Reviews

Several works have recently used the subject of death as access to a broader exploration of particular cultures (e.g., Philippe Ariès's Images of Man and Death, Harvard Univ., 1985). Binski (art history, Univ. of Chicago) seeks to provide for general readers and undergraduates an overview of death through a study of medieval images and representations; his essay spans the period from late antiquity to the Renaissance. Using his wide knowledge of the scriptural, patristic, theological, and archaeological, as well as art historical, sources, Binski presents fascinating information on attitudes toward the body and soul, development of the coffin and tombs, mortuary practices, hell, purgatory, and heaven. A lapidary style makes for pleasant reading, but the rich illustrations deserve much more detailed captions. A highly informed and exciting book, this will prove useful to advanced students; it is too sophisticated for the intended audience.‘Bennett D. Hill, Georgetown Univ., Washington, D.C.