Philip II of Spain, Patron of the Arts (edizione 2004)

"The image of Philip II (1527-98) as a stern and assiduous defender of his political inheritance and of the Catholic faith is tempered and enriched by the image of him as a patron and collector of art. During the forty-two years of his reign, through widespread patronage and persistent guidance, he transformed the arts in Spain, then largely provincial, into the international and modern. The building of the Escorial - known in its own time as the eighth wonder of the world - and other royal residences attracted artists and craftsmen to the royal service, among them Titian, Antonis Mor, El Greco, Federico Zuccaro, Pompeo Leoni and Alonso Sanchez Coello. Part of Philip' collection was to form the basis of the Prado Museum when it was founded in the nineteenth century." "Although Philip is recognized as one of the most important art patrons of the Renaissance, little has been published in English on his remarkable achievement. This book gives a sense of the variety of talent, both Spanish and foreign, that flourished under Philip II's patronage and provides fascinating insights into the king's artistic projects. The topics covered include: the function of religious art, court portraiture, art and diplomacy, and artists' working methods."--BOOK JACKET.