On Painting (Penguin Classics)

Rating:
Summary: Fundamental Insights on Art and Craftsmanship
Review: Alberti is one of the more readable of the 'classic' authors on Art, much less prone to gossip than Vasari and less convoluted than Cennini. That said, some of the text on geometry in book one can be a bit difficult to follow. Alberti also loves to name-drop, continually referring to antique painters, but this was expected at the time - the ancients lending authority and historical context. 'On Painting' gives the reader an insight into the tastes and philosophies that inform the arts.

Most interesting to me, as a teacher of drawing, were the insights on the fundamentals of life drawing - such as positioning of the head relative to the feet, and the shifting of values becuase of the limitations of white paper (or paint) being the brightest 'light' available to the artist. the saying 'there is nothing new under the sun' comes often to mind - you will read many of Alberti's observations in any contemporary text.

Much of this may seem irrelevant to the modern painter - for example, his comments on consistency in portrayal of the figure may have been more relevant in an age when lay figures were used and painting took hours, but nonetheless bring up key points for the thoughtful artist to consider, especially for those interested in traditional painting. Use this book in conjunction with a good pictorial survey of art history (or the internet), so that you can readily refer to the pictures he mentions.

For more of my reviews and links on Old Master Drawings, visit http://drawsketch.about.com/od/oldmasterdrawing/