The volumes in this bibliophile series provide unique portraits of European art history. Readers gain fascinating insights into the artists' biographies and their styles of working: Albrecht Durer and his famous portraits and altarpieces, the vivid rural scenes of Pieter Bruegel, the great painters of the Italian Renaissance and the mysterious chiaroscuro paintings of Caravaggio. Authoritative texts illustrate the decisive stages in the artists' lives and in the development of their styles, explaining their impact against the background of their social context as well as their significance for following generations of artists. A wealth of large-sized illustrations showcase each artist's oeuvre. Each volume contains a comprehensive appendix providing information on the artists' biographies in tabular form as well as an extensive bibliography. All the authors are renowned in their specialist field. ILLUSTRATIONS: Colour