Renaissance artists had a habit of encoding meanings into symbols - everything from bee-hives to centaurs. 'The Secret Language Of The Renaissance' arms the reader with inside knowledge of the work of the great masters that would have been obvious to people of the time, but these insights have become lost to us. Sometimes these meanings in paintings,
sculptures, buildings and literature drew upon a traditional symbolic repertoire but often a more esoteric meaning was encoded - perhaps even a hidden political message or an expression of heretical faith. 'The Secret Language Of The Renaissance' gives us the tools by which we can all interpret the layers of significance below the surface of Renaissance art. This is a theme-by-theme guide to the symbolism with a wealth of examples, especially of paintings. Each major work is shown in all its glory and then, by an ingenious design device, de-constructed - or decoded - to interpret the symbols it contains. By shining a light on the use of colour to communicate different messages, the use of perspective and a familiarity
with some key tools, the reader can unearth these centuries-lost hidden messages.
For all those who relish secret symbolism and conspiracies as well as lovers of the art of Renaissance Italy, this book will instruct and delight in equal measure.
