Art history reviewed X: Francis Haskell's "Patrons and Painters. A Study in the relations between Italian art and society in the Age of the Baroque", 1963

This is the 10th in a series of articles reconsidering major works of 20th century art history. First published in 1963, "Patrons and Painters" surveys the role of the patron-collector and his influence on the production of art in Italy over a period of nearly two centuries, from the glory days of the high Baroque in papal Rome to the beginnings of Neo-classicism in 18th century Venice. A pioneering example of a new kind of social art history and still today the single most comprehensive treatment of its subject in any language, the book offered a refreshingly different perspective on Italian Baroque art, one that has influenced scholarship ever since. While it is not without its idiosyncrasies, Haskell's vivid historical imagination, his fascination with personality and his keen interest in the human relationships that nourished and sustained artistic activity animate every page and account, as much as anything else, for its enduring appeal. (Quotes from original text)