As the title declares, in this book Peter Humfrey traces the development of altarpieces in the cultural sphere of Venice during a period roughly corresponding to the career of Giovanni Bellini. It was a time rich in accomplishments in what he identifies as a unique genre, driven by liturgical changes, the burgeoning wealth of the Republic, and crises of war and plague. Humfrey not only celebrates the work of artists including the Vivarinis, Cima, Carpaccio, Durer, and Titian, but also explores the nature of the genre, explicating the purpose of these works, how and by whom they were commissioned, and how they were conceived and realized. The result is a solid if unspectacular guide to these works of surpassing beauty, created in a very specific time and place to serve a very specific function.
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