Art in America
"This is one of the great books of art-historical thought."

Choice
"A superb, clear, and colloquial translation. An exciting event for the field."

Artforum
"Great, even thrilling art criticism."

Book Description
In The Group Portraiture of Holland, art historian Alois Riegl (18581905) argues that the artists of sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Holland radically altered the beholders relationship to works of art. Group portraits by artists such as Rembrandt and Frans Halls reflect an egalitarian viewpoint not found in the more hierarchically structured Italian works of the same period. First published in 1902 and here in English for the first time, the book opened up areas of inquiry that continue to engage scholars today.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

In The Group Portraiture of Holland, art historian Alois Riegl (18581905) argues that the artists of sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Holland radically altered the beholders relationship to works of art. Group portraits by artists such as Rembrandt and Frans Hals reflect an egalitarian viewpoint not found in the more hierarchically structured Italian works of the same period. First published in 1902 and here in English for the first time, the book opened up areas of inquiry that continue to engage scholars today.

FROM THE CRITICS

Sheldon Nodelman - Art in America