Shadows

In this intriguing book, E.H. Gombrich, who was one of the world's foremost art historians, traces how cast shadows have been depicted in Western art through the centuries. Gombrich discusses the way shadows were represented – or ignored – by artists from the Renaissance to the 17th century and then describes how Romantic, Impressionist and Surrealist artists exploited the device of the cast shadow to enhance the illusion of realism or drama in their representations. First published to accompany an exhibition at the National Gallery, London, in 1995, it is reissued here with additional colour illustrations and a new introduction by Nicholas Penny. It is also available as an enhanced ebook, with zoomable images and accompanying film footage.