The Lives of the Saints through 100 Masterpieces
Jacques Duquesne and Francois Lebrette $30.00Published in 2011 | 225 pages | paper | ISBN: 978-0-8207-0436-4
Reviews:
“Two newly released art books from Duquesne University Press. . . , The History of the Church Through 100 Masterpieces and The Lives of the Saints Through 100 Masterpieces are companion volumes written by Jacques Duquesne and François Lebrette and translated from the French original by M. Cristina Borges.
The 225-page trade paperback volumes are dominated by handsome full-color plates of impressive artworks from across the centuries. Hermits, monasteries, persecutions, church councils, fathers and doctors, the conversion of the Slavic world, the Borgias, Martin Luther, all process through the pages, in dramatic oil paintings and frescoes from German, French, Italian and Russian masters. . . . [H]andsome in the ways we have come to expect of books produced by Duquesne University Press and . . . impressive [in] content and intelligent design.” —The Pittsburgh Catholic
“Duquesne University Press has done something noteworthy by publishing two new full-color books which present masterpieces of art with accompanying text to illustrate key moments in the history of the Church, and also the lives of the saints.
The format of the books is simple. In each case, an introduction summarizes the overall subject matter in just a few pages, either the history of the veneration and selection of saints or the history of the Church. Then there is a series of 100 facing pages, with a magnificent painting reproduced on the right-hand page and the left-hand page given to the text which explains the scene. Both books are nicely printed on glossy paper with heavy glossy covers and glued bindings, in a size of 8.5 (h) by 6.5 (w). So these are in effect light versions of coffee-table books but happily they are priced accordingly.” —CatholicCulture.org
Book Information:
Throughout history, artists have often taken their inspiration from religious sources, stories, and imagery, especially from episodes centered on the miracles or martyrdom of Christian saints. In our present age, works of art have never been more carefully preserved and enhanced; museum exhibitions and visits to view artwork in churches and cathedrals have never been more popular. Yet the meanings behind these masterpieces and their tremendous artistic heritage, in contrast, have never been so neglected.
The Lives of the Saints through 100 Masterpieces has been designed to look beyond the unquestioned artistic merit of these paintings — often quite well known to us as visual images — to deepen our appreciation of the meanings behind such masterpieces. Jacques Duquesne's descriptions of each piece recount the stories they represent and explain, further, the religious, historical, and cultural traditions surrounding them.
Author Information:
JACQUES DUQUESNE is a journalist and author. He is the cofounder and director of Le Point, a French magazine, and he contributes to La Croix and other publications. He is the author of numerous pieces on the themes of Jesus and Mary, including Jesus: An Unconventional Biography and Salve Regina: The Story of Mary, both originally published in French.
FRANÇOIS LEBRETTE is the editorial director of the collection Art et connaissances and the coauthor, together with Jacques Duquesne, of The History of the Church through 100 Masterpieces.