Book excerpt: Memling, Van Eyck, Antonello da Messina, Raphael, Holbein, Titian, Leonardo . . . these are the greatest names of the Renaissance which symbolize the ultimate in artistic achievement. Now their work is reproduced in this spectacular, luxury volume printed on cotton paper and exquisitely presented in a brown and turquoise linen case. Whether Italian, Flemish, or German, all were masters of the portrait, a style that was popular and much appreciated during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. The genius of these artists allowed them to overcome the limits of the genre and inscribe the art of portraiture into the universal history of mankind. Sharply focused and featuring meticulously researched illustrations, this beautiful book is the first of its kind to shed light on some of the most familiar images in art history. 70 illustrations