Mantegna & Bellini /

Andrea Mantegna and Giovanni Bellini were among the leading artistic luminaries of the second half of the 15th century, and they were also brothers-in-law, Mantegna having married Bellini's sister Nicolosia. This beautifully produced, full-color catalogue accompanies a joint 2018--19 exhibition of the same title at the National Gallery in London and the Staatliche Museen in Berlin. On the surface, Mantegna and Bellini are very different artists--Mantegna is known for his erudite humanistic subjects and linear, sculptural style, Bellini for his atmospheric and painterly landscapes and devotional works. Campbell (head curator, National Gallery) and her fellow contributors explore how Renaissance masters displayed a knowledge and awareness of one another's work, responding to one another's styles and revisiting parallel themes. Bellini avoided subjects that might invite comparison between them "out of respect for master Andrea Mantegna." Unconventional in its organization, the catalogue features a series of short thematic essays in place of traditional catalogue entries; this arrangement may frustrate scholars because they will have to consult the checklist of exhibited works buried at the end of the volume. This structure does, however, make the book more appealing as an independent resource, and its topical entries will be of particular value in teaching. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty. --Jesse Locker, Portland State University