| Main centres: | 1-3 business days |
| Regional areas: | 3-4 business days |
| Remote areas: | 3-5 business days |
Published by Konemann , 2006, hardcover, illustrated, index, 526 pages, condition: new.
I think this is my favourite in those of this Art and Architecture of ...series that I have read (Venice and Tuscany are the other two I've read, and Berlin is on my list).
All provinces of Andalusia are included, and villages and sites off the beaten track, not just the most visited centres.
It concentrates fair and square on the art and architecture you can see in Southern Spain, and gives enough historical background to be able to unravel the various strands of styles and subject matters, no mean feat in a part of Europe that has seen so many occupations and religious influences over the millenia since the first peoples arrived.
I'd like to see a bit more social history, but then the book would probably exceed the size and weight that would make it an invaluable travelling companion if you could carry books with weight with you, for instance in a car.
The illustrations are excellent, maps helpful. It is well indexed, has an annotated historical timeline and an illustrated gazetteer of architectural terms.
It is not a travel guide in the usual sense - no accommodation, eating or beach recommendations. But you can get that elsewhere. This is a treasure if you're interested in art and architecture.
One little grizzle that doesn't take away from its excellence but made me twitch every now and then, is that the standard of translation from the original German varies between sections, and sometimes you come across an untranslated German word like 'und' or 'aber', which are perhaps so familiar to the translators and proof readers that they didn't see them. Anyway, the meaning is always clear.
Each volume of the ART & ARCHITECTURE series is opulently illustrated. The highly readable texts give you concentrated information on accessing well and lesser known sites in the world of art. An image of every piece of art that is described is included, allowing readers to easily recognize the original on site. Insets on cultural-historical topics and illustrated glossaries, summaries, and timelines supplement the body text - leaving a deeper, more lasting impression of the material that is covered. Convenient compact format makes these books particularly handy to take along as a guide while viewing the great works featured within.
