Wealth and the Demand for Art in Italy represents a departure from previous studies, both in its focus on demand and in its emphasis on the history of the material culture of the West. By demonstrating that the roots of modern consumer society can be found in Renaissance Italy, Richard Goldthwaite offers a significant contribution to the growing body of literature on the history of modern consumerism-a movement which he regards as a positive force for the formation of new attitudes about things that is a defining characteristic of modern culture.About the AuthorRichard A. Goldthwaite is professor emeritus of history at the Johns Hopkins University. He is the author of The Building of Renaissance Florence: An Economic and Social History and Wealth and the Demand for Art in Italy, 1300-1600, both also published by Johns Hopkins.ReviewsWill surely elicit much discussion and reexamination of older theses about the connection between Italian economic, social and political life and the amazing culture we know as the Renaissance. American Historical Review A remarkable achievement. Art HistoryBook InformationISBN 9780801852350Author Richard A. GoldthwaiteFormat PaperbackPage Count 280Imprint Johns Hopkins University PressPublisher Johns Hopkins University PressWeight(grams) 397g