Known for his enormous feast scenes, frescoes and ceiling paintings, Veronese refined the use of colour to enhance his illusionistic effects: he has been called the greatest colourist who ever lived.

Veronese was born in Verona in 1528, but it was Venice that became the centre of his working life. His mural and ceiling decorations for the Church of San Sebastiano, the Doge’s Palace and the Libreria Marciana earned him early acclaim, and he soon gained a reputation for his inventiveness, his mastery of perspective and his dignified depictions of classical grandeur, which brought him a circle of wealthy and cultured patrons.

As well as following the trajectory of Veronese’s art and iconography this volume, which includes over 300 illustrations, examines recurring themes within his work, illustrating his evolving approach to subjects such as banquets, Biblical women, moral allegories and the lives of the saints.