An unabridged one-volume reprint of the two-volume collection of texts ranging from the 12th to the 17th centuries, with the original and English translation on facing pages. Describing oil painting practices in several Italian cities and in France and Brussels, most are recipe books describing how to make purify, grind, and dissolve pigments; prepare wood and cloth for painting; make inks, dyes, and glues; and perform other tasks. Some considers such topics as mosaics, gilding, glazing, cutting precious stones. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)