Rainald Grosshans

This is an okay, not great, presentation of 50 masterpieces from Berlin's wonderful Gemaldegalerie painting museum. The works selected are masterpieces, well worth savoring. The texts, however, are pedestrian, with not as much historical / art-analysis insight as comparable guides from world-class museums. Exceptions prove the rule: The discussion of Lucas Cranach's The Fountain of Youth, where women enter as hags and trip out the other side as starlets, is excellent. The book makes a nice souvenir of a visit to the museum, but is not as useful to carry during a visit. It points out worthwhile works, but without in-depth discussion; just bringing, or using one of the museum's, highlights-lists serves that purpose, without lugging the book.… (more)