled and the book will surely delight her many fans." New York Times Book Review
Review
"With a perfect balance between more than 70 color reproductions and Morris' pithy and revelatory observations, this is a scintillating and mind-expanding celebration of a profound affinity between two consummate artists of magnanimous curiosity, empathy, and mischief." Publishers Weekly
Review
"Morris lends an overlooked master a fresh lease of imaginative life... By showing us how to look with an inquisitive eye, how to respond as living people, with our own preferences and tastes, she reminds us anew of the purpose and pleasure of art. What she presents is a vignette of human kindness." Donna Seaman Booklist
Review
"Morris tackles [the subject] with charm and gusto, infusing this with vivid examples of the artist's often overlooked eye for detail... We are reminded, quite elegantly, that there is more to Carpaccio than just thin slices of raw beef, some arugula and a drizzle of sauce." William D. Cohan
Synopsis
Jan Morris returns to Venice in this loving tribute to one of the great Renaissance masters.
About the Author
Jan Morris, who has been writing about the world for fifty years, is the author of Coronation Everest, Venice, and Manhattan '45, among many other books. She lives in Wales.