The Renaissance in Rome /

Stinger attempts to describe the cultural characteristics of High Renaissance Rome, 1443-1527. The author calls his work ``cultural'' history, by which he means ``mood, myth, image and symbol as manifested in liturgy, ceremony, festival, oratory, and art.'' It is original and based on much primary and secondary literature, although John D'Amico's Renaissance Humanism in Papal Rome (CH, Jan '84) covered earlier the careers and thought of humanists. Stinger argues that a papal ideology existed in which popes, humanists, and others saw papal Rome as a renewed ancient Rome rightfully exercising spiritual and temporal leadership. The author assumes that the values expressed in imagery and ceremony were reality. Nevertheless, one would like to see some of the repercussions in actions and policy. The book is unexcitingly written, and the reader sometimes loses the point in the midst of much description. Maps and black-and-white illustrations are competently reproduced. Suitable for graduate students and faculty.-P. Grendler, University of Toronto