Free (nook/Kindle/Kobo/iTunes) Hidden Beneath the Beauty [Italy Art Mystic Symbolism]

[ATDrake]

Hidden Beneath the Beauty: Kabbalistic Secrets in Italian Art by Roy Doliner, an arts lecturer and historical consultant for various films, is a combination historical/mythological context and hidden symbolism explanation of Exactly What It Says In The Title throughout the centuries, free courtesy of publisher Rizzoli's (from whom I own many, many of their excellent and recommended artbooks in hardcover tucked away on various shelves and in boxes within less than 12 metres distance from where I'm sitting right now) Rizzoli First imprint.

This is an incredibly nifty and fairly in-depth pop-academic treatise sort of thing, and it's a little light on the actual pictures, but still has more than enough explanatory drawings and photographs to illustrate and enhance the text, which is heavily focused on pointing out the apparently mystic bits, so YMMV as to his interpretation of things, since this seems rather Da Vinci Code-esque in its outlook, but it does have some nice history anecdotes related to various arts/building projects tucked away inside amidst that.

Currently free @ B&N UK (doesn't seem to exist in the main store), Amazon (not available to Canadians, but also free in the UK), iTunes (not available to Canadians, but also free in the UK) & Kobo (not available to Canadians, but otherwise DRM-free). This also seems to be free for much of Europe when I spot-check iTunes and various regional Amazon stores, and you can probably check your local Google Play for it as well.

And this has been the selected 3rd (non-repeat) free ebook thread of the day.

Because not only is it the kind of quasi-academic book I always like to see (even if not quite as grounded in non-conjecture as I might prefer), it's also a really nice freebie from a very good publisher whose books I quite enjoy , which I've paid serious money for in the past, whom I'm rather surprised (but pleased) to see them actually put something out free even in an e-version , and I hope they do more.

Enjoy!

Description
In the year 44 before the year Zero in the Gregorian Calendar, Rome holds one of the largest pagan funerals in history, the funeral of Julius Caesar. The Jews of Rome, instead of respectfully filing past, take off their sandals and sit on the ground around the tomb. Why?

In 1165 CE, a monk lays down the last tiles in a vast mosaic that covers the entire floor of the Cathedral of Otranto, a port city far down on the heel of the boot that is Italy. It has taken him and his assistants years to create this highly complex and almost psychedelic mishmash of images from ancient mythologies, the Jewish Bible, Christian saints, astrology and even the legend of King Arthur. Why did the monk make this, and what on earth - or in heaven - does it mean?

A new century, a new era is born: the Baroque, whose very name means “bizarre, eccentric”. In 1624, the two masters of this new style work together as a team for one of the most sacred projects of the century - the colossal canopy over the main altar of the Catholic world, in St. Peter’s in the Vatican. After nine arduous years, the work is finished - and so is their friendship, forever. What happened?

The list goes on and on in an unbroken chain all over Italy, from the foothills of the Alps to the man-made isles of Venice to the wonders of Florence and Rome to the magic of Naples to the ends of Sicily. Even in our days, the secret tradition continues. This book is about that tradition. About a secret message that has carried on throughout the centuries. And about us all.