The Roman Crucible: The Artistic Patronage of the Papacy 1198 - 1304 (Romische Forschungen Der Bibliotheca Hertziana) - Tapa dura

"Gardner is an authority on the art and architecture of Rome between the pontificates of Popes Innocent III (1198-1216) and Benedict XI (1303-04), making this volume a welcome addition to the literature on the subject. There is a particularly interesting overview of surviving personal seals, small privately commissioned works, which not only indicate the artistic taste of their patrons and the varying styles of the time but also provide a well-dated body of evidence, which can be used in some instances to further one's understanding of more monumental works of art and architecture."-- (09/14/2015)

This book gathers 13th century art commissioned by Roman popes and cardinals and provides a remarkable insight into the sociology of late medieval artistic practice. It traces how the church's governing body, the Roman Curia, imported art works from Europe to the Latium region and illustrates their enormous impact on Roman culture.