Sandro Botticelli

With the dimensions of a 16.5"×12"-tank, and armored in a special tissue-lined black box, this blockbuster picture book is ready to roll into the holiday season. Starting with possibly the least-scintillating opening sentence ever ("Art history is the scholarly discipline that addresses the ubiquitous medium of the visual image"), University of Leipzig art history professor Zöllner proceeds to deliver an accurate if thoroughly stodgy account of Botticelli's life (1444/45–1510). Fortunately, the story is often fascinating enough to overcome Zöllner's dry, professorial style. The explanation behind the eerie symbolism in some of Botticelli's portraits, and of how this symbolism was tied to the murderous political machinations of Florence's ruling Medici family, for example, is bound to please Da Vinci Code fans. And anyway, the obvious attraction of a large-format picture book is the pictures. Like the text, the book's layout is not especially imaginative, but it hardly matters when the reproductions themselves are as good as they are here, with vibrant colors and crisp details. Seen at this size, and with such intense clarity, Botticelli's nymphs and noblewomen are intoxicating. Especially captivating are the glorious, full-page details splashed across the frontispiece of each chapter. A good basic reference on the painter, this volume will also make for some seriously heavy artillery for anyone's holiday gift list. (Dec.)