The great turning point of Western civilization that we call the Renaissance - the rebirth of literature, art, architecture, and philosophy in Europe from the fourteenth through the seventeenth century - marked the emergence of the modern world from the dark ages. This ingeniously organized, profusely illustrated book presents the entire epoch of the Renaissance through a spectacular collection of images, offering all the tools anyone needs to explore this age of reawakening, invention, and achievement. More than 1,000 illustrations - of paintings, sculpture, architecture, drawings, and engravings - are grouped to present more than a hundred pertinent topics. The topics themselves are divided among eight major themes covering every aspect of intellectual, political, religious, economic, social, technological, artistic, and architectural life in the Renaissance, all extensively cross-referenced.