Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn:

The first complete publication of Rembrandt's paintings in the Soviet Union, this is a volume both beautiful and significant. The collection of Rembrandts in Soviet museums - one of the finest in the world - is here sumptuously illustrated anddocumented with scholarly breadth and precision. Each of the thirty paintings (24 from the Hermitage, Leningrad; 6 from the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow) is reproduced in full color admirably true to the Rembrandt palette. In addition there are 34 large full-color plates of details of the paintings, chosen with great discernment to bring the viewer close to the canvas. Aside from the aesthetic reward to be gained from viewing these maryelous works, there is much to be learned from this new book. Two Introductory Articles provide a history of the collection of Rembrandt's paintings in Russia and an art-historical study of them. Then, in the Notes on the Plates the reader finds, for each painting, not only its provenance, a list of exhibitions in which it has been shown, and a bibliography, but a detailed analysis, including the information gained from X-ray study. For good measure the X-rays are reproduced, together with collateral works (paintings, etchings, drawings). Some of Rembrandt's most famous paintings are in this collection - among them the masterpieces "Danae", "The Return of the Prodigal Son", and "The Holy Family with Angels". Indeed, the group is so representatiye of the spectrum of Rembrandt's work, and the presentation is so glowing as to illustration and so fascinating as to fact, that the reader limited to owning one book on the great master would be well advised to choose this one.