Product Review

News of the fall of Constantinople on May 29, 1453, spread throughout Europe like wildfire. The geographic approach of the Ottoman Empire coincided with the emergence of a fascination with this highly developed culture and its groundbreaking scientific insights. Artists from every corner of Europe traveled to the shores of the Bosporus; trade flourished, as did cultural interchange, giving rise to a great number of works of art that reflect intercultural dynamism. This opulent volume presents examples of the early enthusiasm for the Near East and illustrates the allure that it exercised on Western artists, drawing attention to the influence of the Islamic world on Renaissance thought. Masterpieces by Giovanni Bellini, Vittore Carpaccio, Albrecht Dürer, Titian and other artists are included in this lavish publication.