Devils in Art

Book excerpt: Florence has one remarkable distinction, apart from the honour of having given birth to the Renaissance. It has the largest and most terrible image of Satan in all of Europe. First published in 1997, this book has had several reprints due the success which it goes on having, so much so that it is now being reprinted for the 4th time in an updated and improved edition with new photos to further illustrate the fascinating image of a character ever present in Italian paintings. This books considers the meaning and the evolution of the Devil in Medieval and Renaissance Art in Florence, and by means of a careful analysis of the surviving works of art of the period, it pays attention to the least significant artefacts as well as to pictorial works of great importance and beauty. 65 colour & 23 b/w illustrations