A hallmark of the paintings of Pieter Bruegel is their high viewpoint and endless, sublimely beautiful landscapes. In this beautifully produced, oversize volume (11.5x13.25"), senior art historian Silver (U. of Pennsylvania) presents a thorough and complete overview of the great Netherlandish master, detailing the sources and development of his style, the range of his influence, and describing in detail his prints, drawings, and paintings. Bruegel's landscapes are explored at length, with discussion of drawings, studies, and prints, and the execution of the inventive landscapes of his full-scale paintings. The artist's rich printed oeuvre, the meaning and sources of his scenes of everyday life, and the religious and other symbolism of his works are described at length, in the context of his individual works as well as with regard to other artists of his day. The volume is filled with full-page and two-page color plates of the best quality, depicting images and details of 355 works. Annotation ©2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)