Encyclopedia of the Renaissance

This work arrived for our review amidst a fanfare of awards: of the Dartmouth Medal for an outstanding reference resource, and selection as the Editor’s choice for the best reference title 1999 in Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin, as well as inclusion in Library Journal’s best reference sources for 1999 list and selection for the RUSA annual outstanding reference list. Having examined the work, now published in the UK, for myself, I can only agree with our colleagues who have so honoured this new title: yes, it really is that good.

To many people “The Renaissance” means classical Italian painting...