First published 1991
Hollander examines how artists have captured narrative moments across five centuries of European visual culture. She starts with fifteenth and sixteenth century masters like Van Eyck, Durer, and Bruegel, then follows the evolution of visual storytelling through paintings and prints up to the emergence of cinema. The author argues that these different art forms share fundamental approaches to depicting human experience and the flow of time. She connects techniques used by Renaissance painters to methods employed by early filmmakers, showing how both mediums freeze significant moments within larger stories. The book reveals how paintings, prints, and films function as related forms of visual narrative. Hollander provides readers with fresh perspectives on the artistic and emotional impact of visual art, helping them understand their personal reactions to images across different mediums and historical periods.
Genres: biography, history, art, literary-criticism, non-fiction, art-history, film, cultural-studies
Vibes: intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: academic, historical-analysis
Setting: Europe
Period: 15th Century, 16th Century
528 pages · Paperback · Harvard University Press