Review by Choice Review
Barral's book is a welcome addition to the existing body of literature on Romanesque architecture. Whereas earlier treatments of the topic have concentrated on ecclesiastical architecture, this book includes towns and also military architecture, thereby filling in the monumental secular context within which the churches of the Romanesque era were created. The illustrations are all in color, newly made for this book, and superb. The photographs, sometimes of an entire structure or a major feature such as the vaulting, and sometimes details of masonry or sculpture, always illuminate significant elements of each building, as their detailed captions explain. The link between photographs and text is less clear, however, since the illustrations are not numbered, thus making it difficult to follow for someone not already familiar with the material. The text is the least satisfactory element of the book, as it jumps almost peremptorily back and forth from the general to the specific, and from monument to monument, always evading analysis or discussion. The result is a visual tour of the highlights of Romanesque architecture. Of limited usefulness as a textbook, it will be extremely valuable as a source of illustrations for teachers. General readers; undergraduates through faculty. E. B. Smith Pennsylvania State University, University Park Campus
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
