Out of Italy

by Fernand Braudel

http://amazon.com/dp/2080135007

By 1450, all of Europe and the Mediterranean were influenced by the teachings, the economies and the intellect of Italy. Its predominance had been achieved through a long history of effort, patience and strategic victories. How had Italy, or rather a handful of Italian cities, a few men all told, succeed in acquiring and maintaining a position of dominance vis-à-vis Byzantium, Islam, and western Europe? In this fascinating and insightful study, Fernand Braudel, one of the most distinguished historians of our time, examines the many-sided phenomenon of greatness that characterized Italy during the two centuries spanning the Renaissance, Mannerism, and the Baroque, perceptively analyzing the complex interaction between art, science, politics and commerce. The volume is beautifully designed and illustrated with works by Michelangelo, Raphael, Titian, Ghirlandaio, van Eyck, Rubens, Caron, and Poussin.