BAROQUE SCULPTURE. by Stech, V.V. Translated by Roberta Finlayson Samsour

Spring Books, London, nd. 195 pp, large square 8vo (9 1/2" H), hard cover in dust jacket. Profusely illustrated with b&w and colour plates. "One of the most fascinating periods in European art history, the Baroque marks a triumphant break with the rules and restrictive for mulas of the Renaissance. Its genius was Bernini, whose sustained imaginative powers and incredible technical skill brought the Baroque style to its fullest maturity. In lesser hands, where the mastery of technique was not so assured and the cr e a t ive imagination not so well disciplined, the pitfalls are all too obvious. No style perhaps has ever captured the imagination quite so quickly; throughout Europe commissions poured in, wealthy landowners and rich merchants vying with each oth er t o express their ambitions and achievements in building, painting and sculpture, in itself an interesting sidelight on social history. The Czech lands were no exception, and the variety and high level of achievement in the contemporary Baroque st yle a re amply illustrated by the plates in this present volume. The accompanying text supplies a full documentation of Czech sculpture of the period and discusses in detail a number of important artists whose work deserves to be more widely k nown ." Boa rds are slightly faded at edges, small store label on front pastedown, minor edge wear. Dust jacket has a few small closed tears, light edge wear/wrinkling - mainly at top/bottom of spine and flap-folds, some minor soiling on front pane l, mi nor bro wning on flap edges, protected in mylar sleeve. Very Good/Very Good.