Within the vast literature of the Renaissance， this is the one indispensable book: for the student who is looking for a guide to the complicated maze of Italian Renaissance political history; the scholar who needs a convenient， unified reference sources; the art lover who wants to discover the background to the masterpieces of painting and sculpture; the traveler in Italy who seeks to understand the great works of art and architecture within their context; and also the general reader who wants to learn more about this fascinating historical and cultural epoch。 237 illus。， 3 maps， 11 family trees and a chronological chart。