News of the fall of Constantinople on May 29, 1453, spread throughout Europe like wildfire.  The geographic approach of the Ottoman Empire coincided with the emergence of a fascination with this highly developed culture and its groundbreaking scientific insight. Artists from every corner of Europe traveled to the shores of the Bosporus; trade flourished, as did cultural interchange, giving rise to a great number of works of art that reflect this intercultural dynamism. The opulent volume presents selected examples of this early enthusiasm for the Orient and illustrates the allure that the Near East exercised on Western artists, drawing attention to the influence of the Islamic world on Renaissance thought. Masterpieces by Giovanni Bellini, Vittore Carpaccio, Albrecht Dürer, Titian, and other artists adorn this elaborate publication.   Exhibition: Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels, 27.2.31.5.2015