Eastlake was the president of the British Royal Academy and director of the National Gallery in London; these positions, together with his own painting career, provided him access to the vast array of paintings that formed the basis for his study. This Dover reprint contains both volumes of his 1847 work, the first devoted to Flemish methods of painting, the second to the Italian, with the techniques of English and other artists mentioned throughout. Painters and art historians interested in the history and details of the technique will be the volume's main audience. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)